I went to the gun show in Costa Mesa this morning. I knew that Craig Reich, Joe’s long-time friend and editor of the Krag book, usually has a table at the show with some interesting Krag accessories. About a year ago, I got my copy of the book directly from Craig.

I stopped by his table today and picked up a brass muzzle cover, the Oiler and the 3-piece Cleaning rod from him. He said that the Oiler and cleaning rod were from Joe’s collection. Craig opined that they might even have been some of the pieces photographed for the book.

Also, the two big ammo dealers had plenty of Krag ammo on hand. One had all 3 brands ($27.95/box for Hornady and Winchester, $35.95/box for Remington). The other had the Remington for $29.95/box or $290 for a case.

I also found one components dealer who had 4 boxes of Remington Core Lokt 180 gr. bullets.

---

What are these items going for at gun shows these days when you can find them?

Nice additions to any Krag collection.

All in for $110.

There were also 2 very nice Krags, an NRA Sporter (dealer’s stuff is always expensive; I didn’t even bother to ask the price) and an 1896 rifle with great looking metal and a refinished stock which was mislabeled as a “1906” manufacture. The latter gun was priced at $1700.

This is the biggest show in Southern California. Not much of a shoe anymore, and not many bargains.

They were nice pieces to add, regardless of provenance. They were on my list of things to get at this show along with various components. The best bargain, relatively speaking was probably the Remington ammo: lower price than elsewhere and brass to be reloaded many times.

I also saw a couple of bayonets that the guy with the 1896 rifle had. They were marked $240 & $225. Bayonets are a nice thing to have, but I know little about Krag bayonets, so I decided to pass.

People complain about what the gun shows have become now due to all our gun laws, but it’s still a fun way to spend a few hours, and there are a couple of good gun stores nearby to make it worth the trip.

Looks like you done well. Have you checked out the type of oiler as there were at least 2? Poyer has it in his book. I believe the differences are the mouth openings as the later one was smaller so the sealing gasket could be bigger and better.

Nice oiler, cleaning rods and brass muzzle cover Playapat!

I've noticed that many items, from Joe Poyer's personal collection, have been showing up at auction sites lately.

Funny, I reference Joe Poyer's book "The American Krag Rifle and Carbine" all the time...but didn't really know much about the author.

From quotes about Poyer:

Joseph John Poyer (born 1939) was an international bestselling thriller novelist in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s

Poyer has shifted his attention to military-related, non-fiction books under his own publishing company, North Cape Publications.

  (You need to Login

Knute1, No, I haven't looked into the details of the oiler. I'll do that now....another rabbit hole to fall down.

Local Boy, thanks for mentioning that. I didn't know about his extensive history as an author in other genres. I never met him, only Craig Reisch. They just had an auction of Joe's personal collection 2 weeks ago. I saw a few of the pieces in advance a while back. The whole thing must have been spectacular.

Nice accessories and a fair price.

FWIW - I recall reading in one of the U.S. Ordnance Department Annual Reports, that when the (butt-stock) oiler was adopted, it was used to carry cosmoline.

Well, Butlersranger, that explains something....I have almost as much trouble opening the buttstock trap (without scratching anything) as I do cleaning cosmoline  :D

butlersrangers wrote on Mar 25^th, 2019 at 3:35am:

Nice accessories and a fair price. FWIW - I recall reading in one of the U.S. Ordnance Department Annual Reports, that when the (butt-stock) oiler was adopted, it was used to carry cosmoline.

Saw that too, they called it "cosmoline oil" so I am assuming it was thinned some how

Good point Ned.

I am sure the intended lubricant/ preservative for the 'Oiler' was thicker than our current weapon's oils or old-time Sperm Whale Oil.

BTW - A copper penny is a good tool to open the Krag 'butt trap'. (An 'Indian Head' penny would get you style points)!

My most recent purchase of an oiler was half full of what appears to be cosmoline.

I did a microscopic analysis of the oiler's contents and didn't see any sperm so... I'm guessing it's not sperm whale oil. ;D

Fact: Tractors use to have Sperm Whale Oil as transmission fluid.

I suppose it insured the fertility of the soil!  :o

Back in the late 1960's 'SWO' was still available and legal. It had long been used as a fine oil for firearms. Civil War Skirmishers and 'Buckskinners' swore by it for use on percussion-locks and flint-locks.

It has a very pungent 'fishy' odor you cannot forget. I have a Browning Machine Gun oil can full of it for when I need a fine oil.

Of course it use to be used for illumination in whale oil lamps - pungent!

Enough sperm whale oil to fill tractor transmissions!!!

Holy Smoly!... Even with their big heads that's still a lot of oil!

No wonder the poor things were all most hunted to extinction.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about 'Sperm Whale" oil:

Sperm oil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sperm oil is a waxy liquid obtained from sperm whales. It is a clear, yellowish liquid with a very faint odor. Sperm oil has a different composition from common whale oil, obtained from rendered blubber. Although it is traditionally called an "oil", it is technically a liquid wax. It is composed of wax esters with a small proportion of triglycerides, an ester of an unsaturated fatty acid and a branched-chain fatty alcohol. It is a natural antioxidant and heat-transfer agent. Through catalytic reaction, it carries phosphorus and sulfur derivatives providing anti-wear and friction modification. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, sperm oil was prized as an illuminant for its bright, odorless flame and as a lubricant for its low viscosity and stability. It was supplanted in the late 19th century by less expensive alternatives such as kerosene and petroleum-based lubricants.

Cosmoline has quite a history. It started as a pharmaceutical, transitioned  to 'bag balm', and then on to weapon's maintenance. It evolved from thinner fluid forms to thicker varieties.

In time the fluid evaporates leaving the heavy sticky wax we all enjoy.

There is a Cosmoline-Shafco web site.

Sperm whale oil was used to lubricate clocks and watches in the past (now lubricated with synthetic oil).

"Pocket Oiler", used to lubricate Sergeants, when the Krag butt-stock oiler was just not enough.  ::)

---

Here is a tidbit from an Ordnance Report.

  (You need to Login

Knute, thanks for posting the Annual Report reference on the Krag oiler, designed for carriage in the cartridge-belt or 'butt-trap'.

Of course the real 'pocket oiler', intended to be carried by Sergeants, is different from my earlier post.

It is 'pocket watch' size, displayed in the KCA Website photos, really carried cosmoline oil, and is very rare.

---

Sperm oil has not been imported or sold since the early 1970s.  Automobile automatic transmissions relied on it too, which explains the really bad automatic transmissions in the early - mid 1970s.

Jojoba oil is the next best thing to Sperm Oil.  Both of them are technically liquid waxes.