Category: Issued equipment

Instructions on how to make the smallbox respirator card for the WW1 Gasmask

Restoring the M1917 Helmet

By Vincent Petty

For anyone getting into WW1 living history finding a good serviceable helmet with a well-preserved liner can be a difficult task (and as well preserved helmets become more difficult to find, they should be left to institutions and collectors that can conserve them properly). At one time prices were reasonable, but, as we approach the centennial of the Great War, not only does the value of collector quality helmets continue to increase but so does the prices for even lesser and poorer quality helmets.  With this in mind, one option available to the reenactor is the restoration of a helmet.  I have restored a few helmets over the last few years and I would like to share some of my experiences in this article.

The first step to restoring a helmet is locating a suitable helmet shell.  Helmet shells with no liner and no original finish can still be found rather cheap.  When considering a possible helmet shell, ensure that the bails and the metal tabs that affix the bails to the helmet remain intact and sound.  While these can be re-manufactured and replaced, such work may be too difficult for those with little metal working experience or restoring their first helmet.  The shell itself need not be in the greatest shape, a little surface rust or pitting is acceptable.  Rust is easily cleaned off or even stabilized with a chemical treatment and pitting can be filled – I have previously used JB Weld.  Once the shell is selected, clean and treat it as necessary and prepare it to be painted.

My next step to restoring the helmet was finding an Olive Drab paint that I was satisfied with. There was any number of variations on the color Olive Drab during the World War and one option would be to have a paint mixed at a hardware store. I would be able to achieve the OD shade that I wanted; however, while the color is correct the paint — acrylic or latex — is not and would be susceptible to peeling. Another drawback is that such paint would have to be applied with a brush, leaving brush strokes and standing out as hand painted rather than factory mass produced. For me, the ideal paint would be OD green spray enamel.

I found what I thought to be ideal paint when a friend turned me on to Brownells, Inc. Brownells is a dealer of parts and tools for gunsmiths and shooters and among their products is camouflage paint. I ordered their “Olive Drab” and found that it was within the OD shade that I was looking for. The particular color appears in Brownells catalog as item #040-009-870 “Olive Drab Camo Paint.” Its brand name is Aervoe “987A Olive Drab.” The paint cost $5.95 for a 12 ounce can. Though I choked when I learned that it cost $7.25 to ship the single can.

Once I had my paint I had to then re-create the sawdust. In playing around with sawdust at work and at home I found that the ideal sawdust came from particle board. I simply took a small piece of scrap and ran a sharp scraper or a rasp along the edge of the board creating saw dust and catching it in a dustpan. Another option is to use a hand saw and make a series of cuts to create the sawdust.  I found that the dust from the particle board was very similar to the sawdust on the helmet. I also noticed that the sawdust on my original helmet was somewhat fine. As a result, I sifted through the sawdust I was making, trying to ensure that I had the smaller and removing the larger. I found that finer sawdust is best and the paint will build upon the sawdust, making it seem larger.

Once I had the paint, saw dust and the cleaned and prepped the helmet it was time to actually start painting. I started off by painting the inside of the helmet and allowing it to dry. After the interior was dry I flipped the helmet shell over and gave the helmet a light coat of paint and allowed it to dry as well. After “priming” the shell I painted a section of the helmet and immediately applied the sawdust to the wet paint. To apply the dust to the paint I pinched it between my thumb and index finger and sprinkled it as one might sprinkle salt. However, work quickly to apply the sawdust while the paint is wet. I worked the helmet in sections by spraying a small area and then applying the sawdust and then lightly painting over the applied saw dust. I also made sure that I overlapped the application, working around the brim, the crown and then the top. Once I was pleased with the amount of sawdust applied to the helmet, I gave it an even coat of paint and allowed it to dry. Once dry I ran my hand over the helmet to “break” off any of the sawdust that was not fully adhered and then gave it one last coat of paint. The end result was that I have a helmet that looked just as good as my original, but newer.

Once the helmet was painted a liner then needed to be installed. I purchased my reproduction liner from Prairie Flower Leather Company in Nebraska. I found that they had the best reproduction liner available and cost $55.00. Installing the liner was easy and took about ten minutes to do. The liner was laid into the helmet, chin strap fed through the bail rings and assembled using the split rivets and then the copper rivet fed through the hole in the chin strap and the top of the helmet. The only thing that I could not do was peen the rivet by machine as the originals were, but I had to peen it by hand. Trim the rivet a little and then place it against a sturdy surface (I used an anvil at work for peening rivets) and with a ball peen or riveting hammer peen the rivet enough so that it will not pop out.

The first helmet I ever restored the paint had cost $12 and the liner $50, but the shell had not cost anything. Once I had finished the painting, application of the sawdust and installation of the liner I had a helmet that I was very pleased with and which cost at most $65 to restore. I also had a helmet that looked new rather 80 years old.

The following are my sources for paint and reproduction helmet liner:

Paint
Brownells, Inc
200 South Front St.
Montezuma, Iowa 50171
800-741-0015
Website — http://www.brownells.com/

Restoring the Small Box Respirator Gas Mask
By Vincent Petty

Note: This article was written about 2002, at a time when reproduction US gas masks were difficult to come by and the only option was the use of originals.  However, ten years later accurate quality reproduction gas masks are available from Schipperfabrik, and we no longer recommend the use of original gas masks by living historians and reenactors.  This article is therefore only offered to show what living historians had to do to assemble accurate clothing and equipment. — VAP

For the living historian portraying the American soldier of the First World War, probably the most crucial and yet most difficult piece of equipment to acquire is the small box respirator gas mask. For the Doughboy reenactor, there are few available resources for serviceable gas masks. Few vendors offer reproduction masks, and when produced, they are usually in small production runs selling out quickly. The use of original gas masks is even more difficult because, after nearly 90 years, those available are in such poor condition as a result of time and improper storage. However, the use of an original mask is a viable option and with just a little work an original mask can be made serviceable again. Recently I restored an original gas mask that was purchased off of E-bay, and through this article, I would like to share the techniques that I used to make a serviceable gas mask for living histories and reenacting purposes.

