When 'foraging' at Gun Shows, Shops, Flea Markets, etc., keep an eye open for these items.  The 1897 Krag Screwdriver and the 1901 Carbine Front Sight Cover.  The Screwdriver sells for around $85.  The Carbine Sight Cover seems to go for $85 to $125.

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Original Krag 3 piece cleaning rods sell for $30 to $60.  Original brass muzzle cover/front sight protectors seem to sell for around $65.  The nickel-plated butt-trap oil bottles go for $15 to $25.  (Caution - the 3-piece rods and brass muzzle covers are reproduced).

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Joe DeChristopher sells the rods, a complete original set, for $30.  He has enough to satisfy an order of a pretty large magnitude.  The oilers, and he'll sell by variation, are $15 from him.

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He's good people and very knowledgeable on Krags.

Over the last few years I've taken about 30 of the 1897 screwdrivers and $25 is about what you'll pay if you keep looking.

5MadFarmers:  Thanks for the link to Joe DeChristopher.  I wasn't sure they were still in business.  Do you have a link for W. Stokes Kirk (or a time-machine)?  I like his prices!

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Muzzle/sight covers and swivels

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Nickel-plated oilers

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But back then, a skilled machinist probably made about 50 cents an hour for a 10-hour day.

I heard a story once that Joe is connected, I think by marriage to the Stokes-Kirk family. And as such acquired all remaining inventory. Totally unconfirmed at this point, but good Krag gossip to kick around!!

Joe is a retired cop.  In the 1960s he bought up the existing Kirk inventory.  I'd have to search the wayback machine but he elaborated in some detail a few years ago after I asked him.

Machinists made from $2 to $3 per day.  Machinist helpers made from $1.25 to $1.75 per day.  Hiram Shrunk, foreman of the machinists at the onset of the Krag era, took home $4.5 per day while Drayton, the Master Machinist, drew $6 per day.

For comparison purposes D.C. Leonard (DCL on RIA leather gear of that era) was paid $2.50 per day.

Lesser paid positions were paid piecework.

wrote on Jul 13^th, 2012 at 5:52pm:

Over the last few years I've taken about 30 of the 1897 screwdrivers and $25 is about what you'll pay if you keep looking.

And sometimes less.

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5MadFarmers:  That's a nicely preserved Krag tool at a bargain basement price.  Want to double your money?  In all honesty, they are not at all common and $85.00 is a fair dealer price for a good specimen.  It sure pays to hunt and be patient!

"Dealer price."  I think that's the point.  Dealers tend to hype stuff. "Rare" and "scarce" are completely abused.  1897 screwdriver?  Bid $27 on eBay.  Why $27?  Because my max bid is $26.  It's not as if I don't take them at that or less as you've just seen.  Often the $10 bid takes the item.

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1897.  Not rare.

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First series for '03s.  Not rare.

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Krag manuals.  Not rare.  Scarcer than tools but not rare.  Dealers simply hype the stuff.  Took one of those about a week ago for $15.  That's pretty typical.

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1898 trapdoor manual.  Rare!  Only $155!

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Paid $10 or $15 for most.  Mind you those are strictly the (most common) 1898 printing.  The other four printings are harder to find.  Those are very common.

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Only the third copy I've seen!  A bargain at $195!

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My max bid is $26.  I've taken a fair number at $10.

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The 1917 edition.  The most common.  A steal at $95!  I have over 20 of that edition.  Lost one last week at $17 as I won't go over $16 on that edition.

Dealer prices.  No thanks.  It's all hype.

MadFarmers:  Wow!  That's quite the hoard of Krag and Springfield tools & manuals.  Nice pictures, advice and encouragement.  Thanks for sharing.  Let us know when you are holding a Garage Sale.

When he does hold that sale, I'll drive!!!

Not going to happen, or at least so I was told - he plans to panel one wall of the finished gun room in manuals, checkerboard-style, under some sort of clear plastic protection.

