Talk:Pith helmet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Contents |
[edit] Manufacture
How is pith transformed into a hat? Why does the hat take this unique shape, which I haven't seen in any other previous headgear designs? Ace Frahm 22:20, 30 July 2007 (UTC)
- As I mention below, the shape was to contain the pith which acted as a water reservoir. Other shapes that are more closely contoured to the head would not have the required volume. Shawn D. 16:39, 29 October 2007 (UTC)
- Is the hat formed by putting the pith into a mold and a press?
- That's unlikely, as that would compress the pith and reduce its water-holding capability. Think about what happens when you squeeze a sponge. The pith was probably carved. Shawn D. (talk) 12:38, 11 March 2008 (UTC)
- Was the pith helmet dunked in water, then placed on the head as cheap cooling before the age of air conditioning?
- Yes. Shawn D. (talk) 12:38, 11 March 2008 (UTC)
- If so, wouldn't the hat drip on the wearer until it dries out?
- No. The pith is spongy and holds the water. Shawn D. (talk) 12:38, 11 March 2008 (UTC)
- The french pith helmet pictured seems to have water spots, what do you think?
- Sure, it could be water, sweat, or damage due to improper storage. Shawn D. (talk) 12:38, 11 March 2008 (UTC)
Ace Frahm 06:29, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Pith Type
"It was made from pith" What sort of pith? Rich Farmbrough 14:22, 21 May 2005 (UTC)
Does it float? Does it dry out in the sun? Become moldy if damp? Protect against falling coconuts? Deflect or absorb blowgun quills? As described here it was a great sartorial fad and custom of no particular utility or relative merit. MaxEnt 16:43, 2 June 2006 (UTC)
- Seems clear enough to me: "The Pith Helmet (also known as Sun helmet...) is a lightweight helmet made of cork or pith...with a cloth cover, designed to shade the wearer's head from the sun. It was formerly much worn by Westerners in the tropics..." It's primary purpose is to keep the sun of your pate. SigPig 17:09, 2 June 2006 (UTC)
- It seems clear enough to me that you could keep the sun off your head without the pith. I would guess that the pith (or cork) was intended to provide some minimal protection without adding too much weight (before the invention of styrofoam, as used in modern bicycle helmets, which also have to be lightweight). Rbean 21:21, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
- As I recall reading in National Geographic, the pith in the pith helmet was a heat sink and helped to keep the wearer cooler. The hat would be soaked in water, with the pith essentially acting as a reservoir providing water for evaporative cooling. Thus, it wasn't a sartorial "fad," nor was it intended to act as a shock/weapon absorber. Styrofoam would be the worst material to use in a pith helmet, as it would be an insulator! I can't imagine that a pith helmet would smell very good after being soaked in water and sweat repeatedly.
- If it were purely an insulator, it would make the head hotter and hotter and hotter. If part of the system was that the pith was soaked in water before wearing, then that really, really, really needs to be spelled out in the article. As it stands, it doesn't make sense. 88.97.15.184 (talk) 23:38, 11 May 2008 (UTC)
- As I recall reading in National Geographic, the pith in the pith helmet was a heat sink and helped to keep the wearer cooler. The hat would be soaked in water, with the pith essentially acting as a reservoir providing water for evaporative cooling. Thus, it wasn't a sartorial "fad," nor was it intended to act as a shock/weapon absorber. Styrofoam would be the worst material to use in a pith helmet, as it would be an insulator! I can't imagine that a pith helmet would smell very good after being soaked in water and sweat repeatedly.
- It seems clear enough to me that you could keep the sun off your head without the pith. I would guess that the pith (or cork) was intended to provide some minimal protection without adding too much weight (before the invention of styrofoam, as used in modern bicycle helmets, which also have to be lightweight). Rbean 21:21, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] USPS Uniform helmets?
No mention of the plastic "pith helmets" used by the United States Postal Service? These are just plastic shells and don't contain any pith, but they're shaped just like the traditional pith helmet. They've become a recognizable part of the letter carrier's uniform. I don't know what to list as a reference for that, though. Rbean 21:21, 4 July 2006 (UTC)
I believe the original, pith "cork", was selected to absorb water; in addition to being shaded, the water soaked helmet kept the wearer cool in hot climates. This is popular in warm, tropical regions. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.98.166.207 (talk) 13:36, 31 August 2007 (UTC)
[edit] British vs American English
Fixed a typo in the word "connexion" and changed it to "connection". 70.156.250.23 21:15, 4 April 2007 (UTC) anonymous
- It's not a typo. The article was started in and continues in British English. "Connexion" is correct British spelling. And no, I myself spell it "connection", but that is beside the point. --SigPig |SEND - OVER 02:52, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
[edit] spelling of scientific name
It's Aeschynomene aspera, not "Æschynomena", at PLANTS Profile for Aeschynomene aspera L. (sola pith plant) and over 100,000 other Web sites. Some may prefer the ligature on æsthetic grounds, but the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (2000—the 2006 code is not yet on the Web) says, "the ligatures -æ- and -œ-, indicating that the letters are pronounced together, are to be replaced by the separate letters -ae- and -oe-" (Article 60, section 60.6). —JerryFriedman 04:59, 13 July 2007 (UTC)
- Just for the record, I took the original - complete with ligatures - from the Shorter Oxford Dictionary. Hair Commodore 17:13, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Italian police
I remember seeing TV footage, a few years ago, of Italian traffic policemen wearing sun helmets.
[edit] Tropenhelm
During World War II, German troops also used sun helmets (tropenhelm) in southern Europe.
