Chris Boonzaier Posted November 25, 2008 Author Share Posted November 25, 2008 Here is a question I have been asking myself for ages.It concerns the filters on my WW1 gasmasks.Most came with a bit of rust that does not seem to stop.Would you consider piercing them from the top (through the screw part so it would not be seen when mounted on the mask)... and emptying out the contents... then treating it to stop rust?Optically it would change nothing.... but it would damage the filter.... and save them..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 To save them - Yes. IMO it's like preserving historic ordnance - would you keep a 90 year old "scharfe Handgranate" in your collection for the sake of originality?Hardy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dond Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Id be careful while you remove the filter since there may be remanents of any chemical agent that the guy might have been exposed to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulsterman Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 Treat, restore and save. It's better to have 90% of a gas mask than a bit of junk IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 (edited) The filters contain charcoal grains. Charcoal absorbs all types of substances, but what is causing the rust is the presence of moisture which combines with whatever degraded compounds were absorbed at one time. What can be used to reduce the pH levels to something in the near normal range is to use old fashioned baking soda/powder that bakers use, or sodium bicarbonate and rub down the metal parts. If you want to go one step further, dump some inside the filter opening and use a vaccum cleaner on the other end. That will suck it into the carbon layers. Then keep the mask, filter, and carrying can in a dry storage area or display case of it's own. The baking soda won't hurt the mask (I'm assuming it's the mid/late war leather type and not the earlier war "Gummimaske"), or any of the various components. Oh yes, one last thing. Wash your hands really well after handling masks and filters. Almost all of the gas compunds have degraded in the last 90 years or so, but some of the degraded compounds can cause problems if you don't decontaminate yourself afterwards. You don't want to rub your eyes, nose, urinate/defecate without washing -FIRST-.....and esecially one other thing! Les Edited January 7, 2013 by Chris Boonzaier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 they just keep following me home!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinnorf Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 (edited) Hello. Could anyone tell me how much one of these are worth now? I bought one for about £25 ($41) a few weeks ago, the leather is in general good condition but its missing that draw-string at the front. The tin has quite a few dents. It mentions that the soldier was stationed in Belgium in 1918 and the filter has been written on with a yellow red paint saying "Jerry watch him" on it. Im quite new to collecting militara and am wondering whether this was a good buy or not? Thanks =]. Edited October 23, 2009 by Sinnorf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted November 5, 2009 Author Share Posted November 5, 2009 Sounds like a fantastic price! Sure its a German one and not one of the Belgian ones? They are worth a pack of fags and a mars bar. Best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinnorf Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 (edited) Sounds like a fantastic price! Sure its a German one and not one of the Belgian ones? They are worth a pack of fags and a mars bar. Best Chris Thanks for the response. I was told by someone that it looked like a good example of a german gas mask. Here are some photos of the tin and mask. On the bottom side of the tin, there are words written in white-red paint, most of it is scratched off, so all that is really visible is the word "Belgium", and near to it is a small wierd red stamp. There was also a circular piece of paper that was written in German inside wich what looks to me like the gass masks manual. Does it seem to you like a Belgian mask to you or is it indeed German?<br>And what do you think is its value?<br>Thank you =]. Edited November 7, 2009 by Sinnorf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 Hi, nice German piece. I would say about EUR200. Best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 What is the wording on the side of the filter? Thanks, Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinnorf Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Wow, it sounds like I made a great purchase, especially finding one all the way down here in South Africa. Also, the words on the filter make out "Jerry Watch Him". Does anyone have an idea how this got there? I would think that the owner of the mask had been captured by a Brittish soldier, who had then took his mask and painted that on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Liontas Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 A small item but poignant in it's history. This was captured in the heavy fighting of the Oise-Aisne offensive, where the US 32nd Division earned the name, "Les Terribles". Percy Totten, of F company, 126th Infantry, 32nd Division was in the vanguard of the fighting. After a heavy allied barrage on the German trenches, the 126th attacked and gained the trench line. With bullets wizzing by him, Percy rolled into the trench, as he described, "filled with German dead". During a rest in the trench, Percy took this gas mask, before F company advanced. The original owner, who got this from Percy, tells me he was always haunted by remembering this. He did not sleep remembering the dead piled in the trenches. The mask is named. I wish I could trace his name. Unlike the helmet, which had both individuals surviving the war....this story is different. It reminds me of the cost of the items we collect. The German died, and lost his future. Percy was haunted, and dammed to no rest in his survival. This to me shows the massive cost of human conflict Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Liontas Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Container Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Liontas Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 (edited) The mask, Percy could not talk about how he got this, only the situation in general terms. Gas still haunted him until his dieing day Edited July 13, 2011 by Chris Liontas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcollect Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Nice piece of history , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share Posted July 14, 2011 Very nice... maybe you can find which German unit they were facing on that day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 This is an intresting little book.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 (edited) they just keep following me home!!!!!!!! Chris, With all those Gasmasks, its a nice example of an individual with OCD. Joe Edited September 5, 2012 by Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 OCD ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 (edited) Here's a gas mask related item you rarely see.....a tag for a mask showing the owner and the dates it was tested. Edited September 5, 2012 by Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted September 5, 2012 Share Posted September 5, 2012 Chris, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder --OCD Collectors usually suffer from this. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Chris, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder --OCD Collectors usually suffer from this. Joe I think that only counts when you were your mask in the shower! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 (edited) Here's the top of my early can. The rivets are for the cage inside the lid. The Gebrauchsanweisung is in the lid, rather than at the bottom. Inside, at the bottom is a sheet metal "buffer", that keeps the filter from resting on the bottom of the can. I suspect that was for air circulation to help keep the filter dry. The lid is owner marked to, "Zahlm. Sonntag, Sanitäts Komp. Nr. 566". Chip Edited January 12, 2013 by Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now