As much as I admire and respect him, and laud his prodigious research efforts, we are diametrically opposed on that issue, which I tend to see as unrestrained greed, though he now seems to be drawing a line (even publicizing same) at what he will pay, which I do not believe was always the case. There are a number of collectors who are doing without, so that he can have (what I feel to be) more than one person needs. He will tell you - and fairly so - that it is his money, and they just need to look harder. Joe does not suffer laziness, or lack of initiative! I cannot argue with that - I just wouldn't follow the same path.

Lots of Dealers and Collectors are practical.  They improve and upgrade their collection and cull their lesser examples by sale or trade.  This is a boon to other collectors.  I begrudge no one making a reasonable profit using their knowledge and power of observation.  It is not that easy, nor is it cheap, to find a lot of Krag accessories.  I hope every Krag enthusiast has lots of days where they find a sought after item at a great price.  Reproductions and reprints are made because there is a demand that can't be met (or within the means of many collectors).  I started this thread (topic) because many newer Krag Collectors may not be aware of some of the items that complement their Krag(s) and add to the Story.

Personally, I always wanted the cartridge belts.  I have now been accumulating stuff for more than 50 years but I don't think I have ever seen an original that was not pretty ratty.  I bought a couple of reproduction Mills belts from S&S.  That itch has been scratched, but I am still pondering buckles.  Any Illinois National Guard buckles around?

Marginally OT, but I too have been considering a new gun room.  When I was a kid, gun rooms had guns on the wall.  Some were worthy of discussion and others were "wall hangers", hence the term.  But now we lock our guns away.  What does one put on the wall of the new gun room?  I was going to go for books, but that would make it the new library.

Yes, the Gun Room was a thing of pride, conversation and wonder in the 1950s and 1960s.  Some notable Restaurants displayed the owner's collection for the delight of the patrons.  Andy Palmer's Military Inn in Dearborn, Michigan, comes to mind.  Andy use to appear regularly on TV ("Sage Brush Shorty Show") in costume appropriate for the Historic Firearm he would show and explain to the kid audience.  I was a kid and loved it!  When I was involved in Civil War and Bicentennial groups, I would routinely be invited to appear in Uniform with Weapons to to explain and teach elementary, junior high, and high school students aspects of our Military History.  The students loved it!  Now the only safe thing to put on your walls is photographs and graphics.  You have to be mighty careful with whom you share your interests and hobbies.  Anything of value or potentially lethal has to be out of sight and locked up. 

Dick Hosmer wrote on Jul 27^th, 2012 at 5:44am:

Not going to happen, or at least so I was told - he plans to panel one wall of the finished gun room in manuals, checkerboard-style, under some sort of clear plastic protection.

Not "gun room."  Yes, those are wall paper panels.  With the other manuals (other years of those sets and other sets) it'll be quite pretty.  It'll also be publicly viewable.

No, I don't sell.  Not a dealer.


Quote:

As much as I admire and respect him, and laud his prodigious research efforts, we are diametrically opposed on that issue, which I tend to see as unrestrained greed, though he now seems to be drawing a line (even publicizing same) at what he will pay, which I do not believe was always the case.

Wow, you seem to know my motivations more than I do!  Which, if you think about it, can't really be the case....

Question for you Dick.  How many trapdoors do you have?  More than 1?  Quite greedy then?  Queue a discussion about how they're all different.  How many printings of the 1882 trapdoor manual?  "Three."  I suspect I'm the first one to know that in quite some time.  How many printings of the Krag?  Yes, I do know.  How do I know?

So it started out as identifying some information specific to the manuals.  Information which you're not aware of.  After I completed that exercise the tile idea hit me so I'll go with it.  Is the musket organ at SA unbridled greed?


Quote:

There are a number of collectors who are doing without, so that he can have (what I feel to be) more than one person needs.

You don't get to determine need.


Quote:

He will tell you - and fairly so - that it is his money, and they just need to look harder. Joe does not suffer laziness, or lack of initiative! I cannot argue with that - I just wouldn't follow the same path.

"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" didn't work well in spite of Karl's assertion.

Second post due to character count limitation.  A little philosophy....

Dick, you have more than 1 trapdoor carbine.  One is enough for anyone so you should give the rest away to the needy.  I didn't say "sell," I said give.  They need them.

