AHH....the aroma of damp canvass!
Bfl
There used to be a real army surplus store near me with real surplus stuff. It’s gone now but about a mile from that one another store opened up but that’s pretty much replica stuff with clothing made overseas.....
I bought a few different things, one of which was an 'Army blanket' a brown, wool blanket that every GI had as his top cover for his bunk.
Today, 58 years later, that blanket is in my vehicle, in a plastic bag, to be used as an emergency blanket. Granted, it hasn't seen much use but it is still very usable.
...a treasure fine now a days, is the British type pullover wool sweater,a must have if you live in cooler climate.
But just down the road a lil ways t'wards Asheboro is Delk's. A real surplus Valhalla! Everything ya could think of and then some! The usual assortment plus heavy equipment and commercial "surplus" gear. Takes a full day to see it all if you're so inclined. d:^)
My brothers and I used to love Andy and Bax in Portland. I’m sure it’s long gone now, but I still have at least one item from there (a knife).
Good times for sure.
Hodge’s Army / Navy in Marietta, Ga. was my all-time favorite place to go when I was in my teens.
I still regularly use the heavy-duty black canvas duffel bag that I bought for $10 at a surplus store some thirty years ago. And somewhere, I still have the prism that I bought as a boy that was originally part of the eyepiece from a tank periscope. That small piece of glass made the light spectrum tangible for me in a way that drawings in a science text could not.
Hello,
My name is Kenbo,
I’m a Surplus Junkie.
The “Old Navy” store doesn’t have anything good, and is packed with teenage punks.
Loved these stores back then, canteens, backpacks, shovels, cool tools. And back then the prices were very reasonable unlike now. Later in life I got into going to the bulk military auctions and did pretty well reselling for awhile.
Then they started loading and banding up pallets hiding 3/4 of garbage under a 1/4 usable that had to go right in the trash after cutting the bands. They ruined it for most of us by doing this, very few pallets were worth what the bidding was getting up to anymore.
They had rows of 55 gallon drums stuffed with Mausers for $5.
Long before all the synthetic hunting gear everybody wore surplus “wooly” pants with all the pockets, buttons, etc.
I bought a pair I still have in an old-time Army store in Billings, Montana for $10 in the 80s...now a facsimile pair in any sporting goods store will run you over $100.
Man, those synthetics are lightweight though....
I remember the REAL Army-Navy stores.
In 1960 I bought a surplus Geiger counter in one. It took about a month before it stopped working, but I still have it. It needs 2 large electrolytic capacitors and 4 D-cell batteries.
The Army-Navy stores really were an adventure for young boys.
That small “Deployment Bag”,,,
Must Have!
I’ve got the Field Desk.
Pup tents,
Knives and
A canvas Strecher.
Got my eye on a “Deuce and a Half”
To carry it all.
I always wanted to own
A Surplus Store.
My 11 year old son went in a military surplus store for the first time a couple months ago. We were at Texas A&M for a football game, and the store was just across from campus and had tons of Corps surplus. He would have happily skipped the football game and spent 3 hours in there instead had I let him.
I remember barrels of 1906 Springfields for $15 dollars each. The cartridges and bayonets were in separate barrels. ‘Bernie’s Bargains’ it was called. Some of the field jackets had holes in them.