the can opener works perfectly. you ram the pointy end into the can near the rim and then you make sure you put the L shaped part on the rim of the can and then you pivot and use the L shaped part as the pivot point. the rim is stable enough to do so. so every time you lift/pivot -up you can cut the can open some more. really easy and needs almost no force.
A scene from "Top secret" a 1984 spy movie spoof with Val Kilmer (movie like Airplane and the naked gun). There's a scene in a bar where the spy asks the guy at the table if he "knows a little German". The guy says "yes, he's right over there" and points to a very small German man. Just a stupid goof line from a goofier movie I think of every time I hear about a German army tool.
I know that movie. One of my favorite! However, I just know the german version and that joke was missing in that version. I am actually now going to watch that movie in english...
You are correct that OFW is a rank in the Bundeswehr. Oberfeldwebel is the equivalent to Staff Sargent in the US. However, in this case its the manufacturer. OFW is "Otto Förster [Besteckfabrik], Witzhelden" and NAHT is "A.W. NAHT Hamburg". Not sure about FI, though. It might be possible FI 2010 is the name of the set.
These cutlery sets are very similar across all NATO members, although many of the armies does no longer issue any cutlery at all. Most of them now include disposable cutlery in each of their MREs. I doubt the marking on each piece of this cutlery set are for ranks. I think these marks are related to manufacturing plant and year of production. And yes, the cutlery holder have can opener that can be used as a "sharp" knife. I doubt that +James Madden is totally wrong; whenever I don't have a corkscrew, I use a straight blade to open any wine bottle. Get your blade through, let it sit for a few minutes so the cork tightens back to the blade then begin to extract gently the cork by rotating the bottle or the knife. Anyway, keep up your good work.
The lettering and numbering would be the manufacturing press and the year. They are all made by different manufacturers and different contracts but are interchangeable. Fork needs to be adjusted so it clears the spoon side, there should be a slight gap there. Can opener is meant for bottle tops, and for standard square cans, like those used for corned meat, as those are a standard military issue. Still have my ones, and they are useful, though the SA version did not include a can opener, that was separate and another part of the mess kit.
I bought one of those years ago and really like them. The can opener on the opposite side of the bottle opener is like those from the 20's, it is crude and brutal but it works.
yeah thats why i thought maybe it wasnt a can opener, because it sucked sooo much. lol i have since come accross a new cutlery set that i like a lot better, i'll be making a video about that eventually.
the can opener works perfectly. you ram the pointy end into the can near the rim and then you make sure you put the L shaped part (that also holds the knife) on the rim of the can and then you pivot and use the L shaped part as the pivot point. the rim is stable enough to do so. so every time you lift/pivot -up you can cut the can open some more. really easy and needs almost no force. it's one of the best can openers I have ever used. PS the lower hook thing is just a bottle opener and the letters and numbers are the manufacturer and the date. most all german military stuff is manufactured by a number of companies. so having the name and date can help with quality control.
The markings on the utensils OFW 87 etc are the manufacturers name and the year issued , your right in the fact you have a miss match set as the marks and year are odd ! But that is very common with these surplus sets and there were several contractor's who made them to the German army specifically, generally all good but the OFW ones seem the best ?
Your German military utensil carrier has a bottle and can opener built into it . The Yugoslavian military eating utensil set has a more user friendly can opener that works very well . 1/23
Rinoa Super-Genius you might want to do a TH-cam search to see one. It's sort of like a folding Swiss army knife with a detachable spoon, fork and knife.
I have a set of 4 of these (I bought them when they were really cheap) and absolutely love them. One of them is missing something, but I can't remember what.
