Mystery tool thread.

[Grumpaw]

I just called my dad and asked him if he has a carter carb tool kit left from the army, he laughed and said he has a wooden crate from the army still sealed and packed full of tools that was suppose to be shipped to vietnam. Never opened. He said I could come grab it.

That's like $$$ in the bank. Tool collectors will jump all over those tools especially if their new/unused/in original packaging.
Just think, you may have one of those $5000.00 govt. hammers in there.
Grumpaw

 

[Dirtman]

That's like $$$ in the bank. Tool collectors will jump all over those tools especially if their new/unused/in original packaging.
Grumpaw

That's what I was thinking. I dunno if they are "new" though. They could have just packed old tools in a crate to ship, doesnt mean they are a complete new set. But a military collector would probably be on it just because it's an unopened crate from 1965. I don't think I'll sell it. I have a ton of my dads veitnam gear I collect for myself. Its family history to me.

I have a flak jacket worn by a friend of my father's. He died in it. My dad brought it home and hung it on the wall of our den for years. Now it hangs in my living room. I have vietnamese crossbows my dad says he took off people who were shooting them at him, even a little display of drugs he brought home. (My dad didnt do drugs) but it has opium, pot, and something called beetle nut. Lots of crazy stuff. An original stoner 63 is still at my dads house along with his personal m14 with a starlight scope that still works.

 

[Curious Hound]

That's like $$$ in the bank. Tool collectors will jump all over those tools especially if their new/unused/in original packaging.
Just think, you may have one of those $5000.00 govt. hammers in there.
Grumpaw

And $100 worth of cosmoline and waxed paper wrappings.

 

[Grumpaw]

Cleaning 50 year old cosmoline is FUN !!! I can attest to that.

Grumpaw

 

[Grumpaw]

It's a betel nut. Was/is very popular in asia/Indonesia/Nam, ect. Is like caffeine to them, like drinking an energy drink. Chew enough of that crap and you would be able to do 24 hours straight.
Saw it a lot "over there".
Grumpaw

 

[Dirtman]

Cleaning 50 year old cosmoline is FUN !!! I can attest to that.

Grumpaw

It's a betel nut. Was/is very popular in asia/Indonesia/Nam, ect. Is like caffeine to them, like drinking an energy drink. Chew enough of that crap and you would be able to do 24 hours straight.
Saw it a lot "over there".
Grumpaw

I was trying to remeber the name of that horrible waxy oil crap they put on eveything!!!!!!! Thank you!

My dad said the "betel nut" was a little more powerful than coffee lol. But this is from a man who has never smoked a cigarette or drank a sip of alcohol.

 

[Grumpaw]

Thing about that "waxy oil crap"...it works. I used to collect military bolt action rifles, and at times came across between the wars, 1 & 2, un issued weapons still packed in cosmoline.
Stuff the Germans and Russians used was just as good.
After manufacture, the US weapons were litterly "dunked" in a vat of liquid cosmoline and then wrapped in paper.
After clean up those 70-80 year old guns were just as they came from Rock Island Armory. Not a spec of wear/rust.
Grumpaw

 

[Dirtman]

I know it works. My dad was early enough in the war that m16s weren't fully there yet, and when they first got there they were horrible guns. Most of the old timers held onto their m14s or even m1 garands. If you know the history of the m16 it was made by eugene stoner, and the stoner 63 was its predecessor. My dad has one never fired packed in that crap. He tells stories to this day how his m14 got him out of veitnam alive where an m16 would have ment his death. I worked at the vva and vfw cleaning guns and most were rebuilt garbage packed in that sticky goo, it took forever with mineral spirits to get that stuff off, rebuild the gun, and make it fire just for color guard stuff.

 

[Grumpaw]

I know it works. My dad was early enough in the war that m16s weren't fully there yet, and when they first got there they were horrible guns. Most of the old timers held onto their m14s or even m1 garands. If you know the history of the m16 it was made by eugene stoner, and the stoner 63 was its predecessor. My dad has one never fired packed in that crap. He tells stories to this day how his m14 got him out of veitnam alive where an m16 would have ment his death. I worked at the vva and vfw cleaning guns and most were rebuilt garbage packed in that garbage, it took forever with mineral spirits to get that stuff off, rebuild the gun, and make it fire.

Yup, hated those "plastic pieces of garbage" Even the little M1 Carbine was preferred.
Wood and Steel is the only way to go.
Kerosene was the preferred cleaner for cosmoline. Ship board we used diesel fuel or gas.
Grumpaw

 

[sgtsandman]

I know it works. My dad was early enough in the war that m16s weren't fully there yet, and when they first got there they were horrible guns. Most of the old timers held onto their m14s or even m1 garands. If you know the history of the m16 it was made by eugene stoner, and the stoner 63 was its predecessor. My dad has one never fired packed in that crap. He tells stories to this day how his m14 got him out of veitnam alive where an m16 would have ment his death. I worked at the vva and vfw cleaning guns and most were rebuilt garbage packed in that sticky goo, it took forever with mineral spirits to get that stuff off, rebuild the gun, and make it fire just for color guard stuff.

It didn't help that the Army insisted on using powder Armalite specifically said not to use and told the troops that they didn't have to clean their rifles. The Army hated the rifle and that Congress forced them to convert from the M14 to the M16. Our allies weren't happy either since they were forced to go to 7.62X51 NATO and then told they needed to convert to 5.56X45 NATO. The Army wanted the rifle to fail and they didn't care how many soldiers got killed in the process. All because the Air Force wanted a light rifle for guard duty around alert facilities, aircraft, and missile silos. McNamara liked the concept so much he pushed for all the services to get them. The rifle also wasn't ready yet but was pushed into service anyway.

 

[Dirtman]

I shoot a Springfield m1a (civilian m14) with a aluminum chassis. Best gun I've ever owned. The wood stocks were good but wore out and needed to be bedded. With a aluminum chassis its dialed in dead on basically for life. My m1a is a beast and I'm a terrible shot. With my shakey hands I make sub moa at 200.

 

[sgtsandman]

The M1A and the M14 are great rifles.

 

[adsm08]

We found this at work today.

The basic function is pretty obvious. I want to see who knows what specifically it is used for.

@19Walt93 Don't tell. I know you know what it is.

 

[19Walt93]

We found this at work today.

The basic function is pretty obvious. I want to see who knows what specifically it is used for.

@19Walt93 Don't tell. I know you know what it is.

If you don't need it I'd be glad to pay for shipping it to me.

 

[adsm08]

If you don't need it I'd be glad to pay for shipping it to me.

Not a chance. Being that I seem to have assumed the mantle of the specialist who would use it it is staying in my work kit.