Cheers Paul, thanks for clearing that upHoffman Grink wrote:GOD! ENOUGH!
Consider this (and I wrote the same litany some years ago and it was the same then as it is now)
The war lasted from 1939 - 1945 - Lets call it six years. So a piece of new kit could only have six years wear at the most.
Most kit was issued to a soldier - He did not own it - it belonged to the state and he was required to surrender it when demanded.
Kit had a finite life and below a certain standard it was trashed or recycled.
All this bollocks you are talking is irrelevant - The OP asked about AGED kit - The way to age kit is as follows.
You re-enact at weekends normally. SO you brand new kit is just that on your first event. You are a beginner and you should look like you have just come from a replacement battalion. If you're a seasoned re-enactor then you have had a piece of kit re-issued.
Lets say you do 10 events a year - that's 20 days wear. Throw in the odd tactical and a three day weekend - let's say you wear your kit 30 days a year - that's a month.
So your kit - if you don't wash it and hang it up and treat it like precious metal should accumulate a months wear. If you want to help it - shave your wool tunic on the wear points. And fronts of trousers.
Stop stressing over even more Hollywoodisms....... If your breadbag fucks up =- BUY A NEW ONE - because you would have been issued one. The Germans were never a rag tag army - They became shoddy but they had militaristic pride and discipline - Sewn up tunics and repaired leatherwork would have been TEMPORARY. Do NOT devalue the impression you are doing by engaging in this shit.
Keep you kit in the best order you can - If it breaks - by all means repair it that day in the field - but when you get home get another one ordered..... As if you had handed in the old one and been issued a new one.
Stop pissing about people - get real - get back to the proper values and represent real soldiers not CoD sprites.
Regards Peiper