[Milsurplus] OT? marking uniforms

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Rob,

I remember the ball-point squeeze tubes Dennis mentions and my opinion of 
them is at least as bad as his.  When I went to boot camp, the Company had a 
stencil cutting machine and a setup like a minature of the paint roller and 
tray commonly used for interior water-based wall and ceiling paint.  I'm 
sure that there are other places, too, but you can buy the white and black 
stencil ink, the roller, and maybe the tray from McMaster.  Before you order the 
supplies, be sure you know someone with an appropriate stencil cutting 
machine.  McMaster sells those too but you'd best be sitting down when you look 
at the price.

There was an industry back then that sold pre-stenciled sew-on name strips 
in various colors but I doubt anyone still does the chambray.  For Vietnam 
era, you might still be able to order green today.  Try the NEX and AAFES web 
sites.

Another possibility than stenciling, if you only have one or two names to 
use, is a rubber stamp.  But you will still need the stencil ink.  Don't use 
office-type stamp pad ink.  It is very slow drying, and on a hard surface, 
can generally always be smeared.

In a message dated 5/29/2009 7:08:56 AM Central Daylight Time, 
robandpj at earthlink.net writes: 
> Can someone assist me in identifying an appropriate substance for 
> stencilling names on a Navy uniform?
> 
> Per 1963 edition of Bluejackets Manual:  "black marking fluid for white 
> clothes and chambray shirts and white fluid for blue clothes and dungaree 
> trousers".
> 
> Most immediate need is for Vietnam-era uniform but also looking for 
> something that will look right on WWII-era uniforms.  
> 
> Vietnam-era Chambray calls for last name only above left pocket, although 
> I have also seen pictures of men with service number below name.  Sort of 
> funny that 1963 Bluejacket manual says, "shall be made with 1/2-inch stencil 
> and may not be larger than 1-inch".  Guess some wiggle room in there 
> though the first part of that statement seems definitive.  Guess that's the 
> military way.  One friend told me that many things that were presented in boot 
> camp as "the way its always done" were never seen again after boot camp.
> 
> WWII calls for the name on the back of the Chambray shirt, maybe with 
> first initial.  
> 

Robert Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480