Very rarely will one find an original gas mask where both the hose and mask are supple and pliable. However, a mask in this condition will be priced accordingly and honestly deserves to be preserved rather than used for reenacting. Usually, an original gas mask is found in one of two possible conditions – with a supple and pliable mask and fried hose or with both a fried mask and hose. “Fried” usually refers to the hard and crumbling condition of the rubber in the gas mask and the hose, as a result of age as well as poor storage in attics for decades.

The mask that I restored was purchased on E-bay for $23.00. When the mask arrived I found that the rubber hose was hard and crumbled in places and that the rubber in the facemask was hard and flaking off, as was expected. In addition, the elastic that held the mask onto the wearer’s head was worn out. (Figure 1 is a picture of the gas mask when it arrived and at the start of the restoration.)

I started the restoration by taking the mask apart and breaking the project down into its basic pieces – the mask, hose, and filter can. First I removed the tape that was found at the mask end of the hose and the filter can end. When the tape was removed, safety wire was found that actually provided the pressure to hold the hose to the mask and filter can. With a pair of needle nose pliers it was easy to cut and pull off the wire and with the wire removed I simply pulled the hose from the mask and filter can and discarded the old hose (If any of the hardened hose remains on the mask or can, a scraper can be used to scrape it off).

Once the gas mask was apart, I started working on the filter can. Using a flat head screwdriver I popped off the “lid” at the bottom of the can. This piece allowed air to be drawn into the filter can and through the filtering agent before the soldier breathed the air. Removing this piece allowed access to the interior of the can. Once removed I used screwdriver and needle nose pliers to remove all of the filtering material; which included layers of charcoal, cotton and wire mesh screens. Removing these is easy enough, just a little time-consuming. Once the entire filtering agent was removed I sanded down the exterior of the can to remove the old paint and rust. (Figure 2 is a picture of the can emptied of filter agent and prepared for painting, while figure 3 is the newly painted filter can.). Once emptied and cleaned the last step was to paint the filter can. I selected “federal safety yellow” spray paint, which best matched the original yellow color of the filter can, and painted the can.

Once the filter can is completed the next step is the hose. What was needed was a ribbed hose with an opening diameter of about 1 1/8-inch. The replacement hose should match as best as possible the original. Finding a replacement hose may be tricky, but surplus Russian/Soviet, Chinese and East German gas masks are possible inexpensive sources for replacement hoses. Scuba diving shops may also serve as possible sources. For this restoration, I was fortunate to find at a local junk shop, an old trashed 1950’s era US army gas mask with a suitable hose.

Having located a hose it then had to be covered in fabric. I stretched the hose down the length of a dowel rod with a diameter of 1 inch. Once stretched I tacked each end of the hose to keep it stretched at its full length. See figure 4.

To cover the hose I used cotton muslin from a Red Cross triangle bandage. I cut it so that it would wrap around the hose with the seam running the length of the hose. With the material cut, I applied spray glue to the hose and applied the cloth to the hose and allowed to dry while the hose was still stretched. When the glue dried I removed the hose from the dowel and allowed it to contract to its normal length. When this happens you will find the fabric adheres to the contours of the ribbed hose just fine (see figure 5).

To ensure the match in the color of the replacement hose’s cloth covering with the original I chose to tint the replacement using Partha brand paint color “Asia” mixed with a small amount of water to thin out and then painted onto the cloth. Once dry it was a perfect match for the color of the original hose fabric.

Another option for covering the hose comes from Mr. Mickey Collins, who suggested “medical ‘stockenettes’ as used in Orthopedics is excellent for this as it is a light stretch gauze material. Right color and material weave too! This material comes on long rolls and is cut to length. Generally kept in the clean utility/supply room of a rehab or surgical orthopedic unit in any general hospital.” I am sure this can also be found at most any medical supply or surplus store.

Finally, the mask was left. It was a little stiff and the rubber flaking out of it. I turned the mask inside out and with a small brush I worked out as much of the old rubber as possible. Simply passing the brush over the old rubber probably removed 90% of the crumbling rubber. The fabric of the mask itself still remained strong. I then washed the inside of the mask with a soft damp cloth, including the mouthpiece. To replace the original rubber I painted the interior of the mask with rubber cement and allowed it to dry and cure for two weeks. This solution approximated as best as possible the pliability of a mask with supple and pliable rubber. Another option may prove to be “liquid latex” now available in hardware stores for coating tool handles. After the cement cured the elastic was easily replaced. I have not yet found a suitable replacement for the flutter valve that is usually missing.

When all three components were finished they were assembled into the finished gas mask. The hose was slipped onto the mask and filter cans and new safety wire was used to hold each end of the hose to the mask and can and a white medical tape was placed over the wire.

With the assembly completed I now had a mask very serviceable for WW1 living history and reenacting purposes (the mask, of course, is not intended to actually filter poison gas). Figure 6, is a picture of the completed mask. In the end, the total project cost about $35.00.

