What's new
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!

No.5 or No.23 grenade ashtray repair...

turpin42

turpin42

Well-Known Member
Hi all
I havent seen any WW1 mills grenades over here and when this showed up on a auction site just had to get it.
Only problem is it is one of these ashtray cut grenades.
Since it is the only one i've got, had a go at filling in the blanks (if you know what i mean!). Used Plastic padding chemical metal.
The flat on the one side was fixed, then filled in the gaping hole on the other side. It's not quite finished yet. Going to stipple on more thinned padding once i'm happy with the shape to make it blend in and look more like it was cast. Think i'll get away with the fake seam on the flattened side, need to do it again on the other side.
I'm missing pretty much everything on this one so i guess it'll be a email to dugup for some bits...
There was some traces of dark green on the body. I've trawled the posts here for colours and i'm i right in that it should be black with red top and pink band or have i got it all wrong? It may be a No.23 as it has E marking on the back face.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
All the best

T42
 

Attachments

  • 130420101156_001.jpg
    130420101156_001.jpg
    19.5 KB · Views: 104
  • 170420101161.jpg
    170420101161.jpg
    21.6 KB · Views: 105
  • 170420101160.jpg
    170420101160.jpg
    24.4 KB · Views: 111
That is one very nice bit of work you have done there T42 - I'm impressed.
I think I have seen a thread on the forum about the colour finish on the Mills grenades, but not my area I'm afraid.

I'm sure one of the Mills guys will help you out!!

kind regards
Kev
 
Hi bud,

a very nice job you are doing there. Once done ile bet it will be very difficult to tell.

I would shellac it and a red top and pink band around the centre. WW2 grens had a half inch band, WW1 ones tended to be much thicker. Didnt matter too much as so many were painted, often the 2nd row of segments were done. If you want a filler screw for it let me know.

Andy
 
No.5 or No.23

Thanks Andy.
What sort of lever should i have on this one? I've gone through the posts on the site but am still unsure if it should be the peirced type or not?
Also should i try to find a No.5 or a No.23 baseplug?

All the best

T42
 
Hi bud,

with the pinholes being so close to the edge of the lugs i would say its a No 5 but i could be wrong. A flat lever would do, ie no ribs as would a channeled one but that would be much harder to find as it would probably have to be redrilled to fit. I have a few levers[no channeled] but they are all a bit pitted. I would suggest a No 5 plug, or a 23/1, 23/11s will make the gren more difficult to stand upright without a No 36 gascheck. I do have a few No 5 plugs but no minters ime afraid.

Andy
 
The open side suggests it started life as a training cutaway. Looks like you have done a good job on the other side. A good reconstruction. I agree with Andy re the paint job. Shellack (Button polish a good substitute), matt red for the top and either pink or green band around the middle.

John
 
No.5 or No.23...

Thanks guys.
Managed to blend it all together ready for the shellac.
Is there anyone who produces repro no.5 levers, the ones that had the hole drilled to fit the grenade? Dugup only seems to have the later type.
If anyone has the thickness of the metal i could try to make one myself.

All the best
T42
 

Attachments

  • 180420101166.jpg
    180420101166.jpg
    18.7 KB · Views: 77
  • 180420101164.jpg
    180420101164.jpg
    13.7 KB · Views: 75
What a fantastic restoration you have done. I can't see a lever being a problem with your skilled hands.

Hangarman
 
VERY nice mate. I would not even guess that was filled! There are a variety of levers. The erailist Mills bombs had levers that had holes drilled in the side, so the pin would go through the lugs and also the lever instead of over it like most types. The idea of this was soon scrapped as the majority of levers were not interchangeable, so caused problems with ifferenr factories producing different bits. No 5 levers, after this part, were flat, no 23 had a ridge down the centre allowing the grenade to rest on a bayonet attached to the rifle with a rod screwed in the bottom, to be launched. The 23 MK3 (which is not yours) had a completely flat lever, cut, and didn't need a ridge as it was fired from a cup. See the following pics for later type No5 lever
 

Attachments

  • 100_2037.jpg
    100_2037.jpg
    91.9 KB · Views: 58
Superb restoration!

What a super restoraton you have done-had I not seen the first picture I wouldn't even know it was the same Grenade!

Well done:tinysmile_fatgrin_t
 
Outstanding effort,well done! that will look great when kitted out with all its bits.

I have been playing around with shellac and noticed if you are patient and allow the meths and shellac flakes sit for three or four days it produces a much darker coloring that from what I have seen is closer to the original tone,if you hadnt figured that one out for yourself :top:

Look forward to the end result

Regards
MG34NZ
 
No 5 or No 23...

Thanks all

Hangarman: Metalwork is not my best but will give it a try!
Pointblank: Thank you for posting the drawing. That really helps.
Chris: Thanks mate.
MG34NZ: Thanks for the tips!

This one has so far worked out far better than i had hoped.
This grenade deserved a second chance!

All the best
Gavin
 
No.5 ashtray fix

Hi all
Made up the lever yesterday (from a section of old sten gun stock so at least it's a bit old!) Really wanted to make the early no.5 lever with the lugs down the sides but had to give up on that. Is this what you mean with the flat type Andy? Hope i got it right. Many thanks again for posting the drawing Pointblank.
Filler screw and striker are ordered from dugup and hoping my mate over here comes up with a nice base plug. Center tube i can live without for now...

All the best

T42
 

Attachments

  • No.5.jpg
    No.5.jpg
    88.8 KB · Views: 53
Great job on the lever!! superb workmanship,well done.
Correct me if Im wrong but I believe that the lever you have made is the early variant and the later ones had the holes drilled in them for the pin to pass through.

Regards
MG34NZ/Andrew
 
MG34NZ said:
Great job on the lever!! superb workmanship,well done.
Correct me if Im wrong but I believe that the lever you have made is the early variant and the later ones had the holes drilled in them for the pin to pass through.

Regards
MG34NZ/Andrew
Click to expand...

Hi Andrew,
other way round mate, channeled lever came first with the drilled holes.

Andy
 
gothica7 said:
Hi Andrew,
other way round mate, channeled lever came first with the drilled holes.

Andy
Click to expand...

ahh there you go, Andy thank you for the confirmation of that point,I have now learnt another interesting Mills Bomb fact

regards
Andrew
 
No5 ashtray fix

Hi
About this flat lever. I've been looking at pics from the internet and pics posted on the forum here and i'm wondering if this flat type of lever for the No.5 is flat like the no.36 lever or is there a weak bend across the width of it?

All the very best
T42
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top