Got it. Were there any older helmets that *did* have them struck
retroactively, though?
Sure,
Thousands of WW1 M1916 and M1918 helmets were recycled by the nazis.
Look at almost any photo of the early nazi era and you will see the
oversized helmets with the "horns" on each side. These mostly have SS
decals on them. The nazis also had a reclamation program for helmets
that had seen combat. Many were refinished and decals for another
branch of service often applied. Helmets that did not meet combat spec.
were often reissued to civil defense, fire brigades, youth movements
and other civil authorities.
Also, in the post war era, there was a huge cottage industry in Germany
where locals sold "souvenirs" to GIs stationed in Germany and through
mail order to the US, (Although nazi items have been illegal in
post-war Germany, they can be ex****ted). Companies assembled thousands
of nazi items such as helmets, daggers, insignia and such from spare
war time and post-war parts left over at the producing factories.
Collectors call these items "Frankensteins". Until very recently, it
was fairly easy to spot a bogus decal on a helmet, as they were all
invariably incorrect water transfer decals and of poor quality.
(Original decals use a lacquer application method which lays the decal
down much like a paint, following the contour of every imperfection in
the helmet surface. There are no bubbles or borders). Original decals
also have a metallic content, giving the Army or Naval eagles, for
example, their silvered or golden sheen.
Modern helmet restorers have been able to duplicate these and it will
be very hard to tell an authentic decal without a clear provenance for
a particular helmet. The best way is to use your nose and look at the
helmet as a whole. Experience will usually tell you if a helmet is
"right"
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