What Price Glory

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:21 am

I just ordered a Indy shirt and a MK VII gas mask bag AND the leather strap for under $110!!!

They even have the original MK VII gas masks!!!

Not to shabby and I guess it pays to search and search and search and Google and Google and Google!!!

https://onlinemilitaria.net/shopdisplay ... Jones+Gear

Neolithic · Post by **Neolithic** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:30 am

Nice one!
Could you post pics of your bag when you get it?

I'd like to see how the WPG bags are. They used to all have the black lines on them. :evil: Looks like they've got some good ones now!

Mark Brody · Post by **Mark Brody** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:38 am

I just got an original WPG bag this weekend and it had one of the black lines on the back. It doesn't really bother me, but what's the significance of the line? I really don't think it's that big a deal since the line is right along the seam anyway, it's not that noticable.

Pics posted in this thread:
viewtopic.php?t=26595

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:40 am

The repro bag looks too new and clean so when I get it we shall do some major weathering and distressing.

I think it will be easy to add the grooves in the leather strap considering I do alot of leather crafting!!!

Pictures will follow as soon as I get said items.....darn I just dropped $300 today on Indy gear and I still am not finished!!!!

Plan on making the belt and holster myself in order to save some moola!!

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:44 am

Mr. Brody!

Is the bag on the left the WPG in your other thread? If yes I am going to rather happy! I pondered over their online image for along time trying to get a better orientation of the bag.

Very happy now!

Mark Brody · Post by **Mark Brody** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:55 am

The one on the left (the lighter one) is from omahas.com - the link to that bag is posted at the top of that thread. The one on the right (the darker, greener one) is the Mark VII from WPG.

I'm very happy with it. It's tough canvas, no holes, doesn't smell bad, etc. The corrosion that they warn about on the website is so minor it's not really worth mentioning.

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:59 am

This is the one I purchased. Not the original issued version.

https://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=1913&bc=no

Neolithic · Post by **Neolithic** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:12 am

Mark Brody wrote:It doesn't really bother me, but what's the significance of the line?

My understanding of this is that it's some sort of compound that would react and change colour when exposed to gas- so it's like a warning sign. I may stand corrected on that though.

Treadwell · Post by **Treadwell** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:44 am

Thanks for the tip. I ordered a shirt. I've been hitting a lot of local stores lately but couldn't find a close enough that was close enough.

However, folks, be warned:

We are behind 4- 5 days from Order Processing.

This was mentioned in my confirmation email and NOT BEFORE. This means I might not receive it prior to MegaCon, which was the entire point of ordering it now. If I knew I wasn't going to get it in time, I'd have saved the money to spend at the con (and a not close enough close enough) and bought it at a later date.

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:35 pm

Yeah I saw that when I got my receipt which is why I bought my $12.00 Cabela as an interim shirt for WizardCon here in LA.

Now I need to strip out some color from that shirt!!!!

Treadwell · Post by **Treadwell** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 12:43 pm

Where are these $12 Cabelas?

stack32 · Post by **stack32** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 3:22 pm

I just received these four original bags from WPG:

Here's a closer view. The textures are slightly different, which you can sort of see here:

No black lines on any of them.

Mark Brody · Post by **Mark Brody** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:08 pm

Anyone know if the film used bags had black lines or not? And stack, did you request bags without lines?

stack32 · Post by **stack32** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:00 pm

I didn't request anything special. I hadn't even heard about black lines until after the bags arrived.

GoldenHistorian · Post by **GoldenHistorian** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:35 pm

what do you mean black lines any pictures i might be able to help.

Mark Brody · Post by **Mark Brody** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 6:22 pm

These are the lines on my bag. It looks more like they drew the pattern on the canvas than any kind of gas detection method (especially since it's on the backside, which would have been against the soldier's chest.

stack32 · Post by **stack32** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:00 pm

Upon closer inspection, one of the bags does have a black line along the seam in the back, like the one you posted.

Mark Brody · Post by **Mark Brody** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:31 pm

It's not something that bothers me. I just know that a lot of people have commented on black lines, and I was wondering if there was anything special about it. Personally, I think the more slight imperfections the bag has, the better. It all just adds character to the gear. Why else would we distress brand new reproduction WPG bags?

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:14 pm

Well you have to remember that these bags were advertised as the real deal from WWII so perhaps they need some repair. The black lines could have possibly been an outline so the the repair person knew exactly where to sew the pieces together?

Just thinking out loud........errr....typing out loud!

raider 57 · Post by **raider 57** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 6:53 pm

I got the repro WPG bag a while back and it's quite nice. Accurate and well made.

Snakewhip_Sable · Post by **Snakewhip_Sable** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:11 pm

raider 57 wrote:I got the repro WPG bag a while back and it's quite nice. Accurate and well made.

What do those repros go for?

