cherryturbox
Active Member
Hi, Anyone got a 1 1/4” 20 tpi tap whitworth form for tapping out a mills no 5 base plug.
thanks.
thanks.
British Ordnance Collectors Network
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Mills grenade base plug thread.
- Thread starter cherryturbox
- Start date
Try Tracy Tools - a carbon steel second tap will do the job, and not expensive compared to the high speed steel variant:
https://www.tracytools.com/taps-and-dies/whitform-taps-dies?product_id=1175
https://www.tracytools.com/taps-and-dies/whitform-taps-dies?product_id=1175
Last edited:
cherryturbox
Active Member
Tracy tools no longer stock that size.
cherryturbox
Active Member
Does anyone know what finish the levers were?, painted a specific colour or shellac coated or other ?
I've not (from memory) seen a specification about coating or painting levers. I have seen some WW2 grenades where the green strip around the body has included the lever, but they are exceptions and I'm not sure if they are authentic.
You would need to check if this is Whitworth form.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124186461631
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124186461631
That's from China. So probably made to order. The price is similar to what I have seen in the UK (when available). I did order some taps on ebay from an Indian firm. They took about 12 weeks to arrive. So don't expect a quick service from overseas. Tracy Tools however are excellent and fast.
cherryturbox
Active Member
I’ve managed to get a 1.1/4 - 20 UNS HSS GRD TAP that I’ve tried and fits. But still need to know about the lever finish ?
Some have a grey phoshate finish some are zinc coated.
Levers of all the Mills type grenades were specified as being "rust proofed by the Fermangan process" so would be a charcoal grey colour, almost black. The spec for the No.36 allowed for the lever to be lacquered or coslettised as alternative treatments. Coslettising tended to give a lighter grey finish than Fermangan.
The pink or green band indicating the type of filling went over the lever.
Yes, that's in the L series instructions from the No 23 onwards. I've seen painting over the levers in WW2 grenades, but not in WW1. Is there a source for that?
I remembered that in my spares box I had these levers.
They are 12 levers from the same box that spent the years 1940 to 2010 (when EOD removed them) in the cellar of a house in Kent. So they had no weather exposure. They have all gained some patina over the years but on some you can still see the traces of green paint around the maker's name. The paint looks to be lower than the paint band than on a normal WW2 grenade.
They are 12 levers from the same box that spent the years 1940 to 2010 (when EOD removed them) in the cellar of a house in Kent. So they had no weather exposure. They have all gained some patina over the years but on some you can still see the traces of green paint around the maker's name. The paint looks to be lower than the paint band than on a normal WW2 grenade.