We know they don't.  Of the items in my collection, and it is rather extensive, not a single one is necessary.  None of those tools, guns, manuals, etc.  In fact, without the collector market, they're rather worthless.  They're strictly luxuries.  So I cannot be "depriving the needy" as there is no "need" for those items.  Short of selling them to collectors wanting them, and then giving the money I get away to the truly needy, there is no way I'm impacting "need."  People need food, water, heat, etc.  This stuff isn't useful in any real fashion.  It's completely "needless."

So, no, you don't determine need on this stuff as there isn't any.  It's all want and desire.  Given that, I have X amount of money for my luxuries.  I can spend it on cruises, sports cars, a fancy house, or, and this is the case, my collection.  How many of each item I decide to have and what those items are is really my choice.  It's my money and my time.

I am not, and it's patently obvious, harming anyone's need.  If I used that money to drive up the cost of food or housing I would be. 

I'll buy what I want in the quantities I want.  I don't "need" any of it.  My needs are actually quite small overall and my fundage for luxuries is quite good.  Which beats the alternative.

If you're really concerned about "need" go ahead and sell your collection.  All of it.  Then donate the proceeds to a soup kitchen.  They have a need.

Myself I'll spend my money however I wish.  If I'm particularly good at finding the stuff that interests me - great.  Which I am so that's good.

The last bit....

Firstly, the collection started about 10 years ago.  More precisely September of 2003. 

Three sets of books, on my schedule, and then the end game:
1)  The most useful set.  The research material. 
2)  Krags.  Sadly the set I'm least interested in but will churn it out anyway.
3)  The detail set.  All of it.  Ambitious?  Why not.

Skipping the Krag set, the first set is the research source.  That is then leveraged in that last set.  Cover a bewildering array of US militaria.  Uniforms, guns, gear, etc.  This will be serialized for likely the rest of my life.  This is the collection.

While I'm doing that last set I'm going to be retired.  Except I won't be.  I'm going to open a themed restaurant.  With a museum.  In the museum will be the collection.  The hall leading there?  Wallpapered.  DRMs.

I'll likely lose my backside on the restaurant.  Which, frankly, doesn't bother me one iota.  What then?

I die.  The dead are notorious for not caring.  Perhaps my kids cash in.  Perhaps it burns to the ground.  Doesn't matter.  It's not necessary stuff so it's simply amusement. 

The research is extensive and something of a chore but that's ok because my time, like my money, is mine to spend.  If I decide to spend it on drudge research - it's my life. 

I'm comfortable with it all.  And frankly, outside of the wife, that is the decision tree.

Restaurant.  Grand opening in 2018.  Ted will get a place.  Along with his analogs.  The wallpaper will be colorful.

Read, somewhat understood, mostly agreed with.

Sorry for the "gunroom" red herring, I do now recall the restaurant plan.  :-)

As to my trapdoor holdings, I cannot say there are zero exact duplicates, but they are very few, and (with the exception of the early 1873 Carbines) will be the first to go, when I thin down, which will begin soon - in fact, I've already put the first one in the store (with little interest, I might add, but it's the wrong venue to begin with - did it just to test the water and to see how I felt about it).

Dick, 

I may still be interested in an 1873 Carbine and an 1873 Rifle, as we have discussed before.  It will depend on the timing and on the availability of funds and price. 

butlersrangers wrote on Jul 27^th, 2012 at 4:58pm:

Now the only safe thing to put on your walls is photographs and graphics.  You have to be mighty careful with whom you share your interests and hobbies.  Anything of value or potentially lethal has to be out of sight and locked up.

As you know my Father, you probably have seen the Trapdoors hanging on the mantle.  I grew up with those trapdoors hanging on the mantle, and never once questioned their existance.  My brother and I always knew that dad had guns in the basement, and even knew where the key was... but never touched without permission!  How sad that the world has become a place where we DO now have to hide these things, and never speak of them.  Outside of collectors (which I hope to be one day), most people ostracize those who do not lock away firearms for fear that it will be used by a child.  If we educate rather than hide... maybe the world - outside of collectors will know about our military history!

Paul

Here is old discussion of various Krag accessories with DeChristopher link.

DeChristopher has original 1898 sight blade for $35 (item k-74).