11 replies to this topic

[Lil_Guppy]

One of my fathers friends, who is a collector, found a small tin one day. He opened it up and found it contained small packets, each of which contained what looks like a match, and and unknown item. I took some pictures (which are below) in the hopes that someone can help identify the item. The items are old(ish), with a date estimated around the 1960's (estimated from the plastic packages, and the sealing method). Here are the pictures:









The tube like thing poking out from each end of the mystery object looks like copper, and it is hollow, but blocked with something near the halfway mark.

It would be greatly appreciated if anyone has any idea what these might be, or where an answer could be found.

[adamw]

The match is a Bengal match - used for lighting things in extreme weather. It looks like a current type. I guess they havent changed much. The other thing looks totally crazy. Looks to be some sort of miltary / nauticle object as it is sealed and in a tin. Some sort of signalling / survival device??

[Lil_Guppy]

The very first thought that crossed my mind when I saw it (and I don't know why I thought this) was it may be some sort of firelighter, but I really don't have a clue It really is a strange object, especially with the copper tubing sticking out. I can see that if or when I find out what it is, that its going to be painfully obvious, and I'll kick myself for not thinking of it

[Phoenix]

Since you get a match with them, it seems logical that you have light some part of them them, and since it is a bengal match, it this suggests that they (whatevewr they are) are meant to be able to be used in bad weather. Don't know if this helps, but Weingart briefly describes Tire Patches in "Pyrotechnics." He says, "The burning portion of self-vulcanizing tire patches is made by the use of a slow burning composition of saltpeter and carbonaceous material, such as sugar, moistened with gum water and packed in a tin receptacle." I don't know what a self-vulcanizing tire patch looks like, so this is purely speculation.

[nickpatts]

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Edited by nickpatts, 13 September 2015 - 06:27 PM.

[Lil_Guppy]

I dont know if you can see it clearly on the picture, but there is a composition in the middle (on top of the object) that looks the same as the blue composition on the tip of the match, so perhaps this is where the object is lit. As for the tubes, like I said, they confuse things Perhaps it could be some sort of delay/timer for lighting fuse (which is inserted up the tubes)...

[Mortartube]

This looks like an emergency solder joint. A broken cable (telephone etc is bared at the ends and the broken ends are put into the pipe (one each side), the compostion is lit and it melts the solder (which may be under that blue dot in the middle). I must admit that the ones I have seen look a little different to these, but the military and civil communications engineers used to use these devices. Look down the tube to see if there is any evidence of some solder inside. Also GENTLY scrape to ONE SIDE the blue dot to see if it comes up shiny. The brown coating is usually shellac to waterproof the device.

[Mortartube]

I didn't read your description properly at first. I just saw the "blocked around the halfway mark" comment. I am almost certain that is the solder so DON'T go scraping the composition outside.

[Mortartube]

Well Lil Guppy, I thought that your curiosity would have got the better of you by now and you would have tried one of these items out and reported back here.If you do, let us know how you get on.

[Lil_Guppy]

Lol, it has crossed my mind to carefully dismantle one (if possible) to see what it looks like in the inside. The only thing stopping me is the item is not mine, so I still have to get permission from its 'owner' before I start doing that kind of stuff. I'll let you know in a few days. I think it might also be wise for me to take some pictures of it at various stages.

[Mortartube]

If you do get permission, try soldering a piece of scrap cable to see how effective it is, I'd be interested to know.
The item should just be a copper tube with solder in the middle. The blue section is probably the starter fire to get everything going and the rest, a slower burning hot composition to transfer plenty of heat into the copper tube, all coated outside with shellac.

[Arthur Brown]

Is there a museum attached to the Royal Corps of Signals or like, who might help.
Dismantling an old device seems wastefull and dangerous