Woah you never heard of the 50 cal machine gun ? Are you serious I thought everyone knows of the maw deuce check out most older WW2 movies the big machine gun that takes both hands to handle ,that's her the Browning M2 50 cal machine gun But then again I do have a lot more years on earth than you ,don`t want to sound too much like a fossil There are some vids on TH-cam about the gal check em out
oh like that one on mythbusters, i dont really care about guns too mutch so i dont remember stuff about them. i'd rather remember the specs of things that arent designed to murder people. lol
Hey I kid you not!!! Stevens Creek Surplus is the exact same place where I found my set! It used to be a pretty nice place to go a few years ago but you are correct it has turned to shit. I live close by and I frequent the place once every so often since I work in San Jose. Once in awhile you might be able to find a jewel hidden amongst all the crap but that's few and far between.
You will not believe that but fact is that military cutlery from ex Yugoslav peoples army was one of the best quality .... The production has stoped in present Croatia and factory does not exist any more ....unfortunately
yep i agree, i got my victorinox in the 80s when they didnt make one that didnt have a corkscrew, they sell the same model now with a small philips driver in that position.
the very first Victorinox from 1890 didnt have a cork screw. it seems that cork-screws are only added to ones aimed towards the average consumer, and i think a few armies such as the Bundeswehr have used them. so i call bullshit on your claim that they didnt make them. as far as i can tell the swiss army has never issued knives with a cork screw, thus the original type of non-corkscrew knives were always in production. still a pointless tool imo, i'd much rather have a phillips head screwdriver in place of that layer of tools.
i just use a spork, one piece, easy!, that can opener seems to be left handed, stainless will last forever, im still using cutlery that was given to my parents for their wedding, near 60 years ago, i was till recently using the saucepans too, but they were alumnium and i got paranoid about altzheimers or something i read
If you are going to stay at your house, consider doing eBay, many do it full-time. Also since you have the knack for old time stuff, consider fixing old time stuff for people. Very few people around to fix old stuff. Also since you have a college degree, consider being a substitute teacher, it pays good and you work when you want.
I have the almost the very same kit, except that it has nazi markings on it. a friends grandfather gave it to me for helping clean their garage. It's pretty damn well made, so I I've gotten a lot of use out of it, I just wrapped the handle in tape.
+isstvan82 thats interesting. i kinda feel things from ww2 are almost like "tainted". like i enjoy old tools because of their history, but id enjoy an old wrench less if it was used to bash peoples heads in. i kinda feel anything from the US, UK, and nazi germany during ww2 is a bit tainted more than normal war tools. but dont get me wrong, i still find the stuff interesting but probably wouldnt show off a 1942 german mess kit like i would a 1960s swiss one. but yeah thats a historic cutlery set ya have.
I got given quite a number of things that I saw and went "wow, this is neat... I do not want to own these, but can't bring myself to destroy them," and gave to a friend who actually collects military gear for reenactments. Among them was sever nazi storm trooper helmets, a number of badges/medals, and an SS insignia. I still have a few things like that spread around the house, but mostly because they serve a utilitarian purpose. But yeah, honestly I'd rather have something like the giant coffee mill from the 1870s that I was given by the same guy, at the same time. That is something that I can fiddle around with to my heart's content, research and wonder about its history, and show to people who are not at all interested, and will wonder if I'm insane for being as excited as I am about a rusted 150 pound lump of cast iron.
It wouldn't make sense for applications for war, but I'm sure they're thinking about being on base and the mess hall. I was watching some German military videos and was amazed how often beer was mentioned. More of a cultural thing really. So that would explain the bottle opener shape, the tab on the end is explained because it holds the kit together but the long sharper ridge line? Odd. I wonder if you're supposed to push that through an mre type package and use it like a letter opener. The hunt is on. Actually, I know exactly who to ask. I'll be back, lol
It's definitely a bottle opener, but I'm still waiting for an answer about the end and the sharp edge. The shark mouth at the middle/back is the bottle opener. The end? Not sure yet.
