MK-VII: gettin' rid of the black stripe

QuantumGirl · Post by **QuantumGirl** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 1:08 pm

I just got my first Mk-VII bag and it has this black stripe on it. Has anybody of you been able to get it off? I was thinking about using sandpaper but I don't want holes in my bag

Any ideas?

Also, did you wash your bag when you first got them? Mine stinks pretty bad and it's so dirty that it's kinda stiff. I don't have Oxyclean or something similar though.

Do I need to wash it by hand?

Post by **Ken** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 1:46 pm

I am afraid I didnt have a black stripe on my bag so cant advise you there. However as for washing I just put it on a law setting in the washing machine with a little fabric conditioner and then in the tumble dryer. It came out smelling nice and as soft anything.

However be warned I have heard stories of people trying this and having their bag disintegrate. Be warned.

Ken

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 3:50 pm

I have a bag from Soldier of Fortune and it has the black stripe. I can tell you, with a high degree of confidence, that there is no getting that black stripe off of that bag. I don't think anything short of bleaching it out would work and that would probably disintergrate the bag first. I have soaked mine in Rit dye, dark green, and it is less noticeable. I have learned to embrace and love the black stripe.

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 4:36 pm

I tried the whole deal with my striped bag too and nothing worked. Even some bleech, only making it a bit more gray in tone. That ink used seem to lie deep down and within the fibres so I think using sandpaper will only hurt your bag. I've learned to like the stripe now though and see it as a fine detail in a collectors bag. Now that you've got a bag, why not be on a waiting list with SoF to see if they can't find an unstriped one for you?

Kind regards,
Swindiana

Indiana · Post by **Indiana** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 4:50 pm

If you decide to wash it, wash it on a low setting then hang it outside or somewhere inside near an air flow to dry. Worked fine on mine...

Indiana · Post by **Indiana** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 6:23 pm

Do you mean goop off? because Ive heard of goop off, but not goof off...

Trevelyan · Post by **Trevelyan** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 7:56 pm

Indiana wrote:Do you mean goop off? because Ive heard of goop off, but not goof off...

I was wondering about that earlier, so I checked it out. Sure enough, it's goof off.

IndianaJames · Post by **IndianaJames** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 12:07 am

OOOoooo goof off!! Ive got some of that in my carhold, Ill WILL have to give that a try this weekend!!

Thnanks gman!

I J

QuantumGirl · Post by **QuantumGirl** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 2:03 am

IndianaJames wrote:OOOoooo goof off!! Ive got some of that in my carhold, Ill WILL have to give that a try this weekend!!

Thnanks gman!

I J

Let us know how it worked and I might get some of that stuff for myself!

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 3:41 pm

So, G-Man,
I am assuming by the photo that you got the stripe off? It appears that there are still some other blemishes which have remained. Did all of that washing fade the color? Would you mind describing the process?

I have one of these and I have dyed mine so dark, you can hardly notice the stripe. But, I still ponder attempting further steps to remove it.
Thanks.

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 11:49 am

I suggest that we all take a step back and cool off for a second. I do not want to see this get out of hand.

INDIANA MIKEY doesn't want to see anyone ruin his/her bag. Removing color pales in comparison as to when I cut a hole down the full length in the back of my new unissued bag getting the center divider out.

But, that's another thread.

Anyway, MY suggestion is get an experimental bag, get a WPG bag. I have found the material to be very similar to the MK VIIs. Then, you can do all the color tests you want.

If you are unable to obtain one, then test on the inside of the bag. Like on the divider. That way, you can see how the color is going to react to stain removers.

If it's something you can live with, the fine. If it's not, then consider other options.

Let's keep it civil.
Pyroxene

IndianaJames · Post by **IndianaJames** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 2:42 pm

Arrgghhh!! Goof off didnt work for me.... Im about to go get a dremel tool with a spinning sander on the head, and grind it off. I curse you black stripe!!

I J

sab04 · Post by **sab04** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 2:52 pm

I ordered two bags from the same ebay seller. one for me and one for g-man (which is the one he FIXED) I saw the way it looked before (in person) and I have to say, it looks much better now. It reeked before and had a big marker stain on it. After g-man FIXED it it looked so much better and looked exactly like indy's bag in the Emporers tomb game. He definetly FIXED it!!!!!! The flash on the camera made it look funny and bleached but out of all here, only me and g-man have seen the bag in person and it looks great!!!!!!
ya know, dealing with how to get rid of the stripe.....no? so why are you still here. next time try to be helpfull.

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:25 pm

The way I see it, there are two main points of view regarding the Mk VII bags...

