Fantastic info John. The measuring of the thickness was a good idea. I would hypothesize that the thicker the aluminum the more durable and maybe better heat distribution. Well done!
Thank you for your kind comment! As you know, its hard to come up with something new in this hobby so I'm glad my idea is useful. Thanks again for watching!
Hey John just an idea - how about reviews on the Canadian Army, British Army, Dutch Army and Australian Army Mess Kits? All similar but there are differences...
I have one that's marked PSL with 2 rivets on the handle with the big O and 2 rivets on each side too. The inner cup has two slots it's painted dark forest green and thicker than my East German one painted grey. I bought it back in the early 90s from US Cavalry as German surplus gear. Now that you have explained it to me that what I have is Post WWII Austrian model. I took it with me on field drills with the National Guard and Army Reserve. Majority of my soldiers started buying these for themselves because it was better brewing coffee, cooking ramen noodles, and heating MREs in the field. For my regular civilian job I used it as my lunch box for sandwiches and other food I put in it. It is a very thick aluminum body. I love it and use it till this day because it's so tough. ❤❤❤
Outstanding review. I own the Aluminum Swedish mess kit. Would like to mention that the Swedish kit has three crowns impregnated in the metal making an original pieces of gear. Thanks for the informative video.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I forgot to mention about the crowns stamping and date and manufacturer markings on the other kits. I guess if I did, the video would have been much longer.
You forget finnish mess kit. It close to german war time model, but handle is steel and little different shape. Two little notches in pot edge is for spoon-fork, to prevent it rattle.
More information about the soviet obr.36 messkits. They used a variety of bales including ones similar to the German ww2 and NVA ones on pre and wartime models and into post ww2 production. the brownish paint seen on the example shown here was only used post ww2, ww2 models used a much greener paint and grey paints or no paint at all. The information about Soviets not attaching their messkits to their haversack is not entirely true, however the messkit was designed to be placed into a cover with loops sewn into and them it was attached via equipment straps to the ranyets rioksak (obr.36 haversack). However this practice was only done pre/early ww2 and the reemergence of the myeshok haversack meant they stored it in the bag itself.
John I absolutely loved this video!! Being of German decent I thoroughly enjoyed watching this about the different mess kits and the slight variances of them. But by far, I love the Swedish m40 mess kit, having an annoying time finding one that has all the accessories for it. But I'll get one eventually! Lol! Thanks again man for another wonderful video!!! Take care my friend.
That style is very old . Europeans have been using that style , as far back as the 1800s . In its original form , it might not have been German , but rather French . It worked well , and was a good idea , so every other country adopted their version of it . But it basically is the same . They still make them , Can get a brand new M31 , with some handy features on Amazon . Good piece of kit . Good ideas never go away .
Hello John, I'm in the process of getting "caught up" binge-watching your videos and have really enjoyed learning about these kits! Thanks for all they great videos you put out! All the best - Luther
Can't believe I've never watched this vid or I have a bad memory! Space for my mess kit collection is maxed out now! The oddities now collected include a Norwegian, Swiss, WW2 French, (maybe) an 1895 pattern Swedish mess kit (no crowns). Your Austrian mess kit is a nice find, seen them for sale once, wasn't quick enough. Makes it worse the Austrian canteen went missing in transit, you would have had the lot! Got an original belt/strap with my West German one (maybe my favourite). Would make space for a Finnish mess kit (have a stainless steel Finnish canteen), Finnish kit is outstanding! Really like your Soviet era mess kit in that colour, gives it an old world quality, great stuff!
My space is maxed out too. My wife frowns now when a package arrives that looks mess kit/canteen sized. You have a nice collection! I haven't added anything new recently but I still have a few videos to do to cover the ones I have. That Austrian canteen still didn't make it. w=Who knows where it is now. I hope they are enjoying it. I'm not sure which one is my favorite. I would really have to think on that one. Thanks for watching another one and for your comment!
I prefer the Swedish Defense Forces "Jägarkök" (Field kitchen Jäger / Fältkök: Jägare: www.rodastjarnan.com/talt-och-mat/jagarkok-faltkok-32350) but it's not really a German styled mess kit. It more resembles the Czech mess kit but with an alcohol burner and windshield. The "snuskburk" (the dingy jar), as it's called by Swedish soldiers, was more for getting food from a field kitchen than cooking your own really, even if you could cook some soup and such. "Jäger" troops was supposed to manage on their own and not be reliant on field kitchens; the ordinary infantry and such wasn't supposed to cook their own meals on a everyday basis.
I made a video about a year ago cooking with the wz.70 mess kit, canteen, and silverware set: ua-cam.com/video/vex39x_SdpA/v-deo.html If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out and let me know what you think.
Yes you are right. I just said stick because I don't have a bayonet and never used a bayonet before. I bet that stainless one is heavy. It's built like a tank! I don't have one at this time but maybe I will someday.
Apparently I have an East German one. I wasn't sure. I bought one back in May for $15.00 at a gun show. The other I have is the Russian type with canteen to match. Very informative video. Thank You!
Awesome review. I have a Soviet mess kit and a knock off Swedish. The real ones are hard to find and expensive. I like the Polish design best. All of them are practical designs and obviously work since so many countries have adopted it. I've had a US mess kit since I was a kid (50+ years ago) and even then never understood the design, it seems only practical for going thru a chow line.
Thanks for watching my video. The design of the German style kit is very practical. a great kit design. The US mess kit was primarily made for a chow line with back up use for cooking in the field. The mess kit design thought makes more sense when you pair it with the US canteen and cup. Then you have a fry pan, plate, cup, and canteen. Both the German style and US versions have their positives and negatives but both are great kits with different design thought.
