Chinstraps

This page contains 3 chapters.

Interbellum roller buckle chinstraps
The standard German 13 hole chinstraps
Variations

Interbellum roller buckle chinstraps

You will find these chinstraps mostly on early transitional helmets , they were replaced pretty soon after the first M35’s were produced so it is possible to see these on early M35’s but it’s rare.

One side is hooked onto the D ring with a clip , the other side is sewn onto the D ring. A maker mark with the year of manufacture is always present on these straps but can be hard to read or see depending on the condition of the strap.

The standard German 13 hole chinstrap

From 1935 until 1945 the German army used the same style of chinstrap on its helmets. These chinstraps were made by hundreds of leather manufacturers all across the country.

The pre 1940 chinstraps all had aluminium buckles , around 1940 most changed to a steel buckle but it is not uncommon to find 1940/41 dated ones with aluminium buckles.

Late war straps will often have more flimsy looking buckles , less thick and with narrower pins.

Practically all chinstraps were marked with the manufacturer’s name , city and often the year of manufacture. Around 1943 the manufacturer names were starting to get replaced by RB or RF numbers. (Reichsbetreibsnummer)

Apart from the factory stamps additional stamps can be found on chinstraps , especially chinstraps of Luftwaffe helmets can bear extra stamps. One of the most common being the LBA stamp. (Luftwaffe bekleidungsamt)

In rare instances unit stamps can be seen on chinstraps.

Below you can find examples of different chinstraps. I will keep expandig this list.

G. Schiele – Loburg – 1937 – Aluminium buckle

Otto Stephan – Mühlhausen – 1937

Franz Brehme – Walsrode 1938 – Aluminium buckle

RAHM & KAMPMANN, WUPPERTAL 1939

Always hard to find a fully readable stamp of this maker.

G. Schiele – Loburg – 1941 – Grey painted steel buckle

Poeschl – Rohrbach – 1941 – Grey painted steel buckle

Vitousek – Hohenbruck – 1941

Wilhelm Eilers Jr – Bielefeld – 1941

C Korn – Alzey – 1941

Geflitter – Striegau – 1943 – Grey/Green painted steel buckle

RB Nr 0/056/0067 strap with grey painted steel buckle

ftb 44 – an example of a lesser quality late war strap

Variations

Other styles of chinstraps are occasionally encountered on helmets. Soldiers would sometimes have to make due with what comes their way when in the field.

You will have to judge these on a case by case basis.

Here is a roller buckle style chinstrap on an M42 , one side of the strap has a field repair around the D ring. And as and added bonus the soldier ink stamped liner and chinstrap with his name. Going by the leather these are believed to have been made from French and Belgian Adrian helmet chinstraps.