Sharky, "The Desert Rat"

I hauled the new Panzer jacket and M-43 hat with me out into the Black Rock Desert and Black Rock City on our annual desert adventure last week to give them a proper break in. I didn't get a chance to wear them until the end of the week, but when I did, the Playa responded with a raging white-out dust storm! Just what I needed to give the new hat a proper dusting!

The initial evaluations indicate that both items look great and add to one's "desert rattiness" while on Playa Patrol! They even look pretty darn good with a set of vintage "steam punk" goggles as well!


I removed the original cockade before hitting the alkali dust and will leave the hat in it's current "weathered" condition to give it that authentic campaign patina........

Bundeswehr Hosengurtel

I picked up a set of five Bundeswehr trouser belts (hosengurtel) off the "surplus market" just before we left for Burning Man. These belts are great! Metal buckle, heavy leather, adjustable up to about a size 32" waist, very euro-sleek! Four of the belts have silver buckles and one has a gold finished buckle, which I presume is an officer's belt, but I'm not certain.

The belts fasten with a tab and hook system that gives them a very sleek look with no belt end sticking out from the buckle.............. These are the narrow width belts meant to hold up your pants, not as a gear belt or outer belt.

Coleman Lantern model 220 E

Since I have been posting pictures of my recently acquired Coleman camping gear, I thought I might as well post a few pictures of the lantern that I already had.

I picked this lantern up quite a number of years ago at a yard sale and then it got stuck in the attic where it's been waiting to be reunited with a few of its other camping buddies.

The lantern is in nearly new condition and all that it need is a new set of mantels and fuel to get it going...........

Coleman Lantern model 220 E
Made in 1965



Here is a shot of the full set:

Coleman Catalytic Heater model 512 A

On our way back from Burning Man I picked up the third piece of vintage Coleman camp gear that I needed to finish out my Coleman camping set. We stopped at a community fundraiser-sale in Cedarville, California and in the midst of all of the rummage items, I found an unused Coleman Catalytic heater, model 512 A, unused.............. if that wasn't good enough, I paid $5.00 for it!

The date code on the bottom shows the manufacture date as May of 1975.

Now I have all three pieces: stove, lantern and heater.

Back From Burning Man!

Well our "wild week in the desert" is over and now we are back home from Burning Man and back to the familiar rain of the Pacific Northwest...... and work, and a boatload of family visiting, and the upcoming Wooden Boat Festival Craft Fair that Sweet Pea will be selling at, and injured cats going to the vet for surgery............... nothing like a quiet transition back to the 'default world".

More pictures and posts about the trip in the days to follow.................

Boat Sinks In Clallam Bay

Here's another "boat report" from up here in the PNW.........

On Wednesday, at about 4:45 pm, witnesses over at Clallam Bay, reported seeing a 30 - 37 foot fishing boat sink rapidly. No mayday was broadcast ...... A small motorboat and it's owner headed out from the marina dock, picked up the two men in the water and transported them back to the marina. When they arrived, the two men wrapped up in blankets, got in their truck and left.

The USCG reports that they still do not know who the two men are or why the boat sank! A salvage company will be raising the vessel so the USCG can investigate. I'm sure they will find a few "clues" on board when the boat comes up............. pretty fishy if you ask me.

Here's a link to the Peninsula Daily News story:

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100827/news/308279985/coast-guard-searches-for-two-rescued-men-whose-boat-sank-of-clallam

Swedish Three Crowns

Just a little update on my continuing research into the Swedish zeltbahns and when they were issued and used by the Swedish Army.

I'll start off with the Swedish "Three Crowns" hallmark...........
From what I have been able to determine from a pile of little clues and pieces from numerous internet sites, the use of three crowns by Sweden began in 1942. Prior to that date, a one crown stamp was used.

In regards to the dates that the Swedish zeltbahns that I have were used....................
The zelts were first issued in 1939 and were taken out of service in 1959. In 1959 the shape was changed from a triangle to a diamond.

From what I can tell, the Swedish Army issued the zeltbahns in camo, but did not issue out any uniforms in camo. In 1990, the army adopted camo uniforms using the same pattern, but substituted shades of green for all of the previous colors used in the old zeltbahns.

And for the last bit of "triva" on these zelts..............
The official Swedish term for the zeltbahn is "knappetalt" (with umlauts over the a's), or translated: "button tent".
The soldiers gave them the nick name of "ensamme varg", or translated: "lonely wolf".

"In Danish and Norwegian, they are called: "kneppetelt"." **NOTE: I ran across this previous bit of information in my research, but according to the comment below, I have that term wrong and I thank "M55q" for his correction........... he is a Danish speaker and military collector, so I think we can definitely consider him an expert on this topic :)

Now we're all up to speed on Swedish zeltbahns!