while cleaning up my gun room i came across this cleaning kit. don't remember when or where i got it. no zip code. just wondering. thanks. Lee

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The use of the word ‘Bakelite’ suggests 1940’s to me.

I think that it might be my age, but it sure is nice! Jeff

the 40's?? Sure is in better shape than I am.

Could be anywhere from the 20's through the 40's-50's, less so into the 50's when plastic development got stronger. Probably a stronger bet after the depression when people started having money to spend, thats when Bakelite started getting popular...well before plastic in the 50's and 60's. I remember as a kid that some of the plastics would actually feel like they were burning you if you held your tongue against them, there was some reaction with your spit. Remember that heavy plastic smell of certain items? That was the chemicals off gassing, it went away after awhile, when the plastic was fully cured.

The ZIP codes started in 1963.

I found the exact Combination Pistol Rod cleaning kit in Stoeger's 1940 Edition of their Shooter's Bible. It was sold under the "Tri-Pak Gun Kit". The add reads: Cleans all calibers from .22 and up, Includes two interchange-able rods-one small and one large with three special jagged type cleaning tips for small, medium and large calibers. No.103 Average weight, per dozen, 3lbs...$1.25

I once had a somewhat similar setup for .22 rifles which came from Montgomery Wards. It also had a cloth bag. I think that one went back to the 1930s - the rod had a wooden handle. I remember everything was brass, not Duralumin (a copper-aluminum alloy). Duralumin came into wide use during WWII (even though it's been around since WWI), so I would say post- WWII.

Have a very similar one in an old Outers cleaning kit from the early 60s.

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Before WWII Brass was less expensive than aluminum. So my guess is 1945-1963.

Ivan

Quite worthy of display.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Wow!

One of those Tri-Pak rods brought big money at auction.
It did come with a few other brushes and a ratty old box, but still...

Click here...

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"I also cook."

I'm wondering if the seller really didn't realize what he had. If so I bet he was surprised as snot at the closing price!!

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I don't know how old my little red cleaning kit is but...........
it has Square corners, not round ones.

I remember my Dad's old 12 Ga. cleaning rod was made out of wood and
had brass fittings.

It might still be at the old duck club ?

"Duralumin" as a name for aluminum was more popular in the 30's. Bakelite has been around since the turn of the last century.

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I'm not so sure the knob is Bakelite. Easy enough to tell by the hot needle test.

Outers knobs have been made out of plastic since the 50's. Plastic took over in the 50's, the French hung onto Bakelite in their automobiles into the 60's. Bakelite is much heavier than plastic and is not as susceptible to cold and heat, it was used heavily by most knife manufacturers as scales. I have a set of vintage steak knives that you would swear were yellowed Ivory, even have the appearance of a grain structure...Bakelite. It was also used during the 30's and 40's for costume jewelry and found its way into the synthetic pearl business, think Art Deco.