Mess tin question

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Pre war time mess tins are aluminum and dated. War time they turn to Steel and enamel painted. WWI style mess tins that are aluminum and painted black but not enamel are post war.

Thats conventional wisdom, are there any exceptions?

William

[Hoss]

Er
Kind of, well not really, umm. No. What I mean is its not that simple.

Eric

[Chip M]

If you have the two volume set of Kraus and can read German, there is a pretty complete run-down of all the changes.

There are also some very good threads on the subject and photos in the Databanks of the German Feldgrau and French WWI websites.

Chip

[PlaceOfBayonets]

I guess a more pointed question is, how do I know this Mess tin is WWI since it looks exactly like my post war political organization mess tin I sold a few weeks ago?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

William

[uscob]

I guess a more pointed question is, how do I know this Mess tin is WWI since it looks exactly like my post war political organization mess tin I sold a few weeks ago?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

William

What is a spoonholder?

[Fred Green]

Greetings William,

I understand what you are saying! I believe you are correct in your assumption about the unmarked aluminum tall WWI style messkits being Post WWII. I think they started really coming out when the Berlin Police canteens and breadbags also came out. They are usually painted black and void of all markings.

Almost all other messkits of this style, that I have seen are marked with a between the wars date. I believe the Reichsheer used this style but they were painted a field green/grey color.

The spoon holder is a little lip on the interior of the pot that ,when the lid is emplaced, will hold the folding spoon/ fork combination

Fred

[PlaceOfBayonets]

So what is the seller selling? He tells me he checkd this thing out on WAF and some guys told him it was WWI. Sounds like advice he got from some WWII guys?

W.

[Fred Green]

Greetings All,

If it is unmarked it is probably a post-war messkit,IMO.

Fred

[Hoss]

Hello Fred
Did you mean to say post WW1?
For me this offered messkit is a post war M15 Ally example. Postwar because its missing the 'bent lip' on the riveted 'A' handle bracket to stop the packstrap slipping off.
The M10 did,nt have this either but the handle was different.

Eric

[Fred Green]

Greetings Eric,

I meant post WWII messkit. They are alloy, unmarked and I believe with the bent lip. I will take another look at the photo but this messkit looked like the one that came out into the surplus market when all of the Berlin police canteens, breadbags and messkits came out. They have the same style as the WWI version but are usually painted black and unmarked. It looks like the model 1910 in the Krause book but there is no ridge running down the handle with a slot for the strap.

Fred

[Fred Green]

Greetings Eric,

On the model That I am refering to it had that bent lip on top of the rivited handle part and it also hat the formed loop on the handle like this one does.
All of them that I handled and saw were undated and black.

Fred

[Hoss]

Fred
You mean this one, the one William was talking about? Blimey, now Iam getting confused, which is nothing new.

Eric

[PlaceOfBayonets]

talkin about the one on Ebay with the straps all over it. I gave the seller my opinion on it, that seems to be supported here. He never responded back telling me he must think I am dumb Not before he told me he checked it out on WAF. I think for him that was all he needed buit I had a feeling he sure did not ask here, the forum where guys know what they are talking about.

W.

[Fred Green]

Greetings Eric,

This messkit,(Posted picture) Looks exactly like the ones that hit the surplus market a few years back except for one small difference ; There was a small lip at the top of the handle where it is rivited on.

Fred

[Hoss]

Fred
I think I,ll start a thread on kits should be interesting. maybe other Gents will show some. I dont have that book by Kraus, never had a copy.

Cheers
Eric