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The "Trinkwasser" water can was available in 3 different sizes - 5L, 10L, and 18L.

This is the 18 L backpack version that a German soldier could carry on his back.

The Fl number is: Fl 130712 and it's made of aluminium.

This cannister would have been painted green with a white Trinkwasser 18L stencil on the front.

The only thing I think is missing is the locking chain on the top lid.

Very hard to find these days with the straps on it, which makes it quite rare.

The leather straps are now hard and brittle and are in danger of snapping :-?

Should I try and clean them and give them some leather conditioner or is it best to leave them alone?

Personally I would give them a wash in warm soapy water, then apply a cleaner/restorer, then some conditioner...

What do you think? :-w :grin:

Difficult but my experience with leather liners in helmet’s it’s best to leave as Is and handle as careful as possible. Applying leather conditioner can remove the original look and age of the leather and once applied needs to be reapplied or can eventually do more damage in the long term.
Applying leather conditioner on helmet liners greatly reduces the value of the helmet no matter how dry or damaged it may be. I would think that could also be the case here Pete.

Thanks for posting. Never seen one of these before. :thumbsup:

Cheers mate, If it reduces it's value, I will leave it alone.

Already I have a couple of people interested in it :eek:

So, if I get a decent offer for it I might sell, but I do like it..

If you get a good offer and make some money on it as is then I would sell and use the proceeds to buy the next interesting historical item and then post it on broadsword.
:thumbsup:

That's really cool and it has a great maker mark! :thumbsup:

The straps IMO are probably best left alone. It's interesting that one strap has the aluminum clip and the other side looks to have a two piece "Y-strap" hook.

Great Find!

I've got some body from a leather repair shop coming out to have a look at them for me.

I don't want to change the "look", but the leather needs to be re-nourished without changing the appearance.

I think a sympathetic conditioning to help the leather, might be enough, if the creams do change it, I will give it a miss.

I can't get the straps off the cannister.

On one side I can't fit the buckle under the loop and the other side the pin is too tight to undo it.

See what she says when she has look. :-??

You have some great and unusual pieces Mark :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Well, again I took the advice of the leather people, who said it's best to leave them alone.

Not too bad they said.

So there ye go.. :cool:

:thumbsup:

A really interesting item Pete, never seen one, I also like the maker mark. For me when I want to clean some old leather items I use Timpsons Cobblers Cream, its amazing stuff. I had an old pair of air-wares and it brought them back to life. Call it a dodgy practice, but I would actually clean the straps gently with the Timpsons cream.

Well, I was told the straps would look out of place with some cleaning, the patina of the tank matches the straps.

With the canister having no paint on it, the straps would be better left alone.

I personally would like to paint it and add the stencils, but..

Not every one agrees =))

If you are aiming to sell Pete then leave the straps as they are, if its a keeper then it's the cobblers cream - just my 10 pence worth.