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No36 Grenade Base Key.

These things have been around for years, I guess someone found a job lot. They used to be a tenner but even allowing for current inflation levels they are still worth a tenner.
Lets hope this post clarifies what they are and stops collectors buying them and getting ripped off. The irony is after looking at one on Ebay I got a seller offer of £100!
 
tigbrand said:
These things have been around for years, I guess someone found a job lot. They used to be a tenner but even allowing for current inflation levels they are still worth a tenner.
Lets hope this post clarifies what they are and stops collectors buying them and getting ripped off. The irony is after looking at one on Ebay I got a seller offer of £100!
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I do know someone who paid the full asking price of £200 and then a few weeks later sent me a text saying "what did I think of these Mills unlocking keys?". He was not happy when I replied.
 
ron3350 said:
I bought this key today after looking at it for a year. It seems to be a key to remove the base from a No36 grenade. It is steel with nommarkings.
I looked at the post from grenadecollector and noticed a similarity. Cost me $30 so seems worth it. It was a bit rusty but cleaned up OK.
The 2 legs fit at least half-way into the slots of the normal alloy No36 bases so I think this is a real WW2 key. Photo from grenadecollector to compare similarity. Thanks.

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Hi Ron for reference.


Late No36 Base plug key (bocn.co.uk)
 
Snufkin said:
Looking for something completely unrelated I found the following short thread:

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/99820-unknown-tool?highlight=unknown

Very sadly member AE501 is no longer with us, but his comment in post no.4 in linked thread points to the gun-metal key being for Case, Powder, ML.
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I was saddened to read your remark about AE501. He was very knowledgeable.
Just looked up the announcement of his death and realised I met Bill when I was young in service and he was, I think, a SSgt or WO2. It was likely at Kineton where I met him.
 
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Although advertised as the correct key, is it in the manuals is this official or is it a unknown key again where someone has given it a tag. There are quite a few bits of ordnance where a key can fit in a two way slot and have the end made for a slotted bit to undo packing cases etc.
 
There had to be different keys,there being different plugs for the same grenade ;) These 2 base plugs arrived this week,one would need a different key for each one of them
 

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I think the key which came with the box of 12 grenades was the correct key. After training with many keys to spare from empty boxesi am sure there were plenty to spare for troops checking the grenades over. If one got lost plenty more. As for a fancy tool to undo bases i would think that the tool would be an armours tool.
 
I have only ever seen two versions of the "base plug key" - sic and as referred to in Pam 13, and as Brummbar will see the usual bent wire version will undo the plug with side cuts by simply using the key across the plug as shown.
The cast iron version with screwdriver end will adjust the striker of the second pattern, ie one with a cut to allow gas escape, so that the cut in the upper part of the striker is in line with the shoulders and the lever. Either key will fit the base plugs shown except for the side cut version, the cast iron centre spindle being too thick for the cuts.
The grenade in section is made of cast aluminium.
Alan1DSCN0861[1].JPG
 
Are we talking about WW1 or WW2 36 grenades or both as by WW2 there were two types of plugs one type with two round holes and two square holes around the edge. There seems quite a lot of variety in WW1 base plugs.

I thought that spanners and tools for WW2 equipment and ordnance are usually marked up stamped embossed or cast into the tool.
 
I was talking to a collector about the cast key with the triangle end with screw driver bit, he said its Canadian, not sure if its in their manuals.
 
Don't have a scooby's. All the boxes of 36 grenades that I opened had the bent heavy duty wire base plug key retained in a slip of fabric stapled to the inside of the lid.
But this was of no use when pushing up and aligning the striker with the shoulders to insert the lever after cleaning and striker test - usually on the belt. So a pencil or similar was used - we got through a lot of pencils.
Dunno about Canadian issue either, mine has a manufacturer mark, NSW within a truncated square border, so Tim G or some other expert will need to identify that.
It would have been really useful instead of the wire version.
Alan1.
 
BMG50 said:
I was talking to a collector about the cast key with the triangle end with screw driver bit, he said its Canadian, not sure if its in their manuals.
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Think its New Zealand got a diagram official drawing on BOCN some where
 
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