Got it! Back/middle is a bottle opener, the tip/end is a can opener. Booyaaa, what's my prize? Lol. Just kidding, getting the mystery and then solving the mystery is my prize. Awesome set, I may get one for camping! $10-$15 on Amazon.
the can opener works perfectly. you ram the pointy end into the can near the rim and then you make sure you put the L shaped part on the rim of the can and then you pivot and use the L shaped part as the pivot point. the rim is stable enough to do so. so every time you lift/pivot -up you can cut the can open some more. really easy and needs almost no force.
"You know a little German?, Yes, he's right over there". Lol, every time I hear German, I think of that.
+aj2674 i dont get the reference, sorry
A scene from "Top secret" a 1984 spy movie spoof with Val Kilmer (movie like Airplane and the naked gun). There's a scene in a bar where the spy asks the guy at the table if he "knows a little German". The guy says "yes, he's right over there" and points to a very small German man. Just a stupid goof line from a goofier movie I think of every time I hear about a German army tool.
I know that movie. One of my favorite!
However, I just know the german version and that joke was missing in that version.
I am actually now going to watch that movie in english...
Top Secret❣️. 🧐
You are correct that OFW is a rank in the Bundeswehr. Oberfeldwebel is the equivalent to Staff Sargent in the US. However, in this case its the manufacturer. OFW is "Otto Förster [Besteckfabrik], Witzhelden" and NAHT is "A.W. NAHT Hamburg". Not sure about FI, though. It might be possible FI 2010 is the name of the set.
ah thats an interesting coincidence then, thanks for clearing that up.
Thanks for your very interesting and valuable info about OFW and NAHT. I've seen VDNS 60 and NSB 65 marking.
These cutlery sets are very similar across all NATO members, although many of the armies does no longer issue any cutlery at all. Most of them now include disposable cutlery in each of their MREs.
I doubt the marking on each piece of this cutlery set are for ranks. I think these marks are related to manufacturing plant and year of production.
And yes, the cutlery holder have can opener that can be used as a "sharp" knife. I doubt that +James Madden is totally wrong; whenever I don't have a corkscrew, I use a straight blade to open any wine bottle. Get your blade through, let it sit for a few minutes so the cork tightens back to the blade then begin to extract gently the cork by rotating the bottle or the knife.
Anyway, keep up your good work.
Good point (pun intended) on opening any wine bottle.
Manufacturer followed by year.
OFW - Otto Förster, Witzhelden
FI - I believe this is RO-FI GmbH
The lettering and numbering would be the manufacturing press and the year. They are all made by different manufacturers and different contracts but are interchangeable. Fork needs to be adjusted so it clears the spoon side, there should be a slight gap there.
Can opener is meant for bottle tops, and for standard square cans, like those used for corned meat, as those are a standard military issue.
Still have my ones, and they are useful, though the SA version did not include a can opener, that was separate and another part of the mess kit.
thanks for the info. its odd to have a bottle opener because i havent had to open a bottle in like a decade. i always forget about them.
that's really neat. I need to find one to add to my camping kit.
The end is a typical camping can opener that uses a plunge then up down action. The other is obviously a bottle opener.
how is that different from the Victorinox?
and i had forgotten about bottles, havent had to open a bottle in like a decade.
I bought one of those years ago and really like them. The can opener on the opposite side of the bottle opener is like those from the 20's, it is crude and brutal but it works.
the best set I have bumped into.
Thanks for your review. I'm deciding whether to get some of these; and I think I will! :)
welurkintheforests theforests Dude, or Dudette, just get some! They rule, hard!
I've used one of these for decades, originally in military tactical environment. This equipment qualifies as a weapon.
Yes it is a can opener. A bad one! I was in the Bundewehr 1995. The numbers i don't know. Production date maybe, devently not ranks.
yeah thats why i thought maybe it wasnt a can opener, because it sucked sooo much. lol
i have since come accross a new cutlery set that i like a lot better, i'll be making a video about that eventually.
the can opener works perfectly. you ram the pointy end into the can near the rim and then you make sure you put the L shaped part (that also holds the knife) on the rim of the can and then you pivot and use the L shaped part as the pivot point. the rim is stable enough to do so. so every time you lift/pivot -up you can cut the can open some more. really easy and needs almost no force. it's one of the best can openers I have ever used. PS the lower hook thing is just a bottle opener and the letters and numbers are the manufacturer and the date. most all german military stuff is manufactured by a number of companies. so having the name and date can help with quality control.