I have a Chinese replica that I've cooked with and used. I'll probably die of some kind of cheap material poisoning at some time. BTW, love that micrometer. Everyone else pulls out those fancy digital ones, but no, you have a real man's micrometer.
It cant be any worse than Soviet aluminum! I love the micrometer too. I teach high school automotive so its right up my alley! Thanks for watching and for your comment!
i have now id my mess kit its west german one a of 1984 vintage all parts have same numbers and are in good order i use it on fishing and hunting trips here in scotland uk
Вы прекрасно показали отличия котелков разных стран. Это пособие для тех, кто хочет приобрести армейский котелок. Даже плохо владея английским языком, я все понял.
Even though these are not period for your time in history you are portraying, these German style kits are nice to have when you modern camp. Thanks again for watching and commenting!
Video was helpful. My mess kit from eBay didn't look German. It was sloppy made with dried up green paint drips on the bottom. Germans normally don't do a sloppy job. It's an East German gen 2 with your video identifying it.
I had one of those West German cups and canteen sets. It had a thick rubbery paint coating on it. Can't imagine they put those over a fire. I wonder if the paint coating was to help silence it?
BushcraftWoodsDevil Never seem one with a rubbery coating before. I have seen them with a smooth painted finish or a textured painted finish. Maybe the one you had had been modified by a previous owner.
The real 111t sent me over to check out this video to identify a mess kit I recently acquired. When I first got it I really thought it was the east German but I noticed some differences. After watching your video I now know it turned out to be the west German but missing the inside cup. Great informative video my friend. Thanks for sharing and God bless.
Thanks for coming over and checking out my videos And I’m glad it helped out. I hope you will someday run across a cup for the inside of yours to make your kit complete. Thanks for watching and for your comment!
Yeah, a lot of sellers make that mistake of listing it wrong. Unfortunately, some do it on purpose to drive sales. I hope my video helps people know the difference between the kits. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
I have the Russian set,I love using it every time I go away. Simple design but well worth the money. All it needed was a good few washes to get the preservative off. Try and find the leather strap for the German one and it fits perfectly too
Andrew Johnston Thank you for your comment! I still enjoy taking all of my Russian stuff out from time to time. I do recommend to complete your set with one of the enameled steel coffee cups and maybe one of their silverware sets. The cup does get hot with the coffee but I still enjoy using it all as a set. The cup and silverware will fit inside the kit. Thanks for watching my videos!
Dominik Wolf I’m glad my video was helpful. The Austrian kit is a very nice one. I have been to Heidelberg before. A beautiful place! I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for watching my video and for commenting!
John Sherwood could it be you are in my store? When you visted Heidelberg. it's on the main street. There was a Knight out siede. And in this Shop wie sale German traditional clothing. Like Dirndl and Lederhosen. And free Guns. Like Airrifel and stuff. Maybe we met each other! ?
I was there in 2003 as part of a business award trip. I did some shopping there in some of the shops. But I don’t remember any of the shops I visited. I do remember the castle and how beautiful the town was. It was a great place to visit!
will the tall polish lid/pan lid fit onto ANY other mess kit body/pot ??? I like the top of the polish model but want a deeper more stable bottom part....
Mark Hager In my opinion, no. But don’t get me wrong, they are nice kits but I wouldn’t pay that much for one. The one I have is the aluminum version and it’s good enough for me. The kit in this video that gets the most use from me is the East German one. I like it because it has the extra cup with handle inside. The thing I liked the most of the Swedish kit was the stove and windscreen setup. So I bought a separate windscreen and modified it to fit my East German kit. That same modified windscreen setup fits all the other German style mess kits I own too. This is just my opinion and what works for me. I hope it helps.
I have have a west german mess kit could you please shed som light on the letters stamped on the belt bracket the lets are as follows JGB HBA 91 AFRA two rivets hold bracket on
You lucky bastard, so jealous All I have is the pre war canteen, do not get me wrong its good piece but I want the full set, granted the US Army GI canteen and cup are a little bigger, I prefer the German one for overall comfort, plus I can fit it into my back at work pretty damn easy, along with my sandwich box.
Monica Jones The Italian mess kit (not in this video) with two cups started in 1954 and was used into the 1970s. Here is a video I made on it. It has the capacity and weight. Then I make some lunch with it. ua-cam.com/video/3MNM29ByH4w/v-deo.html. Skip to 4:35 on the video to see the kit only.
@@John-Sherwood-W4JFS Thank you. I ordered one and when it arrived it was not in usable condition. I was broken hearted. One cup was frozen on main pot and could not be removed. Neither handle was long enough to go over the little bolt for it. I had to return it. From sportsmans guide web site. I hope I get my money back
I really liked this, was disappointed you didnt bring out the newest installment 😧 but I'm sure it will get a review all of its own sometime soon, right? I have the m40f Swedish kit and 3 Polish kits. 2 are from the 80s and one from the 60s, the 60s one is much more like the Austrian one in perportions. the newer ones are identical to your Polish one. I got them 2 years ago in a 3 for 1 sale from a company here in the states. all have the Polish army Wz markings & year of manufacture so I'm confident they are all Polish. I think I want a Soviet/Russian one next. This is adictive...
Lol! It is addictive! I keep telling myself that I have enough and then a different kit I don't have comes into my radar. I didn't review the older Swedish kit because I don't know much about it right now. It will be a future video! Good luck on your future Soviet/Russian kit. There is a lot of them out there now so you should be able to find a nice deal. One day I would like to find a good older Polish wz 23/31 kit to sit beside my wz 70 Polish kit that was in the video. The addiction continues!
