New Reproduction British Foreign Service Helmets??

[tse5a]

Good evening gentlemen,
My apologizes if this has been asked before. Who sells a quality British Foreign Service pith helmet versus the cheaper Vietnamese Velcro helmets current widely available? is there a firm out there selling a quality one? Thank you, TBG

[fallschirmjager]

I too am looking for such a helmet! All the Ebay ones seem to be the Vietnam type with the period velcro headband! I want to create one aged up for the father in law!

[Stuart_Bates]

In my opinion the best repros are available from http://www.lawranceordnance.com/

They do have the velcro to allow adjustment of the headband (hi Mike) but they are very well made.

To bring a repro closer to authenticity one would have to provide ventilation between the headband and the helmet shell. Ventilation being of paramount importance with sun helmets.

One would have to remove the existing headband and make 8 cork spacers, as shown below, to be glued onto the helmet shell and to the headband. The other method used was of corrugated buckram or leather between the shell and the headband but a much more difficult task.

The original spacers may have been riveted to the shell and I notice on the one repro that I have the headband is secured by pins which have two prongs pushed through holes in the shell and the headband liner and then bent over to secure the headband. Theoretically these could be used for both the spacers and the headband.

A good repro will have hooks for the chinstrap rather than having the chinstrap fixed permanently to the helmet.

Stuart
www.militarysunhelmets.com

[fallschirmjager]

Stuart

Thanks for this info and good picture. I thought only the USA made sun helmets had cork spacers and the GB ones the corrugated spaces, is this true or a misconception?

I'm still of the opinion that the helmet in the picture is identical to the Ebay ones, they even have the same 'made in vietnam' sticker!?

Pretty much agree on all your other points!

Mike

[fallschirmjager]

Stuart

Bought your book by the way!

I think we are talking about different helmets, I'm taking about the FS helmet!

Mike

[Stuart_Bates]

Mike,

sorry for the delay but I didn't realise that one had to specify that one wanted notification of postings to a thread. Other forums have that as opt-out.

The Foreign Service helmet or equally known as the Colonial Pattern helmet had either the 8 spacers between the headband and the shell or the corrugated material, usually buckram - see below.

Which book did you get?

Stuart

[Stuart_Bates]

Mike,

the American helmets had 10 spacers whilst the British contented themselves with 8.

Stuart

[QSVC]

For what its worth, I've just recived an order from this firm in the US....And its a well made helmet, and maybe more suited to the other ranks than the Lawrence Ordnance helmets with the rounded peak rather than the point....

http://hat.villagehatshop.com/search?w= ... submit.y=5

Even with high US postage costs to Australia, its also cheaper than the Lawrence Ordnance helmet.

Robert

[Pumpkin2up]

Well, right now there are no really good Victorian British sun helmets being repro'ed. Most (Vietnam made) have a very noticable flare about the rim. That flare is great if you are wanting a French style helmet but wrong for a Victorian British helmet. The British helmets do NOT have this flair. Their sides look almost straight up and down when viewed from the front. There was a guy in the UK that made some great Victorian British sun helmets but sadly he's not selling them any more. You can find him on Ebay by the name of Michael D. Long. From time to time, he has one or two pop up but that is about it.

Good luck in your search!

cheers,
Stephen

[The RQM]

A couple of reproductions.

[Johnny_H]

The one on the right is beautiful, matter of fact I think I've seen it before!

[The RQM]

The one on the right is beautiful, matter of fact I think I've seen it before!

I'm ready to go back!

[Pumpkin2up]

Those, while looking very nice, still look more French than British. The flair at the bottom is still to great. The 19th century sun helmets used by the British Army are very narrow with no flair on the sides. They still need some work but are starting to get there.

cheers,
Stephen

[The RQM]

Those, while looking very nice, still look more French than British. The flair at the bottom is still to great. The 19th century sun helmets used by the British Army are very narrow with no flair on the sides. They still need some work but are starting to get there.

cheers,
Stephen

Nope. Both are based on original British helmets.
The RQM

[Johnny_H]

I just picked up an original foreign service helmet with the artillery brass ball at the top, pugree, hooks and brass chin strap. I'll get pics and post them here as soon as I get a chance. Does anyone have anything in particular they want photographed? I'll get the front, side, and interior any other suggestions would be appreciated.