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Reproduction crushers?

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
Who makes a really good repro WW2 flight ace style crusher?
Society Caps appears to be out of business and though I think American Patrol is still out there in Utah, they don't respond to my emails.
I'm okay with custom made, I'm been looking for a good condition original that'd fit my massive cranium, and I think 30 years is long enough to search!
 

leper-colony

Well-Known Member
Who makes a really good repro WW2 flight ace style crusher?
Society Caps appears to be out of business and though I think American Patrol is still out there in Utah, they don't respond to my emails.
I'm okay with custom made, I'm been looking for a good condition original that'd fit my massive cranium, and I think 30 years is long enough to search!
 

warguy

Well-Known Member
Here is an extensive discussion on these from a few months ago.

 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
I read that discussion but it started a year ago and I can't find any of these vendors now, none are returning emails and their websites or Facebook hasn't been updated in a while.
Did the entire crusher industry just stop a little over a year ago?
 

foster

Well-Known Member
Honestly, they have been a low demand item for the last 2 years. My wife and I bought the equipment and materials that Diamond Dave had been using. We were just getting started in the latter half of 2019, and the last one we made was in February 2020. There's not really been demand since then, or at least not enough for us to commit to routine production of these.

Personally, I would like to get into making them again. I do have a request for a smaller size, so there's a chance this summer we might get going with making up a batch with the materials on-hand.
 

YoungMedic

Well-Known Member
Honestly, they have been a low demand item for the last 2 years. My wife and I bought the equipment and materials that Diamond Dave had been using. We were just getting started in the latter half of 2019, and the last one we made was in February 2020. There's not really been demand since then, or at least not enough for us to commit to routine production of these.

Personally, I would like to get into making them again. I do have a request for a smaller size, so there's a chance this summer we might get going with making up a batch with the materials on-hand.

Mark me down for one if you start up a batch :)
 

mulceber

Moderator
Honestly, they have been a low demand item for the last 2 years. My wife and I bought the equipment and materials that Diamond Dave had been using. We were just getting started in the latter half of 2019, and the last one we made was in February 2020. There's not really been demand since then, or at least not enough for us to commit to routine production of these.

Personally, I would like to get into making them again. I do have a request for a smaller size, so there's a chance this summer we might get going with making up a batch with the materials on-hand.
Mark me down for one if you start up a batch :)

Same - if they're good, I'll be strongly considering one as well.
 
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johnwayne

Well-Known Member
Diamond Dave I believe actually made them for Eastman and Ive yet to see a better one. His Luftwaffe versions were, excuse the pun ‘ace’ along with his Brando biker cap. Most Ive seen on ebay are pretty poor!!
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
Diamond Dave I believe actually made them for Eastman and Ive yet to see a better one. His Luftwaffe versions were, excuse the pun ‘ace’ along with his Brando biker cap. Most Ive seen on ebay are pretty poor!!
The second run perhaps. From memory Lancaster did the first ones in the 90s...
 

foster

Well-Known Member
Diamond Dave was making these for Eastman, as of about 10 years ago. I do not know when he stopped supplying crusher caps to Eastman, but I think it was around the time he started making A-2 jackets, maybe around 2014/2015?
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
Mike at Aviator Military Headwear emailed me back, the only return email I've gotten from any of the vendors of them, to say he will not be making any until much later this year at the earliest.
The problem here is that my wife okayed the purchase now and not later. So if a vendor makes them much later, then my window will have probably elapsed by then. You married guys have some understanding of this, I'm sure.
It never fails that when I have the money to devote to something, none are available and it usually doesn't happen later.
 

Johnnie Espresso

Active Member
A Luftwaffe Offz-Knautschmütze is approx 2-2.5K€… if all good and legit..:)
yeah, that's the ball park....
Thing is, i picked up making repros of german crushers a couple of years ago, not because i am affiliated with the ideology in any way, but simply because they're the coolest looking headgear there is. I wanted to know if i could help out here, but i have no clue about the US versions..... ;)
 
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