Hello John, love this video..very informative indeed. May you be so kind as to help me figure out where my mystery mess kit comes from? I just uploaded a video but have no idea and have absolutely no info on it..so i figured i'd ask you for help. Regards, -thatpackguy
My Polish Mess Kit is different. it has a d ring on the handle, and it is fastened with four rivits. also, the handle does not have the bracket. Also, the lip above the handle on mine does have a slot for the belt. And the back of it does not have the slot to hold the two pieces together. Otherwise it's the same.
I have read your description of your mess kit a few times and judging by that, I think you might have a Hungarian mess kit. Here is a link to a picture of one: webbingbabel.blogspot.com/2013/08/hungarian-army-mess-kit-mh-csajka.html I have a 1953 Hungarian kit in my collection that I acquired after I made this video. It has a tiny stamp on the cup and on the pot that has 3 boxes on top of one another. The first box has a 6, the second a HR and the third has 953. Does your kit look like the one in the picture? Thanks for your comment and for watching!
John Sherwood That is exactly my mess kit. According to eBay it traveled to me from Poland, but it must be Hungarian. I will look for the stamps but so far I haven't found any. I would appreciate any other information on it. Do you know if the Hungarian knife fork spoon set is designed to fit in this mess kit?
You should review the Finnish mess kit. Very similar to the ones you tried out, but the build quality and metal quality is the best I've ever seen. The handle on the cup bends all the way over so it can be used in a patrol situation without the big pot being carried. No inner cup either. Very difficult to obtain , and very fireworn and dented when you get them. But the best of this type of mess kit in my opinion.
Deep South Experience I’m glad you found it helpful. The only place I have seen any East German kits lately is eBay. Just study the pictures carefully to make sure it’s listed correctly. Good luck on your hunt! Thanks for watching my video!
Since the Swedish mess kits are so hard and expensive to get, COULD YOU TELL US WHAT OTHER MESS KITS WILL NEST IN THE SWEDISH WIND SCREEN??? I have a Swiss one that will not! I know the Hungarian WILL. But I am wondering what other mess kits might work so I that can make my own cheaper version of the Swedish kit from other readily available military surplus mess kits (but using the Swedish wind screen and stove that STILL ARE readily available for about 20 bucks on Ebay)!!!. Thanks! Actually it sounds like a cool theme for a video.... Just a thought!!!
Most of the German style kits should fit with a little modification. Some that should fit are the Russian, Hungarian, older Polish, Romanian, East German, West German, and the Austrian one. I personally use the East German one with my Swedish windscreen. I had to modify the screen to fit it and it works really good. If you could find a East or West German (Bundeswehr) kit or even the remake, you would have a three container kit. The Austrian one is three container too but they are hard to find. I hope this helps!
@@John-Sherwood-W4JFS It does!! Thanks. I ordered a FINNISH one (with the three containers) a week ago. It's a brand new but at the time I did not realize that it was a Chinese copy!!! The horror!!! Well, we will see if its any good when it gets here... Its coming from Finland. But being brand new it might be very nice which is why I ordered it. And if it doesn't fit my Swedish wind screen, I can still put it to good use with some other screen and pot holding method. Again Thanks. BUT PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A VIDEO TRYING OUT ALL OF YOUR DIFFERENT MESS KITS on that Swedish wind screen!!!!!! You are the only person I know who has them all!!!!! That would be so helpful to lots of us!!!! Honest!!!! Again thanks and best wishes from Texas my friend!!! Gene.
Nice review, I thought it was informative, I have the East German, three piece, set , I think mine was the mill-tech China copy, whom ever did the riveting on the cup, needs retraining, it popped right off the cup itself 🤢, liked the video
I'm not sure if Mil-Tec or China ever copied the E. German kit. To my knowledge I have never seen one. They were cheaper made than a lot of other mess kits I have seen. But they are still one of my favorites. The darker kit of the two on my video is my everyday carry and it has seen a lot of use. It stays with me in my vehicle. Thanks for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I like your videos, and I also am interested in mess kits and canteen cup kits, not a collector but I am thinking about starting a collection. I was in Boy Scouts as a kid and have an old mess kit but it’s not carbon steel , have you done a video on your collection, I would be interested to see it and get some info on how to find such a collection. Thanks for your videos especially canteen cup Tuesday. Ken from Texas.
Ken Yates Sorry for the delayed reply. I have a playlist with my Scout collection videos. I hope you enjoy it: ua-cam.com/play/PLBXZMNeFA86uOEJjejKfLecZA1RuWCSE7.html
Thanks for the informative video. I ordered a soviet kit on ebay. it arrived coated in heavy grease. smells kind of like coal tar oil. I can't seem to get rid of the smell of it. if anyone has experience with this some free advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
My kit came wrapped in brown paper with that preservative oil and grease all over it. I did just like harnamhandi and washed it in hot soapy water a few times. Also, I boiled water in the pot and cup on my kitchen stove to help release the oil film from the metal. I took it off the stove and let it settle for a couple of minutes and then the oil film would rise to the top. Pour off the water and repeat. After that, you could sauté some onions in both to "season" it. That's what seemed to work for me.
Is that piece of cloth you have on the right side of the screen next to the Swedish kits a Palestinian shemagh? If so, I think I have the exact same one. EDIT: Also, I have the Yugoslavian mess kit. The square one with the internal canteen. Only the bottom pot is aluminum, the cups are plastic. I measured the pot with a micrometer and was getting between 81 and 85 thousandths thick depending where I measured. It is a stout pot for a mess kit. Thanks for the great video.