 

US Army Blankets of the First World War By Vincent Petty

The topic of US army blankets during the period of the First World War can be a difficult one at best.  There is very little secondary source material, which accurately describes US army bedding blankets of the period and the information presented by collectors and dealers can be rather misleading or inaccurate.  Probably the greatest flaw in the collecting world is having dubbed WW1 era army bedding blankets as either M1904 or M1917 of which no system of model designation existed for blankets.  The goal of this short article is to provide a guide to anyone who wants a more accurate understanding of army bedding blankets or as a guide to anyone who wishes to accurately identify mislabeled or misidentified blankets sold by collectors or militaria dealers.

Through the Office of the Quartermaster General, the army issued specifications for blankets that contractors were expected to meet in their production runs.  Instead of a model nomenclature, it would be most appropriate to identify blankets based on the specifications issued by the Quartermaster General.  The specifications defined or regulated the quality of the materials to be used in the blanket, the color of the blanket body, whether there was to be a border and its color, the colorfastness of the materials used, the number of threads in an inch of weave, the type of weave in the blanket, the strength, size, weight, and whether it was to have a “US” brand in the center of the blanket.  The earliest specifications for WW1 era blankets provided for a high-quality product and as the war approached and progressed shortcuts were permitted during the production of army blankets.

The first specification issued in the 20th century was No. 752 on April 20, 1905.  It canceled No. 128 of January 9, 1885, which had provided for a light blue blanket with a blue end stripe (in the specifications the end stripe is referred to as the border).  Specification 752, was followed by (and canceled four months later by) No. 771 of August 25, 1905; No. 807 of April 23, 1906; No. 827 of August 16, 1906; No. 1107 of March 4, 1911; No. 1178 of April 10, 1913; No. 1204 of March 11, 1914; No. 1244 of August 21, 1916; No. 1255 of October 16, 1917.  Specification No. 1312 of March 20, 1918, was the last blanket specification issued during the war and would not be canceled until a new specification was issued on November 10, 1921 (unfortunately for this article we are unable to present No’s 827, 1178 and 1244 which are missing).

When issued in April 1905, Specification No. 752 provided for the first olive drab blanket, replacing the use of gray through much of the 19th century and light blue at its close.  The important features the blankets made under No. 752 were as follows:
1) Olive drab in color.  
2) An olive-brown border 3 inches wide across the width of the blanket 6 inches from the edge.
3) The blanket was to be 7 feet long by 5 feet 6 inches wide.
4) To weigh not less than 5 pounds.
5) A “US” brand stitched in the center of the blanket, 6 inches tall, worked either by hand or machine, in the same color and quality of wool as the border.

 

On August 25, 1905 specification No. 771 was issued, which canceled No. 752.  The new specification retained all of the same features of the previous, except for a change in the brand.  The specification 771 provided a blanket with the following features: 
1) Olive drab in color.  
2) An olive-brown border 3 inches wide across the width of the blanket 6 inches from the edge.
3) The blanket was to be 7 feet long by 5 feet 6 inches wide.
4) To weigh not less than 5 pounds.
5) A “US” brand in the center of the blanket, 4-inches tall to be stenciled, in the same color as that of the border.

Specification No. 807 of April 26, 1906, continued many of the features defined in the previous specifications.  It included a return to a sewn brand rather than the stenciled brand of specification No. 771.  It also provided for a label to provide contract information.  No. 807 provided for the following features:
1) Olive drab in color
2) An olive-brown border 3 inches wide across the width of the blanket and 8 inches from the edge.
3) The blanket to be 7 feet, but not more than 7’3” long and 5 feet, but not more than 5’9” wide.
4) To weigh not less than 5 pounds
5) The “US” brand stitched in the center of the blanket, 5 ¾ inch to 6 ¼ inch, worked either by hand or machine, in the same color and quality of wool as the border.
6) A cloth label was to be stitched in a corner, with the name of the contractor, contract date, the depot, and a blank for the inspector.

With specification No. 1107 of March 4, 1911, nearly all of the previous features were retained, except for a reduction in the weight of the blanket to about 3 pounds, down from 5 pounds.  The features of No. 1107 were as follows:
1) Olive drab in color
2) An olive-brown border 3 inches wide across the width of the blanket and 8 inches from the edge.
3) The blanket to be 7 feet, but not more than 7’3” long and 5 feet, but not more than 5’9” wide.
4) To weigh not less than 2 pounds 14 ounces and not more than 3 pounds 3 ounces
5) The “US” brand stitched in the center of the blanket, 5 ¾ inch to 6 ¼ inch, worked either by hand or machine, in the same color and quality of wool as the border.
6) A cloth label was to be stitched in a corner, with the name of the contractor, contract date, the depot, and a blank for the inspector.

With specification No. 1204 of March 11, 1914, all the features of color, border, size, and weight were retained along with the label sewn in the corner of the blanket.  However, with this specification, the “US” brand was dropped.  One notable aspect with this specification was that card and thread waste was permitted to be used in the blanket for the first time since the issuance of specifications for the olive drab blanket.  The features of No. 1204 were as follows:
1) Olive drab in color
2) An olive-brown border 3 inches wide across the width of the blanket and 8 inches from the edge.
3) The blanket to be 7 feet, but not more than 7’3” long and 5 feet, but not more than 5’9” wide.
4) To weigh not less than 2 pounds 14 ounces and not more than 3 pounds 3 ounces
5) NO “US” 
6) A cloth label was to be stitched in a corner, with the name of the contractor, contract date, the depot, and a blank for the inspector

Specification No. 1255 of October 16, 1917, was the first wartime specification issued.  The blanket continued to be olive drab in color, however, the olive-brown border was dropped and there was also to be no “US” brand.  The quality of the material used in the blanket dropped as the specification permitted the use of wool substitute and shoddy in the blanket, though not to exceed 35%.  The weight of the blanket was slightly increased 3 pounds 4 ounces.  But, retained the same size.  The features were:
1) Olive drab in color.
2) To weigh 3 pounds but not more than 3 pounds 4 ounces.
3) To be 7 feet, but not more than 7’3” long and 5 feet, but not more than 5’3”.
4) NO border.
5) NO “US” Brand.
6) A cloth label was to be stitched in a corner, with the name of the contractor, contract date, the depot, and a blank for the inspector
7) Up to 35% of wool substitute and shoddy allowed in the blanket.

