But What about the Riot Helmets?
Perhaps there never has been a prior claim the straps came from any specific source. But I think it might have been implied at least the straps in the riot helmets were probably the source because they were a likely source for the chin cup. As I noted already, it seems the assumption has been the ESB chin straps were modified motorcycle or riot helmet straps because there was likely no helmet that had the exact strap arrangement ‘straight off the shelf.’ I think we can finally put that notion to bed. There was such a helmet with the same straps at the correct time period — the Everoak. But for comparison, let’s review the riot helmets and their chin straps to make the case they are a less favorable choice for the straps than the Everoak.
There are two riot helmets types cited over the years as probable sources for the chin strap system based on the presence of the correct chin cup: the British army anti-riot helmet and the police riot helmet.
The British Army mk.V anti-riot helmet was made by Cromwell, and their straps never had a snap attachment. (interesting discussion of this helmet here).
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Pictured above are two different examples of a 1974 Cromwell anti-riot helmet. The design basically remained the same into the 1980’s. They have the correct chin cup, but the double D-ring is on the right side and there is no snap, nor a floating middle strap.
These are straps taken out of a 1981 Cromwell anti-riot helmet (credit [USER=5642]droidbait[/USER]):
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Again, no snap attachment, or middle strap with extra D-ring. Is there enough material to fashion such an arrangement? Maybe there is. Has anyone done this successfully? Please let us know if you have.
However, I did come across a picture of a British Army anti-riot helmet that did have a snap attachment, and it was on the right side, just like ESB:
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This version remained a bit of a mystery to me until I ran across a reference to the earliest mk.V anti-riot helmets being called the anti-riot “Stadium” helmet as opposed to “Cromwell” helmet.
Which led finally to this source where you can read all about the Stadium version. It was the first version of the mk.V, being an interim helmet from the mk.IV where they basically took Stadium motorcycle helmets straight off the shelf, painted them green and slapped visors on them.
They do have the snap on the right side along with correct chin cup:
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However it’s already obvious… beside the dude looking real creepy, the D-ring is the old square wavy type, and is wrong. Additionally, there is no double D-ring on the other side:
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After a lot of looking, I’ve not come across the ESB style straps in any Stadium branded helmet.
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Okay, but the British police riot helmet is still good, right?
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No. It's even worse for the British police riot helmet. There’s no evidence the correct straps are in those helmets at all. Not even close. All the ones I’ve seen with correct chin cups typically don’t have enough D-rings or have plastic buckles. Also the material the straps are made of is a softer type with a completely different weave than the ESB straps.
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In Bobamaker’s original post in 2009 about the police riot helmet straps he demonstrates clearly how there is velcro on the outboard side of the strap so the strap can be secured by looping back onto itself:
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Illustrated here in his reproduction version:
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That's not how the ESB helmet chin strap worked. By comparison, this is how the ESB straps worked:
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It seems to me we can safely conclude the riot helmets are only good for the chin cup, and there are better options out there for sourcing original chin cups than these relatively rare helmets. So long, riot helmets. You had your moment in the spotlight, but the party's over.
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picture limit. end post #2 of 3
