militbuff Posted November 17, 2008 Share #1 Posted November 17, 2008 I currently have some WWII K Ration Boxes that I picked up from a WWII re-enactor up for sale on eBay and I'm wondering if they're original or not. I received an e-mail saying that this one (110313417089) is a complete repro but he didn't mention if the other 2 ones up for sale (110313409641 & 110313425405)are repros. Any help would be much appreciated as I like to make sure that the bidders on my auctions are fully aware if something is a repro. Thanks! Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted November 17, 2008 Share #2 Posted November 17, 2008 Hi Militbuff, I think you would get more people look and possibly help if you had posted photo's here, usual thing people can be lazy if they have to go looking elsewhere for photo's. Cheers ( Lewis ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share #3 Posted November 17, 2008 Hi Militbuff, I think you would get more people look and possibly help if you had posted photo's here, usual thing people can be lazy if they have to go looking elsewhere for photo's. Cheers ( Lewis ) Lewis, many thanks for the sage advice! I'm a patch collector and thus usually post in the insignia/patch side of things but I forgot that I always post pictures! Attached are pics of the 3 auctions. I was told that the supper ration below is a 100% repro but I don't know about the dinner and D rations. Many thanks! Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share #4 Posted November 17, 2008 Supper ration pic 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share #5 Posted November 17, 2008 Dinner Ration below: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share #6 Posted November 17, 2008 More of Dinner Ration Below: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share #7 Posted November 17, 2008 Final Dinner Ration Pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share #8 Posted November 17, 2008 D Ration Pics Below: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share #9 Posted November 17, 2008 Final D Ration Pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kration Posted November 17, 2008 Share #10 Posted November 17, 2008 Everything you posted is reproduction as made up for reenactors.. Some of your K rat items such as coco beverage powder, creamer packet & green matches (not vd) and light-house toilet paper are out of either late c rats (80's) but more likely older issue MRE's (5-8 yrs old) The gum is another givaway.. with that tiny little R in the trademark circle... The D rations are pretty bad. There is a seller on Ebay (1969GTO?) that has tried to sell these same type in the past as original. The ones with the paper sleeve are not even close to the original size (too short and stubby) the others are hand wrapped and what a terrible job at that. On the brown Dinner if you look close you will see the printing is an ink stamp and runny... the wax job is very light and inconsistant. I see an identical one at every Raleigh Military show that Mickey ***** has been trying to sell as original for 2-3 years now along with a couple fake cammo K's. Kration collecting US combat rations for 30+ years K's, C's, D's, 10-1, 5-1, Mtn, AAF, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share #11 Posted November 18, 2008 Everything you posted is reproduction as made up for reenactors.. Some of your K rat items such as coco beverage powder, creamer packet & green matches (not vd) and light-house toilet paper are out of either late c rats (80's) but more likely older issue MRE's (5-8 yrs old) The gum is another givaway.. with that tiny little R in the trademark circle... The D rations are pretty bad. There is a seller on Ebay (1969GTO?) that has tried to sell these same type in the past as original. The ones with the paper sleeve are not even close to the original size (too short and stubby) the others are hand wrapped and what a terrible job at that. On the brown Dinner if you look close you will see the printing is an ink stamp and runny... the wax job is very light and inconsistant. I see an identical one at every Raleigh Military show that Mickey ***** has been trying to sell as original for 2-3 years now along with a couple fake cammo K's. Kration collecting US combat rations for 30+ years K's, C's, D's, 10-1, 5-1, Mtn, AAF, Kration, many thanks for taking the time to look at my pics and for letting me know that the items are either repros or later period items. After hearing this, I'm going to end the auctions and toss out all of the items. As a patch collector, I hate patch repros and I don't want my name to be associated with repros. Thanks again for your help! Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted November 18, 2008 Share #12 Posted November 18, 2008 Hi Dan, pleased to see that kration has helped you out with his long experience of rations. It's a sad fact that it is so easy to make reproduction stuff now with a photo copier. I have attached a photograph of original book matches for you to compare with the one in your post ( apologies for the quality of my photography, it's an old photo ) I hope it's still clear enough to compare Good luck to you for withdrawing the re-pros from sale in case of misunderstanding by purchasers. Cheers ( Lewis ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kration Posted November 18, 2008 Share #13 Posted November 18, 2008 Another thing concerning matches.... I've probably opened 150 K rations over the past 30 years and have yet to see one that had matches with any type of slogan on them other than the standard printing concerning hiding your trash or the later malaria warning. The books have always been standard in OD or tan/grey paper. Kration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted November 18, 2008 Share #14 Posted November 18, 2008 Another thing concerning matches.... I have yet to see one that had matches with any type of slogan on them other than the standard printing concerning hiding your trash or the later malaria warning. Kration. Hi, kration is correct in his statement that matches with slogans are not used in rations, which I should have stated in my post with the original matches. My intention was to show the difference in quality between original printed items and photo copied paperwork. Cheers ( Lewis ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Robinson Posted November 18, 2008 Share #15 Posted November 18, 2008 About 45 years ago I was digging through some boxes at an Air Force base and came across a "K" ration. I was supposed to be looking for uniforms to wear while in the Civil Air Patrol but even back then I loved digging through that stuff. As I remember.....and I admit this was a long time ago....the box was a solid color and sealed in wax. I wish now I'd taken it home and held on to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share #16 Posted November 18, 2008 Hi Dan, pleased to see that kration has helped you out with his long experience of rations. It's a sad fact that it is so easy to make reproduction stuff now with a photo copier. I have attached a photograph of original book matches for you to compare with the one in your post ( apologies for the quality of my photography, it's an old photo ) I hope it's still clear enough to compare Good luck to you for withdrawing the re-pros from sale in case of misunderstanding by purchasers. Cheers ( Lewis ) Lewis, I do like the VD matchbook. I'll probably keep that. Maybe I'll even pin it up at work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason G Posted November 19, 2008 Share #17 Posted November 19, 2008 I know a couple of WWII reenactors who might be interested in your 'rats if you want to get rid of em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpl. Cleaver Posted November 19, 2008 Share #18 Posted November 19, 2008 I know a couple of WWII reenactors who might be interested in your 'rats if you want to get rid of em! Yeah, don't trash them. There are a bunch of guys that would be glad to eat them. They arn't 100% authentic repops, but they are better than what most guys have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpl. Cleaver Posted November 19, 2008 Share #19 Posted November 19, 2008 Double post, please delete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewA74 Posted November 20, 2008 Share #20 Posted November 20, 2008 I saw a guy at WWII Weekend 2008 (Reading PA) who had made repro boxs and was selling the kit to make them in the form of computer software. I was dissapointed, because it felt full, but it was a block of wood in it. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linedoggie Posted May 16, 2009 Share #21 Posted May 16, 2009 I also notice the Beverage Powder manufacturers address has a ZIP CODE with 9 digits ZIP codes of 5 digits didn't come into use until the 1960's. The additional 4 digits not unitl 1984. A WWII (Post 1943)Address code would be 2 digits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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