Yes. I have both of my shemaghs in the video. The second one is the table cloth. I have a Yugo kit too but I hardly ever use it. My canteen in the set has a really bad smell in it that I can't get rid of. So I don't use it and its just part of my collection. Thanks for the pot measurements. People reading this might find it useful. Thanks for watching and for your comment!
That's unfortunate about the smell in your canteen. I washed mine out vigorously with soapy water a few times when I first got it just to be sure but it never had any off smells. The one complaint about the Yugo mess kit is there was no metal lid for the pot to make a quicker job of boiling water. There is a video on youtube of a guy who makes a lid for his pot out of a scrap piece of sheet aluminum so I took his idea and did the same thing. Used a scrap aluminum cake mold from Goodwill and formed a lid. The lid is shallow enough that it will fit in the kit's canvas bag along with everything else. I personally think the mess kits that have the inner cup have a huge advantage over the ones that don't. You can put water in the lower pot, put some food to cook in the inner cup, then put the top cup back on to contain the heat. Then you have a steam cooked meal AND boiling water for oatmeal or something from the same cooking cycle. Major plus over the two piece kits. And the East German kit having a handle on the inner cup makes it the best kit of all (the East German and the Yugo are the two mess kits that I own). Thanks for the reply and take care!
Thanks for a great video. I've the East German, Polish and Swedish kits (as well as a Swiss version, which wasn't reviewed). Just a thought with the polish version, the ring/slit combo on the mug handle looks like it could take a bayonet to extend the handle. Hopefully someone can confirm or dispel my suspicion 😬.
You have a nice collection of mess kits. I try to rotate mine and use each one from time to time. I can't confirm this for you about the Polish kit. But maybe someone that reads this and knows can help. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
Filip actually that would be hard. Most of my collection is vacuum packed in bags and in storage. Plus, the video would be too long. Thanks for the suggestion though and thanks for watching my videos!
Just curious, I bought a replica and noticed the pot handle never locks. I was upset until I saw that none of yours do either. I guess that’s common for these but I don’t know
They have been hard to find recently. They used to have them on Swisslink.com but they look to be out. Keep looking because they come available at times on ebay. Thanks for your comment and good luck on your search!
@@John-Sherwood-W4JFS I have a mill teck swiss kit and it did not come with hook. I went to hardware store and purchased a chain and hook with a clasp. I just attached it to the handle. It comes off If I need it to. It works well.
@@monicajones8450 Very cool. The Mil-Tec Swedish kit seems to be a nice one. I saw one once at my local surplus store. I have seen some bad remakes of different kits from different manufacturers but this one is good. I hope you enjoy using it!
This is super detailed and hits all the pertinent points, well done sir!
Fantastic info John. The measuring of the thickness was a good idea. I would hypothesize that the thicker the aluminum the more durable and maybe better heat distribution. Well done!
Thank you for your kind comment! As you know, its hard to come up with something new in this hobby so I'm glad my idea is useful. Thanks again for watching!
Hey John just an idea - how about reviews on the Canadian Army, British Army, Dutch Army and Australian Army Mess Kits? All similar but there are differences...
That's a great idea! Maybe in the future. Right now I don't have any of those mess kits.
This is a very valuable resource for mess kit ID - thank you as always for the depth you go in to
Thank you very much! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I have one that's marked PSL with 2 rivets on the handle with the big O and 2 rivets on each side too. The inner cup has two slots it's painted dark forest green and thicker than my East German one painted grey. I bought it back in the early 90s from US Cavalry as German surplus gear. Now that you have explained it to me that what I have is Post WWII Austrian model. I took it with me on field drills with the National Guard and Army Reserve. Majority of my soldiers started buying these for themselves because it was better brewing coffee, cooking ramen noodles, and heating MREs in the field. For my regular civilian job I used it as my lunch box for sandwiches and other food I put in it. It is a very thick aluminum body. I love it and use it till this day because it's so tough. ❤❤❤
Outstanding review. I own the Aluminum Swedish mess kit. Would like to mention that the Swedish kit has three crowns impregnated in the metal making an original pieces of gear. Thanks for the informative video.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I forgot to mention about the crowns stamping and date and manufacturer markings on the other kits. I guess if I did, the video would have been much longer.
Carlos Sepulveda as a teenager, i had a swedish kit, they are taller and hold much more!!,
I just checked mine, according to your specs, I have a West German version. Thanks for the info.
John I think this is the best review of these mess kits, that I’ve seen on the Internet. Thanks
You forget finnish mess kit. It close to german war time model, but handle is steel and little different shape. Two little notches in pot edge is for spoon-fork, to prevent it rattle.
More information about the soviet obr.36 messkits. They used a variety of bales including ones similar to the German ww2 and NVA ones on pre and wartime models and into post ww2 production. the brownish paint seen on the example shown here was only used post ww2, ww2 models used a much greener paint and grey paints or no paint at all. The information about Soviets not attaching their messkits to their haversack is not entirely true, however the messkit was designed to be placed into a cover with loops sewn into and them it was attached via equipment straps to the ranyets rioksak (obr.36 haversack). However this practice was only done pre/early ww2 and the reemergence of the myeshok haversack meant they stored it in the bag itself.
John I absolutely loved this video!! Being of German decent I thoroughly enjoyed watching this about the different mess kits and the slight variances of them. But by far, I love the Swedish m40 mess kit, having an annoying time finding one that has all the accessories for it. But I'll get one eventually! Lol! Thanks again man for another wonderful video!!! Take care my friend.
