Latest Acquisitions

What type of buttons do you want? General Service?

All the pictures I have of these appear to have plain 2 hole buttons, so if that's what you mean by general service then that's what I want

Pete, GS Buttons are brass...

Looking at the pics I have it looks like you want black plastic buttons with four holes in them. So not GS.

I don't know where to get those from.

john lewis or any decent craft shop have a wide variety of buttons

well my stuff from SOF arrived sans water bottle so I've emailed them about that....(twas a sleeved one). BTW if anyone wants a skeleton waterbottle let me know as I have a spare, also spare field dressing, and other assorted bits n pieces (all Brit-dressing is an Aussie one). Anyway I now have a pukka Tommy gun oil bottle, cleaning rod and wire brush...have a yank lanyard and shoulder strap-may be selling these on. On my to do list:

1 recog scarf and armband
1 pair BD trousers (I've lost 8 inches off the old waist)
1 set denims
1-2 new shirts (not SOF)
later on I fancy a commando sweater and leather jerkin, greatcoat and what have you...plus spare BD's.....

This is my existing kit:
1 BD jacket badged 49th Div Int Corps corporal
1 pair very baggy trousers (yup now qualifying for the oops may drop down at any minute category)
1 denison smock (well you know.....)
1 full set webbing
1 full set officers kit (webbing) (might vary into Int Corps officer-if needed)(brief case, holster, mag pouch etc)
1 genuine ww2 bergan
1 tent
1 authentically packed small pack (complete includes rations, tommy cooker, sweater, headover, etc)
1 TM Tommy (2 mags)(think another one?)
2 stens (Mk2 and a Mk3)(4 mags?)
1 vest
spare belts (leather 1903 and webbing)
anklets
ammo boots (one smaller pair available for sale if anyone is interested)
2 resin mills bombs,
1 hawkins
1 gammon
2 toggle ropes
1 TM1911(1 mag-think I might need 2 more?)
1 Mk6, one Mk7 and 1 airborne gas mask bags plus 2 gas masks
1 helmet
on its way from USA I have a denison sleeping bag, gas cape and CW brassard
Also have some ATS leather anklets available if anyone wants em?.....
oh also real No4 targets for close range target shooting (don't ask)
and some 1939 webbing-the leather stuff including water bottle, ammo pouches, belt etc (now that could be called a mistake)

I got myself some guarder goggles/glasses is that what everyone tends to wear?

(finally also full kit for a French Napoleonic sappeur, full rig for a Medieval archer and high status kit for a merchant or surgeon)(Medieval airsoft anyone? Protective kit is something else-real heavy metal!)

3 WW2 type watches from Argos for my little lot at CR 3 watches and replacement cover with change from

what make are the watches?

Lorus i can dig out the reciet if you want the cat numbers

I use a "constant" watch from argos when re-enacting... its very, very close to a 40s one, but is electronic rather than windup so more reliable... cost... just

I got myself some guarder goggles/glasses is that what everyone tends to wear?

yes that sort of thing.

Very nice list of kit there!

You just need a pup tent for churchill's then! (j/k)

on the subject of goggles, I kept my army issue balistic glasses from Iraq, am I ok to use them?

I use ESS glasses* which are used by quite a few people in Iraq (Yank and Brit) so I imagine they'll be fine, as long as the gaps around the edges are narrow enough to stop BBs.

*Apparently they're good enough to stop a 12 gauge to the face, what they think will happen to the rest of your face if you get shot by a 12 gauge I don't know.

We were told to wear them to protect our eyes from IED blasts...

I guess that follows the same logic.

I know somebody who has just finnished a private security contract in iraq and he wore a pair of tinted Riley X. Aparently they were of the same standard.

well a helmet shell I won for

Just got this recently

Supposedly a 'late 40's Belgian leather jerkin', in a ww2-stylee (labelling is certainly Belgian)

Leather is more of a 'chocolate' brown, as opposed to our 'tan' leather and it has brass buttons, although these are to be replaced with the chocolate brown plastic buttons off the '50's PVC version that I have been using. However, all-in-all, a lot closer than the aforementioned PVC jerkin and ......

The leather is in good condition but seems quite thin; I'm concerned that it will crack/split. Any reason NOT to use the 'leather restorer/cleaner' used on sofas and car seats on the jerkin ? Or any suggestions of better products ?

that car leather restorer stuff is usually some silicon based chemical nastiness that makes it shiny, but does bugger all else.

i'd go for some neatsfoot oil, it's the stuff that gets used on horse saddle leathers to soften and treat them. you can pick it up from decent army surplus/camping places. i got a big tin of mine from a Yeoman's army surplus for

I use "Rapide" myself. Whatever type of conditioner you use, be sure you get one for the correct colour or a clear one. Rapide comes in brown, black or colourless.

Nice find on the Jerkin anyway. I can find them here as well, but they don't sell for under 50 Euro.

For leatherl like that, I'd use 'Saddle Soap'. It's primary intention is for use on equine tack, like bridles and saddles, but will do wonders for other leather items too. Keeps them soft, supple and retains the leathers orignal colour/tan.

The jerkin is a wonderfully useful bit of kit. Once upon a time every coalman you saw wore one. My dad, ex Royal Engineers, wore his until it fell off his shoulders. Apart from his badges it was the only bit of kit he brought out.

I picked up a 1941 jerkin for 15 quid a few years back