Sipsey Street Irregulars: Praxis: Replacement corks for GI metal canteens.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Praxis: Replacement corks for GI metal canteens.

In response to my post bragging about scoring a stainless steel GI canteen made by S.M. Co. in 1943 for a pittance at the thrift store yesterday, Chief says, "I've had my metal canteen since I was a kid. My dad gave it to me. Problem is, the cork is gone. I don't know where to get a replacement, maybe a thin piece of corkboard from the arts and crafts store?"

WWII reenactors are finicky about their cork replacements and buy them at vendors like Service of Supply, whose image I borrowed above. His product description:

G.I. Canteen Cap Corks. Replace rotten or broken corks in all G.I. canteen caps. Our corks are hand cut to fit tight. No need to glue it in. Put it in at an angle, then screw on the cap to drive it to the bottom of the cap. $0.40 each.

Bryan's email is: bryan@serviceofsupply.com.

Back in the 90s, most of my guys (and gals) whose canteens they dredged out of the closet with rotting corks would just cut plugs out of a new bicycle inner tube. I'm sure other readers have similar improvisations.

5 comments:

Chef said...: Awesome. Thank you Sir! I didn't really want to go to Hobby Lobby for cork. They just wouldn't understand. :); February 7, 2012 at 9:40 AM
Anonymous said...: "O" rings, or RTV rubber and wax paper.

Eventually switched to the plastic ones because they were so cheap and plentiful. Also, living in southern AZ, chances of having to use it as a hot-water bottle, or thaw a frozen canteen are slim to none.; February 7, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Shy Wolf said...: I've been using automotive cork gasket material since there's always some in the shop. i've only had to make two, and one is still a spare.; February 7, 2012 at 4:20 PM
A Reenactor said...: A tip I've heard from some buddies who use these surplus canteens, is to stick a piece of neoprene foam-rubber in there.

I haven't tried it myself, but the guys who told me said it works as well as the original cork, with less chance of the thing molding or rotting.

I like the O-ring idea.; February 7, 2012 at 7:49 PM
Anonymous said...: How do you remove the old cork from a bakelite cap?; December 24, 2012 at 3:19 PM

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Sipsey Street Irregulars

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Praxis: Replacement corks for GI metal canteens.

5 comments:

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