That style is very old . Europeans have been using that style , as far back as the 1800s . In its original form , it might not have been German , but rather French . It worked well , and was a good idea , so every other country adopted their version of it . But it basically is the same . They still make them , Can get a brand new M31 , with some handy features on Amazon . Good piece of kit . Good ideas never go away .
Hello John, I'm in the process of getting "caught up" binge-watching your videos and have really enjoyed learning about these kits! Thanks for all they great videos you put out! All the best - Luther
Can't believe I've never watched this vid or I have a bad memory! Space for my mess kit collection is maxed out now! The oddities now collected include a Norwegian, Swiss, WW2 French, (maybe) an 1895 pattern Swedish mess kit (no crowns). Your Austrian mess kit is a nice find, seen them for sale once, wasn't quick enough. Makes it worse the Austrian canteen went missing in transit, you would have had the lot! Got an original belt/strap with my West German one (maybe my favourite). Would make space for a Finnish mess kit (have a stainless steel Finnish canteen), Finnish kit is outstanding! Really like your Soviet era mess kit in that colour, gives it an old world quality, great stuff!
My space is maxed out too. My wife frowns now when a package arrives that looks mess kit/canteen sized. You have a nice collection! I haven't added anything new recently but I still have a few videos to do to cover the ones I have. That Austrian canteen still didn't make it. w=Who knows where it is now. I hope they are enjoying it. I'm not sure which one is my favorite. I would really have to think on that one. Thanks for watching another one and for your comment!
Amazing review! Very in-depth, So I’ve found out my kit is a east German, thank you very much for the info buddy. All the best, Jay
I prefer the Swedish Defense Forces "Jägarkök" (Field kitchen Jäger / Fältkök: Jägare: www.rodastjarnan.com/talt-och-mat/jagarkok-faltkok-32350) but it's not really a German styled mess kit. It more resembles the Czech mess kit but with an alcohol burner and windshield. The "snuskburk" (the dingy jar), as it's called by Swedish soldiers, was more for getting food from a field kitchen than cooking your own really, even if you could cook some soup and such.
"Jäger" troops was supposed to manage on their own and not be reliant on field kitchens; the ordinary infantry and such wasn't supposed to cook their own meals on a everyday basis.
What a great collection! I just purchased the Polish one and plan to do a video on it. Can't wait to use it.
I made a video about a year ago cooking with the wz.70 mess kit, canteen, and silverware set: ua-cam.com/video/vex39x_SdpA/v-deo.html If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out and let me know what you think.
I believe the D rings on the handle of the sweedish kit were for your bayonet.i have the stainless one.its really heavy.
Yes you are right. I just said stick because I don't have a bayonet and never used a bayonet before. I bet that stainless one is heavy. It's built like a tank! I don't have one at this time but maybe I will someday.
John Sherwood if the postage wasn't crazy I'd send it you.unfortunately we're on opposite sides of the Atlantic.regards from Sheffield England.
hydraman5 The postage is outrageous! I was going to send something to England a few months ago and the price was shocking. Thanks for the thought.
Apparently I have an East German one. I wasn't sure. I bought one back in May for $15.00 at a gun show. The other I have is the Russian type with canteen to match. Very informative video. Thank You!
gunnerjames105 Thanks very much. I’m glad my video was some help. Enjoy your kits!
Thanks fot visiting Webbingbabel
Awesome review. I have a Soviet mess kit and a knock off Swedish. The real ones are hard to find and expensive.
I like the Polish design best.
All of them are practical designs and obviously work since so many countries have adopted it. I've had a US mess kit since I was a kid (50+ years ago) and even then never understood the design, it seems only practical for going thru a chow line.
Thanks for watching my video. The design of the German style kit is very practical. a great kit design. The US mess kit was primarily made for a chow line with back up use for cooking in the field. The mess kit design thought makes more sense when you pair it with the US canteen and cup. Then you have a fry pan, plate, cup, and canteen. Both the German style and US versions have their positives and negatives but both are great kits with different design thought.
Neat video! Thanks very much for sharing! I’m a yak fisher too in TN!
I have a Chinese replica that I've cooked with and used. I'll probably die of some kind of cheap material poisoning at some time.
BTW, love that micrometer. Everyone else pulls out those fancy digital ones, but no, you have a real man's micrometer.
It cant be any worse than Soviet aluminum! I love the micrometer too. I teach high school automotive so its right up my alley! Thanks for watching and for your comment!
Very thorough video, learned a lot, thank you!
Very good review on these Euro mess kits.
i have now id my mess kit its west german one a of 1984 vintage all parts have same numbers and are in good order i use it on fishing and hunting trips here in scotland uk
very helpful! Excellent piece of info with measuring the thickness of each mess kit. Thank you!
Dave C. Thank you for watching my video!
Вы прекрасно показали отличия котелков разных стран. Это пособие для тех, кто хочет приобрести армейский котелок. Даже плохо владея английским языком, я все понял.
i sometimes see replicas made of tin that look similar to these on sutlers for revolutionary war and civil war. been wanting to pick one up
Even though these are not period for your time in history you are portraying, these German style kits are nice to have when you modern camp. Thanks again for watching and commenting!
Video was helpful. My mess kit from eBay didn't look German. It was sloppy made with dried up green paint drips on the bottom. Germans normally don't do a sloppy job. It's an East German gen 2 with your video identifying it.
I had one of those West German cups and canteen sets. It had a thick rubbery paint coating on it. Can't imagine they put those over a fire. I wonder if the paint coating was to help silence it?
BushcraftWoodsDevil Never seem one with a rubbery coating before. I have seen them with a smooth painted finish or a textured painted finish. Maybe the one you had had been modified by a previous owner.
The real 111t sent me over to check out this video to identify a mess kit I recently acquired.
