MILITARIA

Of course you want to wear your knit hipster hat today—when don’t you?—but it’s so damn sunny. We got you covered, literally, with this olive drab 100% wool knit cap that includes a built-in brim in front. This “jeep cap,” inspired by the U.S. military, meets U.S. Defense Department specs, though it’s been redesigned to be larger, cover the ears, and include the bill upfront. Radar O’Reilly loved his! Made in the U.S. of A., of course.

Olive gloves, you love gloves, we all love gloves! These handsome olive drab gloves are fingerless (on purpose) and have the following info printed on them in white near the wrists: “GLOVE INSERT WOOL. COLD WEATHER TYPE II. WPL10418. 70% WOOL 30% NYLON. MADE IN U.S.A." You’ll be the only one on your block with a pair, and you’ll look good.

Looking for the perfect accent to offset those paratrooper fatigues or tactical pants that aren’t nearly as flattering as you’d imagined? This black belt will turn the other foot soldiers green with envy! It’s nylon, 1-1/2" wide x 57" long, with “ribs” every 1/8" for your pleasure. Or for a secure hold. Probably for a secure hold. The non-metallic pull-through buckle makes for quick clearance at security checkpoints. It’s ISO certified, designed to carry gear, and has a built-in belt loop for added security. Cut it to suit your figure. Just make sure to melt or epoxy the new end to keep it from unravelling.

You will survive, too, just like Gloria Gaynor, and in the woods, even. But only if you have this U.S. Army manual, cleverly titled: SURVIVAL, Department of the Army Field Manual FM21-76. It's 287 heavily illustrated pages of techniques for staying alive (add your own BeeGee jokes here) including orientation, food & cooking, fire- and shelter-making, rafts, animal, insect and plant recognition, and much more. This is the 1970 edition, but staying alive in the woods hasn't changed a whole lot since then. In soft-cover.

Survival bracelets, actually. These are braided paracord, and quite attractive, but unbraid them and you’ve got (7) feet of military-grade (per the mfr) paracord with a safe working load of 100 lbs and a max working load of 550 lbs. Bracelet closes with black snap closures. Mildew and abrasion-resistant. In black, royal blue, red, purple-ish gray with black edges, and camo. We’ll pick, but order two or more and we’ll try to send different colors.

In the native tongue, that’s “Do you sew?” and anyone with this nifty German Army field sewing repair kit would have rightly answered “ja.” The olive drab fold-over pouch came straight from some German military warehouse to ours, and contains metal scissors, several kinds/colors of thread, assorted buttons, (5) sewing needles of various sizes, a metal thimble and safety pins. Pouch measures 4-1/2" x 3" x 2-3/4" when closed and 6” when flapped open and flat. Canvas tie keeps it snugly closed.

Call it a MASK unit. This faux-military “Minor Surgery” kit from Voodoo Tactical® comes in a 7" x 5" x 2-1/2" canvas pouch containing: 6” wound probe; 3-1/2” stitch scissors; 3-1/2” tweezers; 5-1/2” bandage scissors; 5” straight and curved forceps; a #3 scalpel handle with disposable blade; pupil flashlight with mm gauge; alcohol pads; antiseptic towelettes; some 5/0 monofilament; and a gram of antibiotic ointment. Pouch will be OD, Black or Coyote; we'll spin the wheel of fate to decide. And remember: reenacting actual combat surgery without a license is still not allowed.

Why did the Italian soldier bring a standard-issue sewing kit into battle? In case he needed to sew something! This military sewing kit is like new, in a neat khaki pouch, 6” x 5” when open and 2” x 5” rolled up. Inside are spools of white and dark green thread, coat buttons (classic plastic and ornate gold/metal), scissors, an assortment of sewing needles, and safety pins. You know the Italians, they’re all about style. This is a very nice collectible piece.

We’re sure the Italian Air Force drinks vino only when they’re grounded, but those folks know how to live la vida dolce, capish? This glass carafe, in new condition, is etched with the Italian Air Force eagle symbol. Stands 9-1/2” tall with a 4-1/2” wide belly and a slender 3” tall neck. Holds a full liter. Made in France, where they know a thing or two about wine, too. Serve any kind of drink in it, though. It’s all about the sweet logo—and the story. Oh, should we serve it in my Italian Air Force carafe?

