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No36M markings

B

britcoll36

New Member
Hello all,
I was wondering if the red crosses and green band markings were added before or after the grenade bodies were covered in shellac? I am in the process of restoring one of mine and needed a good answer before proceeding.
Thanks,
Dwayne
 
britcoll36 said:
Hello all,
I was wondering if the red crosses and green band markings were added before or after the grenade bodies were covered in shellac? I am in the process of restoring one of mine and needed a good answer before proceeding.
Thanks,
Dwayne
Click to expand...

I have seen examples of both. I guess it depends if they are re shellaced at some point in service or whether they are field painted once filled or not.

I'm sure someone will have the correct process in a manual somewhere, but how often things were done correctly during war time is anyones guess.
 
pointblank0 said:
I have seen examples of both. I guess it depends if they are re shellaced at some point in service or whether they are field painted once filled or not.

I'm sure someone will have the correct process in a manual somewhere, but how often things were done correctly during war time is anyones guess.
Click to expand...

I would not have thought they were ever painted in the field, how would they know with what there were filled or that they were live?
They would have all been processed properly and inspected before being allowed to be shipped to the troops. Anything defective, including the markings would be pulled. This has to be the case when dealing with explosives and there would not have been any slapstick things going on, especially in wartime.
Reshellacing may have taken place but i suspect it would mainly have been done by collectors.
I would shellac first then paint up.

Andy
 
Paul,
I think the official term used for coating Mills bodies was "Phosphating"

From the ever unreliable wikipedia:
Phosphate coatings are used on steel parts for corrosion resistance, lubricity, or as a foundation for subsequent coatings or painting. serves as a conversion coating in which a dilute solution of phosphoric acid and phosphate salts is applied via spraying or immersion and chemically reacts with the surface of the part being coated to form a layer of insoluble, crystalline phosphates

I think this is conclusively before any markings are added! Like everybody else - I've only ever seen painting on top of coated bodies - this is on frgaments of detonated greanades, so also conclusively genuine articles.
Cheers
Mark
 
I think on the No36 the ratio of original red X's and green band are probably one in every twenty made up examples. Too damn easy to duplicate. I'm not versed enough to pay higher money for an original painted one because I just don't know. This is one ofthe few times I am "very comfortable" to get a plain example and do the X's and stripe myself. Nothing more here most probably than a lack of education. The 36 is a classic and up there with the top 3 (Mills, US MKII, F1) designs that have withstood the test of time. What a bunch of hosres__t I just wrote..Dano
 
Mills Bodies - Treatment

britcoll36 said:
Hello all,
I was wondering if the red crosses and green band markings were added before or after the grenade bodies were covered in shellac? I am in the process of restoring one of mine and needed a good answer before proceeding.
Thanks,
Dwayne
Click to expand...


The body treatment was part of the "Empty Specification" for Mills grenades. So filling and paint marking were done afterwards; sometimes a considerable time afterwards.

The treatment for No 23 Mk I bodies was Gum Shellac mixed in meths. By the time the No 36 came out the Fermangan process was established as a permitted alternative. The 36 spec of 1969 requires corrosion proofing by Phosphate DG-8. No doubt along the way there were other treatments permissable but they were all applied to empty bodies.

BUT rework programmes were carried out from time to time and specifications written for the tasks involved. If stripping down the exterior finish was part of the programme then it is conceivable that shellac, or whatever, was put on top of fragments of marking paint (but it shouldn't be the case).
 
There were initially many types of coatings used for rust proofing Mills grens.

Initially they used shellac and methylated spirit, later tumeric was added to the composition, [this is WW1 by the way]. Later. No 23s and 36s were protected from rust by the fermangan process or by coslettising. The lacquering[shellac] continued with the other processes. Dipping red hot bodies in oil also did the job too.
Then there was the waterproofing, many substances were used for that process.
However, shellac or similar substances was the most common i believe as it was easy to do.

Andy
 
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