M1 Helmet, Kit Questions

Yeah larger net is easier in my opinion for weaving the hessian into it, only snag is it gets caught on branches more easily (pun intended)

I find that if the inner liner still moves about inside the metal shell, put a few areas of gaffa tape on the liner, it has a rubbery coat so makes it grip a bit better,... not all liners fit the shells exactly!

my helmet was SOF, the bloody shell would have fitted inside the liner, i had to take the dremmel tool to it( it was nearly an inch below the rim of the shell) but its a very tight fit, feels very secure.

Yeah, shouldn't be that tight. The shell should be easy to remove so you can wear the liner for training or in garrison.

With a helmet net it all gets a bit tighter though.

HS

Apologies for dragging this thread back up, but I thought it'd be better than starting a new one!

I now have a post war standard M1 helmet and most of the bits (the rest are on their way) to convert it to a M1C clone. A few questions for the experts:

1. What tool do I need to replace any suspension rivets I take out to attach the A frame straps?
2. What tool do I need to secure the para chin strap pop fasteners to the liner once I've drilled the oppropriate hole?
3. The helmet doesn't have a leather chin strap, so I've ordered a new one from SOF. I'm not sure how that will fit, but can you get the posts for the snap clip fasteners if it comes with those? If so where from? Otherwise, whats the best way to fit it - it seems to have some standard buckle type fasteners at the moment?
4. The liner doesn't fit very well when the shell net is on (I'm trapping the net between the 2 and the liner hangs a good cm below the shell). Am I doing it right and if so do they all fit badly?
5. It obviously doesn't have a rivetted hole at the front of the liner, are there any I can buy to make it look right and how easy are they to fit?

I'm not after it looking perfect, but would like it to look right at a glance!

Cheers,

3. The helmet doesn't have a leather chin strap, so I've ordered a new one from SOF. I'm not sure how that will fit, but can you get the posts for the snap clip fasteners if it comes with those? If so where from? Otherwise, whats the best way to fit it - it seems to have some standard buckle type fasteners at the moment?
4. The liner doesn't fit very well when the shell net is on (I'm trapping the net between the 2 and the liner hangs a good cm below the shell). Am I doing it right and if so do they all fit badly?

Answers

3. I am in the same boat and have drawn a blank with finding the posts that they attach too. I have been recommended by J Murray to use small rivets but i am yet to try it. to help hide the fact that i dont have the leather strap at the front ive lined the exterior with burlap strips and placed a first aid pouch on the front side (although this is not entirely historically accurate) this covers up the area where it should sit.

4. Fitting the helmet net is tricky, and requires a certain amount of patience. Basically it needs to end up like a draw string bag with the cord coming from one place only and and being tied down.

When fitting the helmet liner back in place its just a matter of slowly applying pressure to the liner and sliding it in. Over a period of a few days it will be back to fitting snug in the helmet.

Thats the way i did it....but maybe its different for other people.

The helmet and liner should fit loosely and be held in place with the liner strap when un-netted.

With the net in place it should be snug, but not tight and you should be able to remove the liner reasonably easy.

Also, I don't know who's selling these dodgy post-war helmets without the furniture in place to fit the correct straps. I've never seen a helmet liner without those rivet posts.

I think the moral to the story here is to buy in person so you can check everything is in order. Alternatively you can pick up liners pretty cheap at any militaria fair.

Finally, don't bother about the riveted hole at the front of the liner, it's there to hold officer insignia in place when in garrison and you won't ever use it.

HS

Cheers. Might try to bodge some posts using rivets, or may look for a new liner.

Mine was an SOF NCO helmet and it came with the same parts missing. You can pick up repro liners on ebay from various sellers. Details of those are dotted around the forum on various threads.

Im not in any rush to get the strap sorted on mine. I like how ive got the helmet to look without it. im sure there were instances where this broke in the field anyway.

If that strap broke in the field then then helmet shell and liner would soon become separated, especially if you hadn't done your chinstrap up.

SOF are being a bit naughty passing these off as NCO helmets IMHO.

Well i cant complain as i didnt buy it from sof direct....bought it from a seller on ebay but later found out that it was originally bought from SOF.

Maybe someone from here should send them an email saying that there's being alot of questions asked about there M1 helmets being sold are not entirly accurate.

The SOF liners sound like some sort of post war Nato ones as some do not have the liner chinstrap posts.

To be honest it would be a lot less hassle and probably cheaper than buying all the bits and doing a botch job to look out for a repro Airborne liner or if not that concerned about 100% accuracy is to buy a Nam era Airborne liner.

Or even one of those horrible green plastic ones if you're only interested in practicalities and not authenticity.

HS

Sorry for reviving this old topic, but seems to fit best here:

I need to remove M1 "suspension cloth" from the liner, so I can attach under it AB A-straps (between the liner and the suspension cloth)? Or is there other ways to attach A-straps? I found a guide that said to push the lever up and it would come off. What lever?

Sorry for reviving this old topic, but seems to fit best here:

I need to remove M1 "suspension cloth" from the liner, so I can attach under it AB A-straps (between the liner and the suspension cloth)? Or is there other ways to attach A-straps? I found a guide that said to push the lever up and it would come off. What lever?

No choice but to drill them out Im afraid.