Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com

cwbrel · Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 4:59 am Post subject: Missing cleaning rods

Over the years, I have run across a couple of theories (multiple times) as to why the dust covers are missing. I haven't run across any thoughts as to why so many cleaning rods are missing.

Also, does anyone know if the repro rods (and other parts) are somehow marked as repros? If they're not, any thoughts as to how best to mark them if they are used? I'm not opposed to using good repro parts in a restoration if they can be pretty readily identified.
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Curtis

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DonS · Joined: Sep 04 2003 Posts: 1 Location: Iowa

Hi,
I make cleaning rods and other parts for Japanese weapons and other things. All my parts are marked with a prick punch mark and a small "R" to indicate they are reporoductions. If you are interested in my parts list please email me at dfsjpn@aol.com and I will email one to you. Thanks, Don

gwsiii · Joined: Aug 21 2003 Posts: 2240 Location: Hayden, AL

I've always assumed rods, pods, a/a wings, and dust covers were collected as scrap metal drives to be melted down and reused as needed.
As to reproduction parts/items, as long as not represented as original, I don't mind them at all, where else can you find Type 13, 18, or Siamese Type 66 cleaning rods? I happened to luck in to mine out of Canada, others not so lucky! You're average reenactor doesn't really want to go out with a few thousand dollars worth of original equipment for a weekend in the dirt. Don's makes several impossible to find parts and they are really nice. My Dad got me a spring for a Type 97 Scope block, with a little lubrication, it slid right in. We always need some little something, so I keep Don's parts list updated here.
Trey
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cwbrel · Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2010 2:13 pm Post subject: Missing cleaning rods

It's as good as any other theory I've heard Wink

. Ideally, it could actually be verified, as with the dust covers, IF the right document were to show up. I wonder if early battlefield pickups are/were more likely to have their cleaning rods then later ones or occupation bring-backs.

Thanks for the link to Don's list. I'm glad that he's marking his parts. I figure that a good reproduction could certainly work for many of these type things. Again, like you said, as long as it's not passed off as original. If someone objects at sell time, then just sell it without the part.

Don, you can expect to get an email from me in a few weeks - once the weather breaks, and I get a chance to decide what I want to work on first.

Curtis
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Curtis

It's been referred to as an addiction. I can live with that.

arisakadogs · Joined: Oct 05 2003 Posts: 191

I have a 20th series Kokura T-99 that was picked up in Japan at Tachikawa Air Base. It has it's "bring back" paper and I talked to the vet on the phone about it. When he picked it up it was stripped of all it's goodies - the rod, pod, AA wings and dust cover. Kinda supports the scrap drive theory to me, at least that it went on in the home islands.
I had the bringback paper professionally framed and added the sling that's in this photo. I've since removed the sling so it would be as picked up.

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gwsiii · Joined: Aug 21 2003 Posts: 2240 Location: Hayden, AL

Looks great! There are too many, stone cold, still in the grease mint condition guns with absolutely no goodies and just a grind mark across the receiver...
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arisakadogs · Joined: Oct 05 2003 Posts: 191

Thanks Trey, this one just has a couple of wacks on the mum

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gwsiii · Joined: Aug 21 2003 Posts: 2240 Location: Hayden, AL

sorry, didn't finish my train of thought...
Looks great! There are too many, stone cold, still in the grease mint condition guns with absolutely no goodies and just a grind mark across the receiver indicating that the parts were removed without the rifle being issued/used...Which to me leans towards and official removal...Ever tried to get the wings off? And springs?
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arisakadogs · Joined: Oct 05 2003 Posts: 191

Trey, I think this rifle may well have been issued but never left Japan. There is some slight bruising to the wood where the sling button would have been. It still has one of the AA springs and the other is missing.
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cwbrel · Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 9:57 am Post subject:

So am I right (or at least reasonable) in thinking that these may have been removed during metal drives in mid-late 1944? Seems like this is when cleaning rods stopped being supplied (even the short ones).

By the way, would the short ones really have been of much use other than as stacking rods?

I'm trying to understand the logic of the changes. I understand that the actions against Russia in sands seem to have had a deep impact on the thinking with regard to dust covers - it was very late before grooves were removed (makes sense that these could also be remade and reissued after the war if the grooves were present) but why would provision for a full size cleaning rod be dropped so much earlier?
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arisakadogs · Joined: Oct 05 2003 Posts: 191

The short rods could be used with a string and a piece of cloth as a 'drop & pull through' cleaning tool much like the ones for the M-1 Garand
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gwsiii · Joined: Aug 21 2003 Posts: 2240 Location: Hayden, AL

Rob has it covered. A lot of this is just theory and supposition. There were squad cleaning kits, and so the necessity for a long rod for each rifle was probably deemed minimal. Trey
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