The final wartime specification – 1312 of March 20, 1918 – continued to allow a wool substitute, shoddy, or reworked wool, not to exceed 35% and broken fibers from the carding not to exceed 10%.  The olive drab color remained the same, and the lack of a border continued as well.  The size remained the same as with all previous specifications with an increase in the weight of the blanket.  The “US” brand was also returned to the blanket, however, the size of the brand was not stated, only that the government would provide the stamp and formula. 
1) Olive drab in color.
2) To weigh 4 pounds
3) To be 7 feet, but not more than 7’3” long and 5 feet, but not more than 5’3”.
4) NO border.
5) “US” Brand of unknown size stamped with a stamp and formula provided by the government.
6) A cloth label was to be stitched in a corner, with the name of the contractor, contract date, the depot, and a blank for the inspector
7) Up to 35% of wool substitute and shoddy allowed in the blanket along with another 10% of other threads.

At the start of this article, I referred to the use in the collecting and militaria world of a model designation when referring to bedding blankets – M1904 and M1917.  These are inaccurate references, which were created and have continued in use, either because of laziness or a lack of understanding.  Regardless, it is important to also understand what the dealer is implying when he sells a blanket tagged as either an M1904 or M1917.  To many dealers, the olive drab blanket with olive-brown border and with or without the “US” (basically the blankets defined in the specifications from 1905 to 1914) is an M1904 blanket.  Many will make the claim also that these blankets with the “US” brand are “pre-war M1904 blankets” and that those without the brand are “war-time M1904 blankets.”  Further, blankets without the border and brand have become the M1917.  However, as shown there is no basis in fact for referring to bedding blankets in this manner.

When I first became interested in the First World War I bought a number of blankets that were simply listed as being “WW1 era M1904 blankets” or “M1917” because I was taken in by the jargon of militaria dealers.  However, I am a believer in the primary source material and because of proper documentation, I have been able to correctly identify the four blankets that I use with my American infantry kit.  One of them is a blanket following the specifications of No. 752 of April 20, 1905.  Two of the blankets follow the specifications of No. 1204 of March 11, 1914. The last blanket meets the specifications of No. 1255 of October 16, 1917.

For anyone purchasing a blanket today, there are a couple things to keep in mind.  After 100 years there will be a few noticeable changes in the blanket that will cause it to differ from the original specifications.  The most notable and important is shrinkage.  The width of the blanket will have remained fairly consistent over the years, but considerable shrinkage will appear in the length of the blanket, being made up of the warp yarns (the yarns stretched and carried over the loom and through which the weft or fill is woven).  The shrinkage can be several inches, causing what was manufactured as a blanket 7 feet long, to be 90 years later, a blanket 6 feet 8 inches long.  Also, on many blankets, it will be found that labels do not survive or can no longer be read.  I have found on many blankets that while the label is no longer intact, the stitching which at one time attached the label to the blanket, remained intact.

In addition to bedding blankets, horse blankets are fairly common as well on the collector market.  The Ordnance Department was responsible for tack and mounted equipment (meaning the Ordnance Department was responsible for horse blankets while the Quartermaster department was responsible for bedding blankets) and prior to the war the horse blanket had both the “US” brand and the Ordnance Department’s “flaming bomb” embroidered in the center of the blanket.  The “US” brand and flaming bomb were dropped from wartime production of horse blankets, and if the label is missing from these blankets, they may be mistaken for bedding blankets.  A large number of horse blankets have appeared on the market both with and without the “US” and flaming bomb, which were sold off by a number of New England National Guard organizations dumping surplus equipment.  Also according to curator Steve McGeorge, “review of catalogs from military clothiers and suppliers of the period selling officer uniform and equipment include blankets alleged to be made to government specification. In the case of these and later commercially manufactured ‘Camp Blankets’ it may very well be impossible to distinguish these from Government Issue blankets if there is no legible tag present, especially after some 80+ years of wear and tear.”

I have found that the best source for blankets is E-bay.  WW1 US army blankets regularly appear for sale on the website and tend to sell at a much more reasonable price than what most collectors and dealers offer, though, everyone has their own favorite local dealers, who are valuable sources.  A purchaser should pay no more than $100 for an original blanket, but on E-bay original bedding blankets generally, sell in the range of $20-$80.  When considering a particular blanket, ask the right questions to help identify the blanket – especially when the blanket is simply listed as a “World War One Blanket.”  Is the blanket body olive drab?  Does the blanket have a border, and if it does, is it olive brown?  Is the border 6 inches or 8 inches from the edge of the blanket?  Is there a “US” brand in the center of the blanket? Is it sewn, stenciled or stamped and what is its height?  What is the weight of the blanket and what is its size? Is there a label or the remains of one?  These questions will help properly identify a blanket as being a US army bedding blanket.

