Black Viking Helmet

[Artizan]

I saw people selling viking helmet piece in black, I was wondering if this is something produced officially by Lego, or are they all custom? There are like 1800 of these sold by many individual sellers, but it doesn't seem to be in any sets or gears. Do you think it is something like the red vader helmet, just a prototype?

http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?colorID=11&itemID=57012

[Multiverse]

I can't answer your question, but I'm similarly puzzled over a piece I found in the Build-A-Minifig bin in the Berlin Lego Store: The Reddish Brown Dwarf Helmet. There were only one that I could find, and I bought it because I couldn't think of any set it appeared in, thinking it might be the only way to get one. Bricklink confirmed for me that it never appeared in a set, but 52 sellers are offering it.

[Etzel]

They are official pieces, but without the final coating of the metallic color they usually have. That's why you can find tan, LBG, black and brown helmets that usually should be in gold, silver, speckle-black silver and copper.

Sometimes they appear in official sets, I remember that the troll king's crown in 7097 Trolls' Mountain Fortress came in reddish brown in some and in copper in some.

You can also make them yourself by removing the metallic coating with Brasso or something similar.

[Sammael]

I can't answer your question, but I'm similarly puzzled over a piece I found in the Build-A-Minifig bin in the Berlin Lego Store: The Reddish Brown Dwarf Helmet. There were only one that I could find, and I bought it because I couldn't think of any set it appeared in, thinking it might be the only way to get one. Bricklink confirmed for me that it never appeared in a set, but 52 sellers are offering it.

We received a number of those helmets in a big box of semi-used parts from LEGO last spring, but I made it abundantly clear to our LUG members that the parts may not be sold.

[Nintendawg]

Funny you mention this. I just bought a whole load of helmets and visors 15 minutes before reading this. Part of the order included this viking helmet in both black and tan.

For anyone who has used brasso or similar to remove the coating, what was the finish like? I'm wondering if the stripped part looks as nice as a part that was never coated. Are the edges and details still defined as clearly?

[Deathleech]

Something similar was talked about in this thread. It seems like this might be what's happening, as Etzel points out.

[Multiverse]

They are official pieces, but without the final coating of the metallic color they usually have. That's why you can find tan, LBG, black and brown helmets that usually should be in gold, silver, speckle-black silver and copper.

Sometimes they appear in official sets, I remember that the troll king's crown in 7097 Trolls' Mountain Fortress came in reddish brown in some and in copper in some.

You can also make them yourself by removing the metallic coating with Brasso or something similar.

I never knew that thing about the metallic coatings. Nor that the Troll King's crown was supposed to be copper! Thanks for clearing that up, and for the interesting facts. =)

Edited November 7, 2012 by Multiverse