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[Sticky] Let's zelt!

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Steiner
(@steiner_1609088194)
Posts: 10414
Illustrious Member
 

Sounds like a bloomin' bargain, mate.


You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier

 
Posted : 05/08/2009 12:50 pm
Poacher
(@poacher)
Posts: 2279
Noble Member
 

Very good price, from that chap out of Bulgaria?
I've not seen a bag with the top closed by a strap before, buttons are the norm but never say never, it looks correct with the rest of the bag.

aka Stigroadie

AFRA
better by design

"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "

 
Posted : 06/08/2009 12:13 pm
dadio
(@dadio)
Posts: 3523
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After "Loose Cannon" I've been thinking ,was the real zelt water proof ? If it was were they made of a different material or were they proofed with a product of some type ? I try'd with "Fabsil" but it was an utter failure and was thinking of trying Barber wax for reproofing Barber jackets but it would have an effect on the colour I suspect . Any ideas or information ?

armoury
m1a1 Thompson,sten mk2,mp40,stg44,sterling,mk2 bren gun,lee Enfield no4 mk1,Mauser Kar98, Walther ppk,smith and Weston m10 and Mauser m712
Give me a big enough hammer and a place to stand and I could fix the world.
i'll kill a man in a fair fight or if i think he's going to start a fair fight or over a woman or.......
a problem shared is a problem halved ,but an advantage shared is no advantage at all
if a job's not worth doing then its certainly not worth doing well





 
Posted : 12/11/2015 11:11 am
Chomley-Warner
(@admin-infinity)
Posts: 15632
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Topic starter
 

I think like all tents of the period and before, they relied on the fabric swelling as it gets wet and so closing the gaps in the weave. So the fabric was chosen for the purpose. I'd guess that repro zelts are made to look the part rather than function as the originals, hence our waterproofing attempts. I've used the zelts in all weathers and never sprung a leak and just used builder's brickwork waterproofer. It's smelly but be generous, let it dry out thoroughly (and don't get it near grass as I burnt my lawn badly) and all should be good. I don't have much faith in the washing machine waterproofers - I used to use them on modern camo trousers and smocks and I don't think it made any difference at all!

 
Posted : 12/11/2015 12:23 pm
dadio
(@dadio)
Posts: 3523
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Thanks CW I'll give it a try .

armoury
m1a1 Thompson,sten mk2,mp40,stg44,sterling,mk2 bren gun,lee Enfield no4 mk1,Mauser Kar98, Walther ppk,smith and Weston m10 and Mauser m712
Give me a big enough hammer and a place to stand and I could fix the world.
i'll kill a man in a fair fight or if i think he's going to start a fair fight or over a woman or.......
a problem shared is a problem halved ,but an advantage shared is no advantage at all
if a job's not worth doing then its certainly not worth doing well





 
Posted : 12/11/2015 2:39 pm
Luiluei
(@luiluei)
Posts: 1493
Noble Member
 

Dadio, keep me posted. Wanted to do something about it as well. L






 
Posted : 12/11/2015 2:50 pm
Steiner
(@steiner_1609088194)
Posts: 10414
Illustrious Member
 

It depends what type / quality of repro Zelt you have. The bog-standard ones don't "swell", so take waterproofing well - Thopmson's water seal is good and also much cheaper than Fabsil.

However, the high-end quality Zelts you can get are much more like originals and should not be waterproofed.


You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier

 
Posted : 16/11/2015 9:12 pm
Poacher
(@poacher)
Posts: 2279
Noble Member
 

Original zelt were treated for water repelance.
It's mentioned in the manual H.Dv 205/1 as being some kind of soap mix.
I don't have the manual to hand so I'm working from memory.
It warns against laundering zeltbahn as that will remove the proofing.
Edit
Early waterproofing of cotton is quite interesting reading, Aluminium diacetate was used, as was aluminium stearate, the stearate being achieved by soaking the zelt in a mix of aluminium sulphide & water 1:10 and rinsing in a soda & tallow soap mix.
I'll be home Sunday so will up date on which the Germans used then.

aka Stigroadie

AFRA
better by design

"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "

 
Posted : 17/11/2015 4:28 am
dadio
(@dadio)
Posts: 3523
Famed Member
 

I'm stronlg tempted to try Barber wax for reproofing Barber waxed cotton waterproof coats ,its pretty sure to work and old school traditional worterproofing so could have been used.

armoury
m1a1 Thompson,sten mk2,mp40,stg44,sterling,mk2 bren gun,lee Enfield no4 mk1,Mauser Kar98, Walther ppk,smith and Weston m10 and Mauser m712
Give me a big enough hammer and a place to stand and I could fix the world.
i'll kill a man in a fair fight or if i think he's going to start a fair fight or over a woman or.......
a problem shared is a problem halved ,but an advantage shared is no advantage at all
if a job's not worth doing then its certainly not worth doing well





 
Posted : 17/11/2015 1:33 pm
dadio
(@dadio)
Posts: 3523
Famed Member
 

Well after asking for advice I've ignored it and gone for the waxed cotton reproofer as although not the genuine method it is an old school option that a soldier in the field could have obtained and used ,so far it looks very promising but its quite labour intensive ,it took over an hour and a half or rubbing it in but today it seems watertight ,water just beads and runs off ,the colour has darkened to a degree but then my zelt was a cheap one and I always thought it looked a bit bright so not a bad thing .
I'll let you know how it works in the rain when I get the chance .

armoury
m1a1 Thompson,sten mk2,mp40,stg44,sterling,mk2 bren gun,lee Enfield no4 mk1,Mauser Kar98, Walther ppk,smith and Weston m10 and Mauser m712
Give me a big enough hammer and a place to stand and I could fix the world.
i'll kill a man in a fair fight or if i think he's going to start a fair fight or over a woman or.......
a problem shared is a problem halved ,but an advantage shared is no advantage at all
if a job's not worth doing then its certainly not worth doing well





 
Posted : 29/11/2015 2:39 pm
Poacher
(@poacher)
Posts: 2279
Noble Member
 

I have found references made to the use of Persitol as a waterproofing agent.
One by Michael D.Beaver who you might know from his work on Recording uniforms and camouflage patterns.
Persistol is a trade name for a BASF, IG Farben and others product. There are/were several versions available.
http://www.lookchem.com/Dictionary/-ldq ... quo-BASF-/
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=cAO ... ol&f=false
The name has changed to Perapret Repel it seems but a version is still available.
I have not looked for a supplier.
Yet.

aka Stigroadie

AFRA
better by design

"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "

 
Posted : 10/05/2016 11:08 pm
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