Another interesting Mills plug

[gothica7]

Got this the other day, many may have seen it on feebay.

Its a cast iron dug No 23/1, unusual because its still has a readable maker and date on it. Most have just corroded away. Made by G M & Co Ltd and dated 11/16. You can see the remains of tinplating on both sides with what looks like a W on the underside. Some plugs were copper plated to preserve them. The threads on this one are fine and ive given it a coat of polish to stop the rot.
A nice one for the collection.

Andy

 

[SG500]

Nice plug Andy, 2 more on their way.
Dave.

 

[paul the grenade]

very nice. ive not seen a 23 mk1 in cast iron. must be a rare one.
cheers, Paul.

 

[gothica7]

I think they made just as many as the brass ones Paul, if not more as they were cheaper but they just havnt survived being in the ground, even those that were quite heavily copper plated.
The dug Mk 11s didnt fare much better either.

Here is an unissued one i have, i think someone tried to turn it into a rare Mk 11.:tinysmile_cry_t:

 

[Bonnex]

I think they made just as many as the brass ones Paul, if not more as they were cheaper but they just havnt survived being in the ground, even those that were quite heavily copper plated.
The dug Mk 11s didnt fare much better either.

Here is an unissued one i have, i think someone tried to turn it into a rare Mk 11.:tinysmile_cry_t:

This probably needs a bit more research and some testing with examples and dates but the Spec for 23 Mk 1 dated 1st Sep 1916 calls for base plugs to be made of good quality mild steel electro coated with pure copper or nickel plated. Alternatively the plug could be made from brass, either cast 'or from the rod'.

The Spec is amended in November 1916 to read good quality cast-iron to be tinned, coppered or nickel plated or rust proofed by any approved method (this last being subsequently changed to the fermanganen process).

So I read this as brass and mild steel plugs dropping from manufacture about November time (probably because the rod could pierce the plug of the softer materials).

 

[gothica7]

Great information Norman,
i have seen a few copper plated cast iron plugs but the copper was so thin that most of it had gone and it was not possible to identify maker or type due to corrosion. Never came across any nickel plated ones. The one in the original post is the first Mk 1 tinned one i have seen, seen quite a few Mk11s with both copper and tin coverings.
The unissued one seems to have some copper on it but so thin as to be almost useless for stopping the rust. Could this be the fermangan process?
Again, with mild steel, or cast iron for that matter, the corrosion process has destroyed most of the markings, not just for the 23/1s but the 23/11s also.There seems to be more 23/1 brass plugs about which confirms this, well, readable ones anyway.

Andy

 

[Bonnex]

[...]The unissued one seems to have some copper on it but so thin as to be almost useless for stopping the rust. Could this be the fermangan process?
Again, with mild steel, or cast iron for that matter, the corrosion process has destroyed most of the markings, not just for the 23/1s but the 23/11s also.There seems to be more 23/1 brass plugs about which confirms this, well, readable ones anyway.

Andy

I think the fermangan process produces a black finish on iron and steel. There was a thread on the Hearn cast-iron plug, a few of which were made for the 23/1 in November 1916, but these type of plugs are not necessarily black so maybe other colours are possible.

 

[staples57]

Nice find there Andy... Well done!
It never ceases to amaze me what you find.

Cheers!

 

[gothica7]

Nice find there Andy... Well done!
It never ceases to amaze me what you find.

Cheers!

This one was on feebay last week Brad, sorry you missed it:wink:.
Andy