When I first got it I really thought it was the east German but I noticed some differences.
After watching your video I now know it turned out to be the west German but missing the inside cup.
Great informative video my friend.
Thanks for sharing and God bless.
Thanks for coming over and checking out my videos And I’m glad it helped out. I hope you will someday run across a cup for the inside of yours to make your kit complete. Thanks for watching and for your comment!
I love that bowl and Spindel
I want one so damn bad, i come to this video a lot for my research 😁
A GREAT REVIEW AS ALL MESS KITS ARE SOLD AS GERMAN WW11.
Yeah, a lot of sellers make that mistake of listing it wrong. Unfortunately, some do it on purpose to drive sales. I hope my video helps people know the difference between the kits. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
I have the Russian set,I love using it every time I go away. Simple design but well worth the money. All it needed was a good few washes to get the preservative off. Try and find the leather strap for the German one and it fits perfectly too
Andrew Johnston Thank you for your comment! I still enjoy taking all of my Russian stuff out from time to time. I do recommend to complete your set with one of the enameled steel coffee cups and maybe one of their silverware sets. The cup does get hot with the coffee but I still enjoy using it all as a set. The cup and silverware will fit inside the kit. Thanks for watching my videos!
John Sherwood thanks I'll try that. I have one of the British enamel mugs at home.looks like it may fit too
Gute Sammlung ! Hab zwei Originale , BGS und Polizeireserve Berlin.
Good video, very good comparsion of all kids!
I have both a east and west Berlin canteens and an Austrian M31 bredberg in the exact same camo that you're canteen is in
Thank you.
Now i kown i got a Austrian Mess Kit in Black.
I been looking for that information along time.
Greetings form Heidelberg Germany 🍻
Dominik Wolf I’m glad my video was helpful. The Austrian kit is a very nice one. I have been to Heidelberg before. A beautiful place! I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for watching my video and for commenting!
John Sherwood could it be you are in my store?
When you visted Heidelberg.
it's on the main street.
There was a Knight out siede.
And in this Shop wie sale German traditional clothing.
Like Dirndl and Lederhosen.
And free Guns.
Like Airrifel and stuff.
Maybe we met each other! ?
I was there in 2003 as part of a business award trip. I did some shopping there in some of the shops. But I don’t remember any of the shops I visited. I do remember the castle and how beautiful the town was. It was a great place to visit!
I have the Polish kit and it's very sturdy.
will the tall polish lid/pan lid fit onto ANY other mess kit body/pot ??? I like the top of the polish model but want a deeper more stable bottom part....
I have one that looks like the second but at the same time is almost completely different
i have the swedish M-40 AL I love it ! great channel John liked & subbed
Gunner Air I have that same kit too! A very awesome kit to have. That’s for watching and for your sub!
You have such a knack for finding this stuff...I am jealous!
Ha Ha! I enjoy collecting these kits and canteens. It began with my US stuff and then my East German stuff. I can stop anytime I want... Lol.
Yeah, I can stop anytime...thats what I said about my ALICE stuff...lol
I found German ww2 mess kit on my street in the hard rubbish. Made in 1943. What a find :-)
.
I've been looking for a German mess kit the information u say help alot
I'm glad my video was helpful. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
John
I want to buy a Swedish stainless kit for $200 on eBay. Is that worth it? Also, which of your featured kits on this vid is your favorite? Thanks
Mark Hager In my opinion, no. But don’t get me wrong, they are nice kits but I wouldn’t pay that much for one. The one I have is the aluminum version and it’s good enough for me. The kit in this video that gets the most use from me is the East German one. I like it because it has the extra cup with handle inside. The thing I liked the most of the Swedish kit was the stove and windscreen setup. So I bought a separate windscreen and modified it to fit my East German kit. That same modified windscreen setup fits all the other German style mess kits I own too. This is just my opinion and what works for me. I hope it helps.
I have have a west german mess kit could you please shed som light on the letters stamped on the belt bracket the lets are as follows JGB HBA 91 AFRA two rivets hold bracket on
You lucky bastard, so jealous
All I have is the pre war canteen, do not get me wrong its good piece but I want the full set, granted the US Army GI canteen and cup are a little bigger, I prefer the German one for overall comfort, plus I can fit it into my back at work pretty damn easy, along with my sandwich box.
Hey John can you tell us the measurments on the Italian mess kit?. The one with the two cups. Do you know how old those are?
Monica Jones The Italian mess kit (not in this video) with two cups started in 1954 and was used into the 1970s. Here is a video I made on it. It has the capacity and weight. Then I make some lunch with it. ua-cam.com/video/3MNM29ByH4w/v-deo.html. Skip to 4:35 on the video to see the kit only.
@@John-Sherwood-W4JFS Thank you. I ordered one and when it arrived it was not in usable condition. I was broken hearted. One cup was frozen on main pot and could not be removed. Neither handle was long enough to go over the little bolt for it. I had to return it. From sportsmans guide web site. I hope I get my money back
I really liked this, was disappointed you didnt bring out the newest installment 😧 but I'm sure it will get a review all of its own sometime soon, right?
I have the m40f Swedish kit and 3 Polish kits. 2 are from the 80s and one from the 60s, the 60s one is much more like the Austrian one in perportions. the newer ones are identical to your Polish one.
I got them 2 years ago in a 3 for 1 sale from a company here in the states. all have the Polish army Wz markings & year of manufacture so I'm confident they are all Polish.
I think I want a Soviet/Russian one next.
This is adictive...