With knowledge of the blanket specifications issued between 1905 and 1918, any living historian or collector for that matter can make an educated purchase of a First World War era US army bedding blanket or even use these specifications to identify a blanket in their collection.  We have also hopefully put to rest the shortcuts of the collecting world when referring to bedding blankets.  I would like to thank Stephen C.  McGeorge, Curator, National Museum of the United States Army who provided me with the specifications for WW1 era army bedding blankets and provided some guidance with this article.  And for those folks who too like to read primary source material rather than just my summary, the text of specifications No.’s 752, 771, 807, 1107, 1204, 1255 and 1312 follow.

752
 War Department,
Office of the Quartermaster General.

Specifications for the olive drab blankets, heavy quality.

Wool. – For warp: To be pure long sound staple American wool of not lower grade than high three-eighths blood.  For filling: To be pure long sound staple American wool of not lower grade than high one-half blood: both to be free from kemp, shives, card-waste, noils, shoddy, flocks, reworked wool or other impurities.

Color. – To be composed of black, white, and olive drab wools, mixed in such proportions as to produce the shade of the standard sample.  The olive drab and black to be dyed in the wool; colors to be fast and to withstand without change the official tests, viz: Boiling for ten minutes in a solution composed of eighty grains or ordinary laundry soap to one pint of water: boiling for ten minutes in a solution containing ten grains of dry carbonate of soda to one pint of water; an exposure to the weather (roof test) for thirty days; steeping for 24 hours in lactic acid specific gravity 1.21, U. S. P.; steeping twenty-four hours in a solution composed of three drams of citric acid to two fluid ounces of cold water.  To correctly judge results, the specimens that have been subjected to the above acid and weather tests must be washed with soap in warm water.

Border. – An olive-brown border about three (3) inches wide to extend across the blanket about six (6) inches from each end; the wool in the border to be of the same grade as the body of the blanket; to conform in shade to the border of the standard sample, and to withstand the above official tests for permanency of color.

Threads. – To have not less than twenty-two threads of warp and not less than twenty-five threads of filling to the inch.  The threads to be well driven up.

Strength. – To sustain a tensile strain of not less than thirty pounds to the inch of warp, and not less than thirty-five pounds to the inch of filling.

Size. – To be seven (7) feet long and five (5) feet six (6) inches wide when finished.

Weight. – To weigh not less than five pounds when finished.

U. S. Brand. – Each blanket to have the letters “U. S.” about six inches long in the center of and placed lengthwise with the blanket; the lettering to be worked through the blanket, either by hand or machine, using yarn composed of the same material, shade and permanency of dye as that of the border.  The style of letters to be the same as those upon the standard sample
Workmanship. – The blanket to be manufactured in a thorough and workmanlike manner, twilled blanket weave, well fulled, thoroughly cleaned, free from crocking, evenly and thoroughly gigged.  The ends to be secured from raveling by a gimp and an elastic overlocked stitch, as shown upon the standard sample.  The gimp and thread employed to conform closely in shade to either the border or to the body of the blanket.

Details of workmanship or any other points not enumerated in these specifications to be executed in conformity with the standards sample.

Adopted April 20, 1905, in lieu of specifications of January 9, 1885 (No. 128), which are hereby canceled.

C. F. Humphrey,
Quartermaster General, U. S. Army

771 
War Department,
Office of the Quartermaster General.

Specifications for the olive drab blankets, heavy quality.

Wool. – For warp: To be pure long sound staple American wool of not lower grade than high three-eighths blood.  For filling: To be pure long sound staple American wool of not lower grade than high one-half blood: both to be free from kemp, shives, card-waste, noils, shoddy, flocks, reworked wool or other impurities.

Color. – To be composed of black, white, and olive drab wools, mixed in such proportions as to produce the shade of the standard sample.  The olive drab and black to be dyed in the wool; colors to be fast and to withstand without change the official tests, viz: Boiling for ten minutes in a solution composed of eighty grains or ordinary laundry soap to one pint of water: boiling for ten minutes in a solution containing ten grains of dry carbonate of soda to one pint of water; an exposure to the weather (roof test) for thirty days; steeping for 24 hours in lactic acid specific gravity 1.21, U. S. P.; steeping twenty-four hours in a solution composed of three drams of citric acid to two fluid ounces of cold water.  To correctly judge results, the specimens that have been subjected to the above acid and weather tests must be washed with soap in warm water.

Border. – An olive-brown border about three (3) inches wide to extend across the blanket about six (6) inches from each end; the wool in the border to be of the same grade as the body of the blanket; to conform in shade to the border of the standard sample, and to withstand the above official tests for permanency of color.

Threads. – To have not less than twenty-two threads of warp and not less than twenty-five threads of filling to the inch.  The threads to be well driven up.

Strength. – To sustain a tensile strain of not less than thirty pounds to the inch of warp, and not less than thirty-five pounds to the inch of filling.

Size. – To be seven (7) feet long and five (5) feet six (6) inches wide when finished.

Weight. – To weigh not less than five pounds when finished.

U. S. Brand. – Each blanket to have the letters “U. S.” about four (4) inches long stenciled in the center of and placed lengthwise with the blanket; shade and permanency of color of letters to conform strictly to that of the border.

Workmanship. – The blanket to be manufactured in a thorough and workmanlike manner, twilled blanket weave, well fulled, thoroughly cleaned, free from crocking, evenly and thoroughly gigged.  The ends to be secured from raveling by a gimp and an elastic overlocked stitch, as shown upon the standard sample.  The gimp and thread employed to conform closely in shade to either the border or to the body of the blanket.