Joseph Cornell would have loved this one. Remember him? The assemblage artist who put boxes on the art map? Look him up. And then imagine the possibilities for this his handsomely rugged, hinged-top 7” x 7-3/4” x 1 3/4” wooden box from the U.S. Army. Painted olive drab on the outside with brass hardware, it used to be a GI artillery gunner’s quadrant instrument box. Has interior wooden bracing, perfect for a Cornell-style piece, and the words “CHEST, PACKING FOR GUNNER’S QUADRANT” stenciled in white on the hinged lid. If you’re not into making art, use it for anything you’d use a wooden box for (duh), or just as a cool, authentic display item. Made in the USA, natural

Peace, brothers and sisters. If you’re on the peace train, you might like this sky blue 100% woolen beret from the United Nations, just like the UN peacekeepers wear. Inside, the label says “United Nations Property,” which will cease to be true when it’s your property. Current available sizes: 7, 7-1/8, 7-1/4 and 7-7/8. Drop us a note with your approx size and we’ll see what we can do. No promises, though--you get what you get without throwing a fit.

Genuine used Serbian surplus steel POT style helmet. Olive drab in color. May or may not have the an insignia on the front also may or may not come with straps. Grade II, so it will have some wear and tear. You now know as much as we do, so, go and put on your helmet.

From the U.S. Navy stock of unused Gob hats (no, we don’t know where that name comes from) or more familiarly “dixie cups,” in white cotton twill. We’ll pick from sizes 7.5, 7.75 and 8 if you’re going for the Cracker Jack look, but if you turn the sides down like Gilligan, one size fits every noggin. Upright, it should be squared up for authenticity. Group discount available for drama teachers staging South Pacific.

Blank dog tags, ready to punch. Each set measures 2" x 1-1/8" x 1/32" thick in matte stainless steel with (2) ball chains, one 24" long and one 4-1/2" long. You get (2) sets of (2) tags, with (4) chains altogether. Made in the USA. 

Jarvis Says: Need to engrave them? Click here for an inexpensive engraver! Click Here!

This Swiss army rucksack is one sharp item, but it’s nothing like a knife, being that, again, it’s a rucksack. It’s the Swiss M90 bag, olive drab, made partly of water-resistant rubber, with suspenders and plenty of other loops, straps, buckles and harnesses. Measures approx 13-1/2” x 7-1/2” x 4-1/2” with a rigid bar across the back for stability, and a lower-back pad for comfort. Has (2) extendable side pockets approx 9” x 4” x 4” each, and the interior pocket has an upward-extending cinch sack. It’s a hell of a bag.

They don’t call us “Surplus” for nothing. We’ve got scads of assorted U.S. Army insignia patches for Class A/OCP uniforms. In this assortment you’ll get (1) 35th Engineer Brigade [Class A], (1) Installation Management [Class A], (1) 310th Sustainment Command [OCP], (2) 45th Field Artillery Brigade [OCP], (3) 4th Infantry Division [OCP], (3) FORSCOM [OCP], (3) Rhode Island National Guard [Class A], (4) 96th Sustainment Brigade [Class A], and (7) 32nd Air and Missile Defense Command [Class A] patches. Class A is the dress uniform for the Army, and OCP is the everyday multi-camouflage uniform worn for duty. Patches range from 2" dia to 3-1/4"dia in various shapes and all kinds of vivid colors.

Add the glitter of bright, brass-tone aluminum buttons, 9/16" dia, to tops, jeans, purses, backpacks. The buttons are new and convex, with a stationary 1/8" sewing loop on the back, and an embossed star and small hammer and sickle design on the front. All right, so they were from the Soviet military (circa late 1970s). The design is very discreet. And we weren't the ones who had to tear down a wall, so you can consider these the spoils of a cold war. (Lots and lots of spoils. Left-leaning artists who want to cover a giant canvas or Soviet statue with them should call for a volume discount.)

No, don’t really go climb a glacier—at least not with these crampons from the French Alpine Legion. They worked great back in the day, when French soldiers used them to scale steep mountains during snow and ice storms in the French Alps. But anymore they’re just for show, or maybe some light-duty walking. You’ll get a pair of them, adjustable from size 7 to 12, made of molded metal—in France, of course.