I got my first two original (black stripe) MKVII's from WPG ages ago just before they jacked the prices up.

raider 57 · Post by **raider 57** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:44 pm

Snakewhip_Sable wrote:
raider 57 wrote:I got the repro WPG bag a while back and it's quite nice. Accurate and well made.
What do those repros go for?

I got my first two original (black stripe) MKVII's from WPG ages ago just before they jacked the prices up.

WPG Repro bag cost me $36,without the strap. Strap was $12. I was hesitant to go for one of the original bags. I know some of my Dad's WW2 canvas gear got very brittle with age.

Snakewhip_Sable · Post by **Snakewhip_Sable** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:56 pm

My original MKVII's were pretty crusty when I got 'em, but softened up with a nice Oxyclean wash. Through daily wear, they seem to last me about a year... that's why I ordered some repros from Magnoli.

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 1:57 am

Black marks on original web gear from the UK or US is fairly typical. They are makers hash marks similar to a suit makers chalk marks. You can see them on US M1 Garand wb belts. They usually show up at seam areas or where the canvas is folded over into a corner as shown avove in a couple if the pics. Some replicators of such web gear like At The Front try to emulate the same marks to make them more authentic, but tend tor draw the ire of so called experts. So it's not the repair persons marks but the original makers hash marks.

Cheers!

Dan

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:25 am

I just received notification that they shipped! Should be here by Thursday / Friday. I will post pics. I got their shirt too!

Treadwell · Post by **Treadwell** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:32 pm

Treadwell wrote:
We are behind 4- 5 days from Order Processing.
This was mentioned in my confirmation email and NOT BEFORE. This means I might not receive it prior to MegaCon, which was the entire point of ordering it now. If I knew I wasn't going to get it in time, I'd have saved the money to spend at the con (and a not close enough close enough) and bought it at a later date.

Got a shipping notice yesterday, so I just might get them in time after all! I'm glad I didn't bother with dye removal on the close-enough I bought.

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:01 pm

Just got my items yesterday. I assembled the bag and was disappointed with the length of the leather strap. In order to get the buckle square in the middle of my chest the bag sits under my armpit. I may have to contact them and get a longer strap if they have them or make one myself. I have the leather just need to start construction and destruction!

rjallen70 · Post by **rjallen70** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:21 pm

How tall are you wannabee?
Todd's makes a 72" for those over 6 ft.
R

Bemo · Post by **Bemo** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 9:38 pm

IndyWannabe, that's a surplus bag? It looks in really good condition.

Peace.

lingarn · Post by **lingarn** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:45 pm

Bemo wrote:IndyWannabe, that's a surplus bag? It looks in really good condition.

Nah, he said above it is a replica.

Does look good, though.

Treadwell · Post by **Treadwell** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:41 am

IndyWannaBee wrote:Just got my items yesterday. I assembled the bag and was disappointed with the length of the leather strap. In order to get the buckle square in the middle of my chest the bag sits under my armpit.

You might try removing the end of the strap from the center post of the buckle and just attach it directly (adjusted for length) right to the ring on the bag itself, leaving the buckle threaded on the strap but not actually functioning as anything. That's what I did with my strap from a thrift store.

Treadwell · Post by **Treadwell** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 7:43 pm

My WPG shirt arrived a day or two before I left for MegaCon.

It was a little too khaki for my tastes, so, genius that I am, I decided to subject it to dye remover at about 10pm the night before departure.

I don't have a washer so I used the stovetop method.

With one packet of dye remover, the shirt turned a bright yellow.

Realizing, too late, how stupid I was to experiment the night before the con, I stirred and stirred, hoping more would come out. But the color change happened right away and didn't lessen as the minutes went by.

So then I had to wash it by hand, then apply bleach. Didn't help.

Washed the bleach out, then went to Wal-Mart. The closest one doesn't stay open late enough (it was after midnight by now), so after a bit of a drive, I come home with six more packets of dye remover.

I mix two in the hot water and put the shirt in. Some color comes out, but not enough.

I ended up dumping in all six additional packets.

This time, I keep stirring even longer, and it did help. I end up with a shirt of very pale yellow, but light enough not to really be noticed. It doesn't show when photographed, fortunately:

Someday I'll see about dyeing it "stone", but not just now!

I don't have a "before" pic of the shirt, nor one of its yellow stage, but it's a lesson that life teaches me time and again but never sticks: don't fix what ain't broke at the last minute.

The house still reeked of chemicals when I left the next afternoon.

PyramidBlaster · Post by **PyramidBlaster** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:21 pm

I just ordered this deal, too. Now the wait begins. I was lucky they had my size---The smallest they had at the time was 17x34. They were completely out of repro bags--expected more in June '08. Good thing I didn't want one for the premiere.....*Whew!*

Indiana MarkVII · Post by **Indiana MarkVII** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:55 pm

When I got my WPG shirt, I washed it in cold water and hung it to dry on a plastic hanger, hoping that by keeping it out of hot water and the electric clothes druer it would still fit. When I tried it on after it dried, I found that the collar had shrunk about 1/2 inch and the sleeve at least an inch. Apparently, the cold water washing took some sizing out of the cloth and I had to order a larger size to get one that shrank down to fit me.