Details of workmanship or any other points not enumerated in these specifications to be executed in conformity with the standards sample.

Adopted August 21, 1905, in lieu of specifications of April 20, 1905 (No. 752), which are hereby canceled.

C. F. Humphrey,
Quartermaster General, U. S. Army

807
 War Department,
Office of the Quartermaster General.

Specifications for the olive drab woolen blankets, heavy quality.

Wool. – For warp: To be American wool, shorn from live sheep, of not lower grade than high three-eighths blood; staple to be of good character, sound true, and well conditioned, possessing sufficient length in addition to the other qualities to produce a good, strong, and even-spun yarn.  For filling: To be pure long-staple American wool, shorn from live sheep, of not lower grade than high one-half blood: staple to be of good character, sound true, and well conditioned.  Both warp and filling wools to possess good felting properties, and to be free from kemp, shives, wastes, noils, shoddy, flocks, reworked wool, vegetable fibers, or other impurities (slubbing from the card and broken spool stock from the mule made at the time this yarn is being manufactured not to be considered as waste).

Color.– To be a mixture of an olive drab shade, as represented by the sealed standard sample, the various colors required to produce the mixture to be dyed in the wool and thoroughly cleaned before mixing.  They must be sufficiently fast to withstand milling and climatic influences, such as sunlight, air, and exposure incident to the military service.

Border. – An olive-brown border about three (3) inches wide to extend across the blanket about eight (8) inches from each end; the wool in the border to be of the same grade as the body of the blanket; to conform in shade to the border of the standard sample, and to withstand the official tests for permanency of color.

Threads. – The warp to contain not less than 1,460 threads; the picks of filling to be not less than 25 to the inch.
Size. – To be not less than seven (7) feet nor more than seven (7) feet three (3) inches long.  To be not less than five (5) feet nor more than five (5) feet nine (9) inches wide finished.

Weight. – To weigh not less than five pounds.  Blankets weighing less than five pounds shall be rejected, unless when subjected to a conditioned or dry-fiber test the weight thus found, with 11 percent added (for normal regain of moisture allowable), will bring the weight up to or over five pounds.  At the discretion of the contracting officer, blankets weighing five pounds or over may be conditioned, and if found, when weight becomes constant in the conditioning oven, to weigh less than 4 5/10 pounds, they shall be rejected.

Strength. – To be capable of sustaining a tensile strain without breaking of 35 pounds to the inch warp ways and 40 pounds without breaking to the inch filling ways.  To ensure an even strain on all threads great care must be exercised to be sure that the material is placed in the jaws of the dynamometer at the exactly right angles to the opposite system of threads.

U. S. Brand. – Each blanket to have the letters “U. S.” not less than five and three-quarters (5 ¾) nor more than six and one-quarter (6 ¼) inches long in the center of and placed lengthwise with the blanket; the lettering to be worked through the blanket either by hand or machine, using a yarn composed of the same material, shade, and permanency of dye as that of the border, the style of letters to be the same as those upon the sealed standard sample.

Official color tests.  The following are the official tests which the materials shall be subjected to during inspection:

• Test 1. Samples or skeins of the yarn, warp, and filling from which the blankets are made (about 20 yards of each yarn) shall be thoroughly scoured, then boiled for ten minutes in a solution composed of eighty grains of ivory soap to one pint of water.
• Test 2. A second sample shall be taken and boiled ten minutes in a solution containing ten grains of dry carbonate of soda to one pint of water.\Test 3. An exposure to weather (roof test) for thirty days.
• Test 4. Soaking twenty-four hours in lactic acid, specific gravity 1.21 U. S. P.  Temperature about 70 degrees F.
• Test 5. Soaking twenty-four hours in a solution composed of three drams (avoirdupois) of citric acid to two fluid ounces of water.  Temperature about 70 degrees F.  To correctly judge results, the specimens that have been subjected to the above tests must be washed in a weak solution of ivory soap and tepid warm water, and no greater changes of color must appear that would be shown under similar tests made on the sealed standard sample.

Workmanship. – The blanket to be manufactured in a thorough and workmanlike manner, well fulled, thoroughly cleaned, free from crocking, evenly and thoroughly gigged.  The ends to be secured from raveling by a gimp and an elastic overlocked stitch, as shown upon the sealed standard sample.  The gimp and thread employed to conform closely in shade to either the border or to the body of the blanket.  Details of workmanship or any other points not enumerated in these specifications to be executed in conformity with the sealed standards sample.

Adopted April 23, 1906, in lieu of specifications of August 25, 1905 (No. 771), which are hereby canceled.

C. F. Humphrey,
Quartermaster General, U. S. Army

NOTE. – A sample of undyed clean wool, also samples of wools after mixing to produce shade, as well as a skein of yarn, warp, and filling shall be delivered to the contracting officer with the first delivery of good and at other regular periods during the life of the contact, as desired.

In one corner of each blanket there should be neatly stitched, with not less than eleven stitches to the inch, a piece of standard label cloth 2 ½ inches by 1 ½ inches on which shall be printed, in indelible ink the name of the contractor, date of contract, and name of depot, leaving a blank space at the bottom for the name of the inspector.

1107 War Department,
Office of the Quartermaster General.

Specifications for the olive drab woolen blankets.