OFW = Otto Forster Witzhelden and 82 is the year.
All others are not original.
Maybe WMF, FSW... blah blah..
The markings on the utensils OFW 87 etc are the manufacturers name and the year issued , your right in the fact you have a miss match set as the marks and year are odd ! But that is very common with these surplus sets and there were several contractor's who made them to the German army specifically, generally all good but the OFW ones seem the best ?
these set was used by the dutch forces and the are availeble for 6 to 8 euro.
Your German military utensil carrier has a bottle and can opener built into it . The Yugoslavian military eating utensil set has a more user friendly can opener that works very well . 1/23
I got a hobo knife kit for Christmas. I use it everyday for lunch. I have to admit that I like your kit better.
whats that?
Rinoa Super-Genius you might want to do a TH-cam search to see one. It's sort of like a folding Swiss army knife with a detachable spoon, fork and knife.
That can/bottle opener analysis was hurting my brain...
Otto Forster Witzhelden. 87 is the year made.
I have a set of 4 of these (I bought them when they were really cheap) and absolutely love them. One of them is missing something, but I can't remember what.
those markings are just military part numbers like the US m7 is bayonet, m8is the scabbard m2 of course or the famous 50 cal machine gun.
turns out its manufacturer
and the "50 cal machine gun" must not be too famous if i've never heard of it. lol
Woah you never heard of the 50 cal machine gun ? Are you serious
I thought everyone knows of the maw deuce
check out most older WW2 movies the big machine gun that takes both hands to handle ,that's her the Browning M2 50 cal machine gun
But then again I do have a lot more years on earth than you ,don`t want to sound too much like a fossil
There are some vids on TH-cam about the gal check em out
oh like that one on mythbusters, i dont really care about guns too mutch so i dont remember stuff about them. i'd rather remember the specs of things that arent designed to murder people. lol
Hey I kid you not!!! Stevens Creek Surplus is the exact same place where I found my set! It used to be a pretty nice place to go a few years ago but you are correct it has turned to shit. I live close by and I frequent the place once every so often since I work in San Jose. Once in awhile you might be able to find a jewel hidden amongst all the crap but that's few and far between.
You will not believe that but fact is that military cutlery from ex Yugoslav peoples army was one of the best quality .... The production has stoped in present Croatia and factory does not exist any more ....unfortunately
The top part is a can opener the second one is a bottle opener.
oh i always forget about bottle openers. thats pretty cool.
i like the way swiss army knife always seem to include a corkscrew, because im sure in the military theres wine bottles everywhere!
my Victorinox doesnt have a cork screw, only the most useless pocket knives have a cork screw.
yep i agree, i got my victorinox in the 80s when they didnt make one that didnt have a corkscrew, they sell the same model now with a small philips driver in that position.
the very first Victorinox from 1890 didnt have a cork screw. it seems that cork-screws are only added to ones aimed towards the average consumer, and i think a few armies such as the Bundeswehr have used them.
so i call bullshit on your claim that they didnt make them. as far as i can tell the swiss army has never issued knives with a cork screw, thus the original type of non-corkscrew knives were always in production.
still a pointless tool imo, i'd much rather have a phillips head screwdriver in place of that layer of tools.
I thing is For tin and bottle opener
i just use a spork, one piece, easy!, that can opener seems to be left handed, stainless will last forever, im still using cutlery that was given to my parents for their wedding, near 60 years ago, i was till recently using the saucepans too, but they were alumnium and i got paranoid about altzheimers or something i read
i havent come across a stainless steel spork before.
Peter Carlson
yeah, but also think you lose something with a spork if you want to eat more liquid foods such as soup.