The antiquarian outlook; the bags are 60 years old, they're part of our history, heritage and whatnot. That's the "This belongs in a museum!" standpoint. The bags should be treasured and not meddled with. Too much, anyway - it's OK to remove original webbing strap and replace with leather ditto, but the buck stops there.

The pragmatic outlook; the bags are purchased, not to add to a WWII collection, but to become Indygear. Bags do not come screen-accurate from vendor. Individual purchasing the bag must make alterations in order to turn bag into Indygear. Individuals have, well, individual perceptions on what to do with bag to capture the essence of Indygear.

Do I endorse either of the above standpoints? Yes, both. I have worked in a museum, taking tender care of centuries-old stuff. I do possess a slight antiquarian POW, and have rather orthodox views on certain preservation issues. On the other hand, I own a Mk VII with a stripe and, occasionally, it bugs me. I've been nourishing thoughts about dipping the wretched piece of fabric into a bucket of bleach. I've thought about dyeing it... sure it's made in 1943, but alas, that's not important in this context. There were hundreds of thousands of those bags made, well enough to flood every museum with gas mask bags. There are post-war bags, lots of them, too... what we do, fellow gearheads, is rejuvenating these bags and actually giving them a renewed value... cherishing them in an Indy fandom context. What we choose to do with our personal belongings is up to each and everyone of us. I have the highest respect for QuantumGirl's and G-man's desire to get rid of that blasted stripe, as I have equal respect for IndianaMikey's view on immersing a Mk VII in various chemicals. (Besides, as for IM's negative attitude, at least I spotted the "wink"

emoticon at the end of his last post... it wasn't mean't to be a bashing, if I understood things correctly.

Just my thoughts. Not my intention to step on anyone's toes.

/SJ

IndianaJames · Post by **IndianaJames** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 5:07 pm

Hey, why are you snapping at me now? I never had a problem with either side of the discussion. Mikey thinks the stripe cant be removed, gman and sab have had luck removing it. Let leave it at that, and the first round is on me!!

-I J

sab04 · Post by **sab04** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 5:20 pm

Actually, g-man's bag has no smell to it at all. And the stripe is gone. Sorry mikey the goof off works!
-scott

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 6:11 pm

Please, Mikey, G-man, take a nice deep breath and step back to look at what you're arguing. ATTENTION : I am NOT going to point fingers in this post! I'm not going to say that one person was at fault for escalating the situation! What I am going to say is that this has gone beyond opinion and experience and has become a series of personal attacks, which is when things get ugly. Chill out. I suggest you each count to twenty (In Greek). When thats over and done I'd like you to realize that there is now evidence for each side of the argument. G-man has tried Goof-off and it has worked for him. IJ tried it and it hasn't. If IJ wants to try it again, maybe with some more advice from G-man, that's his call, along with anyone else who wants to get rid of the black stripe, me included. Some people can live with it, others would try anything not to have to... simple difference of opinion.

Mikey, if your intention was to warn people not to attempt removing the stripe for fear their bag would be ruined, consider your mission completed. The message is out there: In your opinion, the bag should not be tampered with because it might get ruined. For those who would like to take the chance and treat their bags anyway, why don't you let them. They're not using your bag, it's their choice.
Finally, I'd like to echo IndianaJames here and say that if we ever meet in person, the first round is on me. Cheers.

Starman Jones · Post by **Starman Jones** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 6:31 pm

My MK VII smelled terrible, was badly wrinkled, has sonthing that looks like a boot ptint on it, something that resembles grease spots, and the famous black stipe. The stitching on one of the seams didn't look too good, so I decided against using the washing machine. I scrubbed it with a stiff brush and carpet shampoo. That removed 60+ years of grime, but that's about all. I saturated the bag with Febreze, stuffed a couple of hardback books in it, plus come rags in the empty places that were left. When the bag dried, it was free of wrinkles and the smell. The bright plating on the strap rings and cord disk was oxidizes to a medium gray. I buffed them a little bit with #600 emery paper. but decided bright hardware would look out of place on the bag compared to the overall appearance. As for the black stripe, if anyone asks me about it, I tell them soldier that was carrying that bag died in combat and the black stripe was placed on the bag much like firefighters and police officers wear a black armband when one of their comrades fall. No point in letting the truth get in the way of a good story.

The bag is much stiffer than a WPG relica because it's made of heavier material. Personally, I like the way my bag looks. After all, it HAS been throught a war. Save yourself some grief. Embrace the stripe

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 6:36 pm

I asked to keep things civil and my request wasn't heeded. And, no new information was given other than the mark didn't come out. In light of what happened earlier this week, I am locking this down.

Pyro