Wool. – To be American fleece wool shorn from live sheep, of not lower grade than strictly three-eighths blood; staple to be of good character, sound true, and well conditioned, possessing sufficient length in addition to the other qualities to produce a good, strong, and even-spun yarn also to have good felting properties and to be free from kemp, shives, wastes, noils, shoddy, flocks, reworked wool, vegetable fibers, or other impurities (slubbing from the card and broken spool stock from the mule made at the time this yarn is being manufactured not to be considered as waste).

Color.– To be a mixture of an olive drab mixture to conform to the standard sample.  The various colors to be dyed in the wool and sufficiently fast to withstand sunlight and exposure incident to the military service.

Border. – An olive-brown border, about three (3) inches wide to extend across the blanket about eight (8) inches from each end; the wool in the border to be of the same grade as the body of the blanket and of fast color.

Threads. – The warp to contain not less than 36 threads to the inch; the filling to contain not less than 40 threads to the inch.
Weave. – To be a regular four-harness twill, two up and two down (2/2).

Size. – To be not less than seven (7) feet nor more than seven (7) feet three (3) inches long.  To be not less than five (5) feet nor more than five (5) feet nine (9) inches wide finished.

Weight. – To weigh not less than two pounds fourteen ounces and not more than three pounds three ounces.  Blankets weighing less than two pounds fourteen ounces shall be rejected, unless when subjected to a conditioned or dry-fiber test the weight thus found, with 11 percent added (for normal regain of moisture allowable), will being the weight up to or over two pounds fourteen ounces.  At the discretion of the contracting officer, blankets weighing up to or over two pounds fourteen ounces may be conditioned, and if found, when weight becomes constant in the conditioning oven, to weigh less than two pounds nine ounces or more than two pounds thirteen ounces, they shall be rejected.

Strength. – To be capable of sustaining a tensile strength of not less than 35 pounds to the inch in both warp and filling.
U. S. brand. – Each blanket to have the letters “U. S.” not less than five and three-quarters (5 ¾) nor more than six and one-quarter (6 ¼) inches long in the center of and placed lengthwise with the blanket, of a yarn the same shade as that of the border.

Tests. – The following are the official tests which will be applied during the inspection; no greater departure should take place than shown by similar tests made on the standard sample at the same time.

• 1. To be boiled in a solution composed of 80 grains of Ivory soap to one pint of water.
• 2. To be boiled in a solution composed of 10 grains of dry carbonate of soda to one pint of water.
• 3. To stand exposure or roof test for thirty days.

Workmanship. – The blanket to be manufactured in a thorough and workmanlike manner, well fulled, thoroughly cleaned, free from shives and crocking, and evenly and thoroughly gigged.  The ends to be secured from raveling by a gimp and an elastic overlocked stitch; the gimp and thread employed to conform closely in shade to either the border or to the body of the blanket.
In all points not covered by these specifications to be like and equal to the standard sample in all respects.

Adopted March 4, 1911, in lieu of specifications No 807, of April 23, 1906, and No 827, of August 16, 1906, which are hereby canceled.

J. B. Aleshire,
Quartermaster General, U. S. Army.

NOTE. – A sample of undyed clean wool, also samples of wools after mixing to produce shade, as well as a skein of yarn, warp, and filling shall be delivered to the contracting officer with the first delivery of good and at other regular periods during the life of the contact, as desired.

In one corner of each blanket there should be neatly stitched, with not less than eleven stitches to the inch, a piece of standard label cloth 2 ½ inches by 1 ½ inches on which shall be printed, in indelible ink the name of the contractor, date of contract, and name of depot, leaving a blank space at the bottom for the name of the inspector.

1204 Specifications for Blankets

Adopted March 11, 1914, in lieu of specifications of April 10, 1913 No 1178, which are canceled.

Wool. – To be of three-eighths blood grade.  Fleece, scoured, or pulled wool is permitted.  To be free from shoddy, flocks, noils, or other impurities.  Clean roving, card, and thread waste made from the olive drab mixture for this blanket are permitted.
Color. – To be an olive drab mixture as shown by the sealed standard sample.  The various colors required to form this mixture to be dyed in the wool.

Tests. – The following are the tests which will be applied in the inspections:

• 1. Washing test: Boil for 10 minutes in a solution containing 80 grains of Oleine soap (Army issue) to 1 pint of water.
• 2. Laundry test: Boil for 10 minutes in a solution containing 10 grains of dry carbonate of soda to 1 pint of water.
• 3. Exposure test: Expose to the weather for 30 days.
  In any of these tests, no greater change must take place that would be shown under a similar test made at the same time on the sealed standard sample.
• Size. – To be not less than seven (7) feet nor more than seven (7) feet three (3) inches long.  To be not less than five (5) feet nor more than five (5) feet nine (9) inches wide.

Weight. – To weigh not less than two pounds fourteen ounces and not more than three pounds three ounces.  Blankets weighing less than two pounds fourteen ounces shall be rejected, unless when subjected to a conditioned or dry-fiber test the weight thus found, with 11 percent added (for normal regain of moisture allowable), will being the weight up to or over two pounds fourteen ounces.

Weave. – To be a four harness twill, two up and two down.

Threads. – To have not less than 36 threads to the inch in the warp and not less than 38 threads to the inch in the filling.
Strength. – To sustain a tensile strength of not less than 35 pounds to the inch in the warp and not less than 30 pounds to the inch in the filling.

Border. – To have an olive-brown border, about 3 inches wide, to extend across the blanket about 8 inches from each end; the wool in the border to be the same grade as the body of the blanket and of fast color.