Did anyone else experience this with their WPG shirt?

Swamp · Post by **Swamp** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:12 pm

Mine shrank up to where I cannot even tuck it in

I plain on either getting the cabelas or just bripping the sleeves off for a coll concert shirt. I really just wanted a hat, the shirt was a bonus that turned out to be a bust

Zach R. · Post by **Zach R.** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:27 pm

I recently bought one of the Original Issues from WPG, should be here in a week or so...this'll be my first Original MKVII, can't wait.

BTW, the ones on Endicott's that are grade two for about 6 pounds, anyone bought one of those?

PyramidBlaster · Post by **PyramidBlaster** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:26 am

I just received my MKVII/ shirt yesterday afternoon. This is my first MKVII---I've been using another British-issue close-enough for years.

I was absolutely taken by the bag. It was like finally meeting a friend face-to-face that you've been corresponding with by mail for 30 years.

Like many on this board, I've been partial to shoulder bags since '81---They're just so handy, I can't quite do without one. I have many, and I'm very critical of their construction and design.

Upon opening this one, made in 1942, I could scarcely believe I was looking at an item that was 66 years old. Save for the lightest dusting of corrosion on the metal hardware, this thing is mint---and just the color I wanted. I'm just in awe of this particular bag.

The pockets are just a wonderful combination---it's like someone back in the 40's designed it just for me. I'm totally in love. I'll be ordering some repros soon so I can carry this bag through my life!!!

For those of you still carrying a close-enough, let me implore you....THERE IS NO CLOSE-ENOUGH, as far as i'm concerned. No substitute. And this from someone who had one that looked pretty darn close for YEARS. Do yourself a favor and get one, whether it's a new repro or the real thing. you won't be sorry.

As for the shirt, I was pleasantly surprised from WPG's offering---The color is just what I wanted, a stone/ivory combination that just feels right to me. The fit right out of the package is really good, and I hope the shrinkage factor won't be too bad. I can deal with some shrinkage, as long as it doesn't get much shorter---I'm fairly tall.

I'll update everyone when I find out.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:14 am

Indiana MarkVII wrote:When I got my WPG shirt, I washed it in cold water and hung it to dry on a plastic hanger, hoping that by keeping it out of hot water and the electric clothes druer it would still fit. When I tried it on after it dried, I found that the collar had shrunk about 1/2 inch and the sleeve at least an inch. Apparently, the cold water washing took some sizing out of the cloth and I had to order a larger size to get one that shrank down to fit me.

Did anyone else experience this with their WPG shirt?

Mine shrank, but afterward it was the right size, before it was somewhat oversized.

swcrazyfan · Post by **swcrazyfan** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:42 pm

I got my WPG reproduction roughly 2 months ago and i love it! Its the perfect color as far as i'm concerned! I never leave home without it. I put it in the cairo bazaar because i thought i would like to have an original one better. But i love it so much i couldn't part with it, so i decided to keep it.

IndyWannaBee · Post by **IndyWannaBee** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:58 pm

I have washed and dried my XL WPG Indy shirt and it hasn't really shrunk at all! It is nice and wrinkly now too.

I need to have it taken in though because the cut is too straight. I need that Italian tapered cut because of my fine physicque!!!

Montana Plains · Post by **Montana Plains** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:11 pm

I bought the WPG shirt/bag combo. I was pleased at first, but after wearing the shirt a few times I'm looking for a new one. I wasn't too impressed with the quality of the shirt. It's a little too blousy for me. I could smuggle about 5 large bags of Doritos into the theater because the thing is so large.

I wasn't too happy when the button popped of my bag after the 3rd time I opened it. Still need to replace it.

BTW, I did the same color removal process, followed by "AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! My shirt looks like a dandelion!" I finally got it close, but bleach turned it pinkish and weakened the threads on the buttons. It looks fairly broken in though.

PyramidBlaster · Post by **PyramidBlaster** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:19 pm

I could smuggle about 5 large bags of Doritos into the theater because the thing is so large.

Yeah, they're definitely cut large, but I'm a 'big boy'...So I appreciate that.

Besides...Have you seen the prices at the cineplex snack bar lately? Yoinks!

So far, I'm happy with the shirt. We'll see how I feel in a month.

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:16 pm

Has anyone gotten the MK VI bag? I've got an unissued MK VII that I think I'm just going to keep unused. I thought I might grab an MK VI to carry. Or maybe the repro. The WPG repro tempts me over the Magnoli as it doesn't have the center divider, thus making it more useful actually to carry things in (eg, books). Think of me more like Indy's research assistant.