Lol! It is addictive! I keep telling myself that I have enough and then a different kit I don't have comes into my radar. I didn't review the older Swedish kit because I don't know much about it right now. It will be a future video! Good luck on your future Soviet/Russian kit. There is a lot of them out there now so you should be able to find a nice deal. One day I would like to find a good older Polish wz 23/31 kit to sit beside my wz 70 Polish kit that was in the video. The addiction continues!
Hello John, love this video..very informative indeed. May you be so kind as to help me figure out where my mystery mess kit comes from? I just uploaded a video but have no idea and have absolutely no info on it..so i figured i'd ask you for help. Regards, -thatpackguy
My Polish Mess Kit is different. it has a d ring on the handle, and it is fastened with four rivits. also, the handle does not have the bracket. Also, the lip above the handle on mine does have a slot for the belt. And the back of it does not have the slot to hold the two pieces together. Otherwise it's the same.
I have read your description of your mess kit a few times and judging by that, I think you might have a Hungarian mess kit. Here is a link to a picture of one: webbingbabel.blogspot.com/2013/08/hungarian-army-mess-kit-mh-csajka.html I have a 1953 Hungarian kit in my collection that I acquired after I made this video. It has a tiny stamp on the cup and on the pot that has 3 boxes on top of one another. The first box has a 6, the second a HR and the third has 953. Does your kit look like the one in the picture? Thanks for your comment and for watching!
John Sherwood That is exactly my mess kit. According to eBay it traveled to me from Poland, but it must be Hungarian. I will look for the stamps but so far I haven't found any. I would appreciate any other information on it. Do you know if the Hungarian knife fork spoon set is designed to fit in this mess kit?
You should review the Finnish mess kit. Very similar to the ones you tried out, but the build quality and metal quality is the best I've ever seen. The handle on the cup bends all the way over so it can be used in a patrol situation without the big pot being carried. No inner cup either. Very difficult to obtain , and very fireworn and dented when you get them. But the best of this type of mess kit in my opinion.
That was a big help. Looking for a West German. ATB - Stan
Deep South Experience I’m glad you found it helpful. The only place I have seen any East German kits lately is eBay. Just study the pictures carefully to make sure it’s listed correctly. Good luck on your hunt! Thanks for watching my video!
Since the Swedish mess kits are so hard and expensive to get, COULD YOU TELL US WHAT OTHER MESS KITS WILL NEST IN THE SWEDISH WIND SCREEN??? I have a Swiss one that will not! I know the Hungarian WILL. But I am wondering what other mess kits might work so I that can make my own cheaper version of the Swedish kit from other readily available military surplus mess kits (but using the Swedish wind screen and stove that STILL ARE readily available for about 20 bucks on Ebay)!!!. Thanks! Actually it sounds like a cool theme for a video.... Just a thought!!!
Most of the German style kits should fit with a little modification. Some that should fit are the Russian, Hungarian, older Polish, Romanian, East German, West German, and the Austrian one. I personally use the East German one with my Swedish windscreen. I had to modify the screen to fit it and it works really good.
If you could find a East or West German (Bundeswehr) kit or even the remake, you would have a three container kit. The Austrian one is three container too but they are hard to find. I hope this helps!
@@John-Sherwood-W4JFS It does!! Thanks. I ordered a FINNISH one (with the three containers) a week ago. It's a brand new but at the time I did not realize that it was a Chinese copy!!! The horror!!! Well, we will see if its any good when it gets here... Its coming from Finland. But being brand new it might be very nice which is why I ordered it. And if it doesn't fit my Swedish wind screen, I can still put it to good use with some other screen and pot holding method. Again Thanks. BUT PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A VIDEO TRYING OUT ALL OF YOUR DIFFERENT MESS KITS on that Swedish wind screen!!!!!! You are the only person I know who has them all!!!!! That would be so helpful to lots of us!!!! Honest!!!! Again thanks and best wishes from Texas my friend!!! Gene.
Now this a video you can learn from !!! Thanks John !
I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for watching another one!
Nice review, I thought it was informative, I have the East German, three piece, set , I think mine was the mill-tech China copy, whom ever did the riveting on the cup, needs retraining, it popped right off the cup itself 🤢, liked the video
I'm not sure if Mil-Tec or China ever copied the E. German kit. To my knowledge I have never seen one. They were cheaper made than a lot of other mess kits I have seen. But they are still one of my favorites. The darker kit of the two on my video is my everyday carry and it has seen a lot of use. It stays with me in my vehicle. Thanks for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I like your videos, and I also am interested in mess kits and canteen cup kits, not a collector but I am thinking about starting a collection. I was in Boy Scouts as a kid and have an old mess kit but it’s not carbon steel , have you done a video on your collection, I would be interested to see it and get some info on how to find such a collection. Thanks for your videos especially canteen cup Tuesday. Ken from Texas.
Ken Yates Sorry for the delayed reply. I have a playlist with my Scout collection videos. I hope you enjoy it: ua-cam.com/play/PLBXZMNeFA86uOEJjejKfLecZA1RuWCSE7.html
You're doing a very good job I just like to see a little bit more on the American style mess kits please and thank you
Cody James I’ll see what I can do. Thanks for watching and for your comment!
Thanks for the informative video. I ordered a soviet kit on ebay. it arrived coated in heavy grease. smells kind of like coal tar oil. I can't seem to get rid of the smell of it. if anyone has experience with this some free advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
johnny sixguns Had similar grease on the VDV version. Lots of hot water and washing detergent , repeat until smell has gone. Worked for me.
