Random Recollection Needs Scratching...
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 1,372
Received 118 Likes
on
85 Posts
" Remember, in days of yore when the Service kit was the best and civilian kit was not as good.
Was that ever true?
Erm, actually, as this thread is getting suitably nostalgic, yes it was.
Enter.... the well known can opener......an item which, possibly to this day, causes alarm and consternation in M.o.D Procurement circles......it was not only cheap, it was also..... functional..... and worked as intended....
Was that ever true?
Erm, actually, as this thread is getting suitably nostalgic, yes it was.
Enter.... the well known can opener......an item which, possibly to this day, causes alarm and consternation in M.o.D Procurement circles......it was not only cheap, it was also..... functional..... and worked as intended....
Certainly was.
But am I the only one to accidentally [and I really do mean without malicious intent] acquire a series of tea/coffee spoons from Messes all over the world?
Being a non-sugar man, at a stand-up do, any time a cup/saucer/spoon combo [or indeed some arty-farty snack on a plate with any cutlery] the only place for an unwanted noshing tong was the top pocket of lounge suit or DJ.
Some nice crested ones among the collection somewhere, often discovered only on the next wearing or indeed the next posting.
The shame of it.
But am I the only one to accidentally [and I really do mean without malicious intent] acquire a series of tea/coffee spoons from Messes all over the world?
Being a non-sugar man, at a stand-up do, any time a cup/saucer/spoon combo [or indeed some arty-farty snack on a plate with any cutlery] the only place for an unwanted noshing tong was the top pocket of lounge suit or DJ.
Some nice crested ones among the collection somewhere, often discovered only on the next wearing or indeed the next posting.
The shame of it.
" Remember, in days of yore when the Service kit was the best and civilian kit was not as good.
Was that ever true?
Erm, actually, as this thread is getting suitably nostalgic, yes it was.
Enter.... the well known can opener......an item which, possibly to this day, causes alarm and consternation in M.o.D Procurement circles......it was not only cheap, it was also..... functional..... and worked as intended....
Was that ever true?
Erm, actually, as this thread is getting suitably nostalgic, yes it was.
Enter.... the well known can opener......an item which, possibly to this day, causes alarm and consternation in M.o.D Procurement circles......it was not only cheap, it was also..... functional..... and worked as intended....
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
It finally split after 30 years.
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: UK East Anglia
Age: 66
Posts: 678
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Only just picked up on this thread: Lots of para cord experts around. 500 lbs sounds about right for the majority of rigging lines but it really is not that simple. I have the tail end of a roll of 303 lb used for weak links or break away ties used for stores dropping. in the end 3 turns of 303 became standard for 1 tons. there were variations.
Now then when we went metric! all these rounded numbers became even more rounded. were we talking breaking strength at any particular strain rate or working load when used for restraint? what about capstan effect or knot efficiency. There was another factor I was briefly introduced to but I can't recall right now. certainly came into play when we were trying to do sums for the Kevlar cord three ring release. Some more exotic materials were also used for parachute lines such as dacron or zytel. some were very difficult to cut and even blunted the blades in some of our pyrotechnic cutters.
The point is that not many went back to the source specifications and standards most if it was myth. the good thing is that all cord brought on charge for critical applications had to be tested before accepting the batch. unlike metals the variations were often startling. Nylon being hydroscopic accounted for some of the variation. what people did not realise that the increase in moisture content made the material stronger. so much for storing in the dry. Keep it away from UV light which is most harmful.
Now then when we went metric! all these rounded numbers became even more rounded. were we talking breaking strength at any particular strain rate or working load when used for restraint? what about capstan effect or knot efficiency. There was another factor I was briefly introduced to but I can't recall right now. certainly came into play when we were trying to do sums for the Kevlar cord three ring release. Some more exotic materials were also used for parachute lines such as dacron or zytel. some were very difficult to cut and even blunted the blades in some of our pyrotechnic cutters.
The point is that not many went back to the source specifications and standards most if it was myth. the good thing is that all cord brought on charge for critical applications had to be tested before accepting the batch. unlike metals the variations were often startling. Nylon being hydroscopic accounted for some of the variation. what people did not realise that the increase in moisture content made the material stronger. so much for storing in the dry. Keep it away from UV light which is most harmful.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,576
Received 425 Likes
on
224 Posts
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Only just binned the card table but the tea trolley!
Got it for £3, stripped it with a Swiss Army knife, applied PU varnish - perfect and the sprung wheels over carpet door grips.
Got it for £3, stripped it with a Swiss Army knife, applied PU varnish - perfect and the sprung wheels over carpet door grips.