Finish. – To have the same degree and character of finish as shown by the standard sample, thoroughly clean, free from crocking, well fulled, and evenly and thoroughly gigged.  The ends to be secured from raveling by gimp and an elastic overlock stitch; the gimp and thread employed to conform closely in shade to either the border or blanket.

In all points not covered by these specifications to be like and equal to the standard sample in all respects.

J. B. Aleshire,
Chief, Quartermaster Corps.

1255 Specifications for Blankets

Adopted October 16, 1917, in lieu of Specifications 1244, dated August 21, 1916, which are canceled.

Wool. – Wool to be of one-quarter blood grade or finer.  Fleece, scoured, or pulled wool is permitted.  The mixture of wool substitutes such as noils, shoddy, and reworked wools not to exceed 35 percent is permitted.  Broken sliver from the card and mules made from the mixture for this fabric is not to be considered as waste and is permitted.  All materials used to be free from shives and burrs.  Maximum allowable percentage of vegetable fiber on boil-out is 2 ½ percent.

Color. – To be an olive drab mixture as shown by the sealed standard sample for shade.  The various colors required to form this mixture to be dyed in the raw stock.

Tests. – The following are the tests which will be applied in the inspections:

• 1. Washing test: Boil for 10 minutes in a solution containing 80 grains of Oleine soap (Army issue) to 1 pint of water.
• 2. Laundry test: Boil for 10 minutes in a solution containing 10 grains of dry carbonate of soda to 1 pint of water.
• 3. Exposure test: Expose to the weather for 30 days.
• In any of these tests, no greater change must take place that would be shown under a similar test made at the same time on the sealed standard sample.

Size. – To be not less than seven (7) feet nor more than seven (7) feet three (3) inches long.  To be not less than five (5) feet nor more than five (5) feet nine (9) inches wide.

Weight. – To weigh not less than three pounds and not more than three pounds four ounces.  Blankets weighing less than three pounds shall be rejected, unless when subjected to a conditioned or dry-fiber test the weight thus found, with 11 percent added (for normal regain of moisture allowable), will being the weight up to or over three pounds.

Weave. – To be a four harness twill, two up and two down.

Threads. – To have not less than 36 threads to the inch in the warp and not less than 38 threads to the inch in the filling in the finished blanket.

Strength. – To sustain a tensile strength of not less than 45 pounds to the inch in the warp, and not less than 40 pounds to the inch in the filling.

Finish. – To have the same degree and character of finish as shown by the standard sample, thoroughly clean, free from crocking, well fulled, and evenly and thoroughly gigged.  The ends to be secured from raveling by gimp and an elastic overlock stitch; the gimp and thread employed to conform closely in shade to the blanket.

In all points not covered by these specifications to be like and equal to the standard sample in all respects.

A. L. Smith
Brigadier General, Q. M. Corps.

NOTE. – A sample of the finished blanket showing the ability of the manufacturer to make the goods, together with the proportions of raw material and samples of each used in its manufacture are to be submitted with bids.

In one corner of each blanket, there should be neatly stitched a piece of label cloth on which shall be printed the name of the contractor, date of contract, and the name of the depot, together with the specification number, leaving a blank space at the bottom for the name of the inspector.

No 1312 
Specifications for Four-Pound Olive Drab Blanket.

Adopted March 20, 1918, in lieu of Specifications No 1255, which are canceled.

Material. – 55% wool, grade 44’s or finer.  10% wool, grade 60’s or finer.  35% re-worked wool or noils.  Maximum allowable percentage of residue on boil out 2 ½%.  Broken sliver from cards and mules made from the mixture of this fabric, not exceeding 10%, may be added to the blend.

Color. – An olive drab mixture to be a good match to standard sample.

Tests. – The following are the tests which will be applied in the inspections:

• 1. Washing test: Boil for 10 minutes in a solution containing 80 grains of Oleine soap (Army issue) to 1 pint of water.
• 2. Laundry test: Boil for 10 minutes in a solution containing 10 grains of dry carbonate of soda to 1 pint of water.
• 3. Exposure test: Expose to the weather for 30 days.

Size. – To be not less than seven (7) feet nor more than seven (7) feet three (3) inches long.  To be not less than five (5) feet nor more than five (5) feet nine (9) inches wide.

Weight. – To weigh not less than four pounds and not more than four pounds eight ounces.  Blankets weighing less than three pounds shall be rejected, unless when subjected to a conditioned or dry-fiber test the weight thus found, with 11 percent added (for normal regain of moisture allowable), will bring the weight up to or over four pounds.

Weave. – To be a four harness twill, two up and two down.

Threads. – To have not less than 27 threads to the inch in the warp and not less than 30 threads to the inch in the filling in the finished cloth.

Strength. – To sustain a tensile strength of not less than 55 pounds to the inch in the warp and not less than 50 pounds to the inch in the filling.

Border. – Not required.

Finish. – To have the same degree and character of finish as shown by the accepted new standard.  Thoroughly clean and well fulled.  The end secured from raveling by an overlock stitch, the thread employed to conform in shade to the blanket.
Stamping. – All Blankets to be stamped “U. S.” at the mill.  The Government will furnish the stamp and formula.

Label. – In one corner there should be neatly stitched a piece of label cloth, on which shall be printed the name of the contractor, date of the contract, and the name of the depot, together with specification number, leaving a blank space at the bottom for the name of the inspector.

In all points not covered by these specifications to be like and equal to the standard sample in all respects.

Geo. W. Goethals
Acting Quartermaster General.

Specification No 1312 was the last specification issued for army blankets during World War 1.

The next specification issued after the war was No. 8-18 November 10, 1921.