My kit came wrapped in brown paper with that preservative oil and grease all over it. I did just like harnamhandi and washed it in hot soapy water a few times. Also, I boiled water in the pot and cup on my kitchen stove to help release the oil film from the metal. I took it off the stove and let it settle for a couple of minutes and then the oil film would rise to the top. Pour off the water and repeat. After that, you could sauté some onions in both to "season" it. That's what seemed to work for me.
a lot of paper towels, gasoline, degreaser. Then wash the dishes. respect from Siberia.
Thank you for your reply! Greetings from the US.
boil water in it about 7-10 times and wash with dish washer liquid after each boiling, that would be healthier than degreaser
Awesome review !! I love those messkits .
Thanks very much! I think I might have a mess kit addiction! Lol! Thanks for your comment!
Is that piece of cloth you have on the right side of the screen next to the Swedish kits a Palestinian shemagh? If so, I think I have the exact same one.
EDIT: Also, I have the Yugoslavian mess kit. The square one with the internal canteen. Only the bottom pot is aluminum, the cups are plastic. I measured the pot with a micrometer and was getting between 81 and 85 thousandths thick depending where I measured. It is a stout pot for a mess kit.
Thanks for the great video.
Yes. I have both of my shemaghs in the video. The second one is the table cloth. I have a Yugo kit too but I hardly ever use it. My canteen in the set has a really bad smell in it that I can't get rid of. So I don't use it and its just part of my collection. Thanks for the pot measurements. People reading this might find it useful. Thanks for watching and for your comment!
That's unfortunate about the smell in your canteen. I washed mine out vigorously with soapy water a few times when I first got it just to be sure but it never had any off smells. The one complaint about the Yugo mess kit is there was no metal lid for the pot to make a quicker job of boiling water. There is a video on youtube of a guy who makes a lid for his pot out of a scrap piece of sheet aluminum so I took his idea and did the same thing. Used a scrap aluminum cake mold from Goodwill and formed a lid. The lid is shallow enough that it will fit in the kit's canvas bag along with everything else.
I personally think the mess kits that have the inner cup have a huge advantage over the ones that don't. You can put water in the lower pot, put some food to cook in the inner cup, then put the top cup back on to contain the heat. Then you have a steam cooked meal AND boiling water for oatmeal or something from the same cooking cycle. Major plus over the two piece kits. And the East German kit having a handle on the inner cup makes it the best kit of all (the East German and the Yugo are the two mess kits that I own).
Thanks for the reply and take care!
i got a West German one. i love it.
By the Sweden mess kit have you to put the hook through the belt loop
Thanks for a great video. I've the East German, Polish and Swedish kits (as well as a Swiss version, which wasn't reviewed). Just a thought with the polish version, the ring/slit combo on the mug handle looks like it could take a bayonet to extend the handle. Hopefully someone can confirm or dispel my suspicion 😬.
You have a nice collection of mess kits. I try to rotate mine and use each one from time to time. I can't confirm this for you about the Polish kit. But maybe someone that reads this and knows can help. Thanks for watching and for commenting!
onde consigo comprar o west german mess kit?
very helpful information You have in this video. Thank You
Thank you for watching and for commenting!
Thanks for the video.
I found one in a local shop and wanted to know if there were any pieces missing before buying it. This helped me out a lot.
Thanks for letting me know. I'm glad my video was of some help. Enjoy your mess kit!
You can make video About Your mess kits collection (every Your mess kits)
Filip actually that would be hard. Most of my collection is vacuum packed in bags and in storage. Plus, the video would be too long. Thanks for the suggestion though and thanks for watching my videos!
Hey there John I bought a swiss mess kit recently. Do you know anything about those and the thickness of the swiss mess kit?
cheesepuff781 I’m sorry but I don’t have a Swiss kit in my collection yet. I hope to have one someday. Congrats on your purchase!
Fascinating video!
Thank you very much!
Does anyone know what they were painted with? They seem to scratch real easy so I hope they didn’t use some cheap paint with lead in it.
Just curious, I bought a replica and noticed the pot handle never locks. I was upset until I saw that none of yours do either. I guess that’s common for these but I don’t know
Excellent, helpful
nicely done
Scott Butts Thanks very much!
Same marmit used by Vietnamese troops but marked for boiling rice
It was a great video I really enjoyed it
Thank you!
Excelent video !
Jair Nunes Thank you and thanks for watching my video!
Thank you sir.
Guy de Vries You’re welcome!
Great video!!! Thank you!!!!
Thank you! And thanks for watching!
You just got a subscriber Sir!!
Thank you very much! I hope you enjoy my channel!
I belive the polish men would knock off that strap holder, then bend down the bracet, when you then push a stick in its solid as a rock
Thank you for the information. Sounds like that would work good. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I have been trying hard to find an Austrian kit and it’s impossible so far.
They have been hard to find recently. They used to have them on Swisslink.com but they look to be out. Keep looking because they come available at times on ebay. Thanks for your comment and good luck on your search!
Also do u know where I can get the hook and the D rings
I don't know of anyplace they are available except on the actual surplus kits. You could make your own.
@@John-Sherwood-W4JFS I have a mill teck swiss kit and it did not come with hook. I went to hardware store and purchased a chain and hook with a clasp. I just attached it to the handle. It comes off If I need it to. It works well.
@@monicajones8450 Very cool. The Mil-Tec Swedish kit seems to be a nice one. I saw one once at my local surplus store. I have seen some bad remakes of different kits from different manufacturers but this one is good. I hope you enjoy using it!
Thickness is a good sign of quality!
Another accessible one is the post war romanian
No Swiss mess kit?
Not yet. Thanks for watching!
Were is the ww2 german mess kit???
This video does not have one. This one was only about post WWII German style mess kits.
hungarian mh magyar honvédségi
Zzzzzzzzzz