I'm not a Japanese militaria collector, mainly US and German, but had a couple of questions about a Japanese helmet that I picked up at a local gun show. The helmet was dirt cheap so grab it, even though it had a couple of flaws, very worn liner and missing the the front pin, star and/or anchor insignia. There is no outline on the front of the helmet in the form of the star or NLF insignia. The rear skirt has two markings stamped into it, a Japanese character, which I believe inidicates that the shell is a large size, and the other is an "S". Is this "S" an ****nal marking? If I wanted to restore the helmet, could I add an Army star or NLF anchor, would either be correct? I remember reading on one of the forums that only NLF helmets had the sized stamped into the helmet, not painted. I don't know how true that is, as I haven't had much experience collecting these helmets, and there just doesn't seem to be nearly as much info as one can find on German and US helmets. Also, any tips on what to look for when trying to purchase an original Army or NLF insignia? Thanks.

Don't know what caused the asterisks, the word was "****nal" in my original posting. Thanks again.

Yes the "S" in a diamond is the logo for the manufacturer Kobe Seiko. Here's two easy ways to distinguih an army helmet/shell/liner over a navy example. ONLY ARMY will have a white painted size mark on rear interior rim. ONLY ARMY will have black ink stamp with maker & showa date on reverse of liner pad.This will help you determine the correct insignia.

Thanks Jareth. Any tips on identifying real helmet insignias from repros? For instance, the metal used, the shape of the split brads (ie rounded or squared off at the tips), and size? Also, are there any good ref books on Japanese helmets? Thanks again, Mike.

Hello RLI One tip as far as Japanese helmets are concerned.If there is a band of touch-up paint around the rim of the helmet this is not always an indicator of a "FAKE" or "RE-PAINT"
Best of luck and happy hunting Geoff.

Mike, stars are usually made of steel. The prong ends are usually rounded. There are rare exceptions. Insignia should be painted same color as helmet shell. If it isn't be extremely cautious that it's a replacement or a repro.Navy insignias are tough to judge from a poor photo. They were made in brass & steel. You need to be familiar with the details of the insignia. Originals are more dome shaped & repros more flat. There are numerous variations in navy insignias. Unfortunately there are currently no reference books on Japanese headgear.

Thanks for the info Jareth. Just a few more questions if you don't mind: Were the shell sizes and mfg logos always stamped into the shell, or is it possible to find a shell with no stampings at all? Also, did the rear of the liner always have the hole punched character indicating the size, and what are some other mfg logos to look for? Thanks again, Mike.

Hi Geoff,
I've noticed this a lot looking at Japanese helmets. Is there any reason for the painted band? Thanks, Mike.

Hello RLI if I understand correctly,helmets were delivered stacked inside or on top of each other.Transit times could vary and after bumping around for weeks or months the helmets tended to "Scrub"the paint from each other.I dont know if the touch-ups were done at the depots or by the men in the field,but most I have seen have been poorly executed.The one in the photo posted being the sloppiest I have seen.Jareth may have more info.

Geoff is correct. Not much more to add other than some painted shells might of still been tacky when stacked so paint loss occured when shells were pulled apart to mount liners etc. Geoff that IS one of the sloppiest touch up stripes I've seen! Nice one!

Mike, not all shells had size stamped onto shell but just about all have the white painted size mark. They didn't always stamp (pin p r i c k ed) liner bands with size mark. I believe that was discontinued later in the war.There are at least 5-6 different shell manufacturers with Kobe Seiko being one of the more common makers.

By the way....I know someone who could very well have enough information and incredible headgear to begin work on a referance book for japanese headgear!!I personally would be happy to provide photographs of any of my personal collection free of charge.I think the time is right for a project such as this.G.

All I need is $5 K to self publish. How about a loan Geoff?