Peter Carlson i agree, but i think the reduced cutlery wouldnt be worth the reduced ability. but it really depends on what your eating i guess.
+peter that design doesn't have a knife edge though!
jusb1066
doesnt need one, everybody should be carrying a pocket knife with them at all times anyway.
I have this set but mine is stamped ... Mvd what's that mean
"Holding it better together ability"="stability"
Retention ability
Those are coooool
If you are going to stay at your house, consider doing eBay, many do it full-time. Also since you have the knack for old time stuff, consider fixing old time stuff for people. Very few people around to fix old stuff. Also since you have a college degree, consider being a substitute teacher, it pays good and you work when you want.
i'm too busy to do ebay. and i dont have a college degree, i'm to busy to go to college and its a waste of money/time.
Many schools don't care about the degree if you're an on call substitute. I wouldn't do High school though. They can be a huge pain in the ass.
aj2674
i never went to highschool so i wouldnt have any experience with that, and plus i hate teaching more than one person.
Interesting. Were you home schooled?
aj2674
yes
My set says TSR 99 BUND
OFW most likely means Oberfeldwebel
I have the almost the very same kit, except that it has nazi markings on it. a friends grandfather gave it to me for helping clean their garage. It's pretty damn well made, so I I've gotten a lot of use out of it, I just wrapped the handle in tape.
+isstvan82 thats interesting. i kinda feel things from ww2 are almost like "tainted". like i enjoy old tools because of their history, but id enjoy an old wrench less if it was used to bash peoples heads in. i kinda feel anything from the US, UK, and nazi germany during ww2 is a bit tainted more than normal war tools.
but dont get me wrong, i still find the stuff interesting but probably wouldnt show off a 1942 german mess kit like i would a 1960s swiss one.
but yeah thats a historic cutlery set ya have.
I got given quite a number of things that I saw and went "wow, this is neat... I do not want to own these, but can't bring myself to destroy them," and gave to a friend who actually collects military gear for reenactments. Among them was sever nazi storm trooper helmets, a number of badges/medals, and an SS insignia. I still have a few things like that spread around the house, but mostly because they serve a utilitarian purpose.
But yeah, honestly I'd rather have something like the giant coffee mill from the 1870s that I was given by the same guy, at the same time. That is something that I can fiddle around with to my heart's content, research and wonder about its history, and show to people who are not at all interested, and will wonder if I'm insane for being as excited as I am about a rusted 150 pound lump of cast iron.
You wrapped it in tape due the markings?
:D
Would be funny to use a tool everyday with nazi markings on it.
I still think it is funny.
Bottle opener? Would seem odd for the military but looks right none the less. Beer is religion there
i guess i always forget beer comes in bottles.
It wouldn't make sense for applications for war, but I'm sure they're thinking about being on base and the mess hall. I was watching some German military videos and was amazed how often beer was mentioned. More of a cultural thing really. So that would explain the bottle opener shape, the tab on the end is explained because it holds the kit together but the long sharper ridge line? Odd. I wonder if you're supposed to push that through an mre type package and use it like a letter opener. The hunt is on. Actually, I know exactly who to ask. I'll be back, lol
It's definitely a bottle opener, but I'm still waiting for an answer about the end and the sharp edge. The shark mouth at the middle/back is the bottle opener. The end? Not sure yet.
Got it! Back/middle is a bottle opener, the tip/end is a can opener. Booyaaa, what's my prize? Lol. Just kidding, getting the mystery and then solving the mystery is my prize. Awesome set, I may get one for camping! $10-$15 on Amazon.
Other option is chopsticks :P
that doesnt work too well with some foods, but i agree chopsticks are nice.
The Top-Is-The Can-Opener&The Bottom-Is The Bottle-Opener!-I Have-The Same-Set!-Raymond "Mike" Hong!&Good Luck!-With IT!-Mike!&(It's-TOP QUALITY!&It'll-Last-A LIFETIME!-Mike!)😎