My Danish M84 obsession

Just thought I'd share some of my Danish kit, I'll update pics for every item shortly but here's what I have:

Danish M84:

Long back bergen with side pockets + yoke + medical side pouch
Gas mask pouch
Water bottle pouch and other similar pouches
Mag pouches 5.6 mm and smaller ones
Waterproof map case
Full sleeping bag set: goretex bivvy bag, compression sack and sleeping bag.
Field jacket with hood, trousers - combat and service.
Basha/tarp
Goretex trousers 2 different types.



The bergen is my favourite bit of kit and it gets used lots when I'm out wild camping.

You've picked a favorite of many here. And the Danes like to have fun with it. My toiletry bag (shaving kit) is a genuine HMK issued bit of m/84 kit.

I'm interested to see your map case. I just got one and I have a feeling some part of it is missing.

"Obsession" implies an irrational drive to do something that should not be done so much. I don't think you'll find many people here that would call what you've said an "obsession". On the contrary, I think most here would call your collecting quite healthy and natural. So keep it up, for the sake of good health

Steve

Thanks Steve will get some more pics up shortly and I forgot the toiletries bag I have and the rucksack tidy so I've added those to the list.

CollectinSteve wrote:..., I think most here would call your collecting quite healthy and natural. So keep it up, for the sake of good health

Steve

Much more than mine that's for sure as i am prompt to want everything that catch's my eyes.
At least mk209 is focused!
But i'm getting there... i hope

Best regards

Here's my medical pouch, same as UK PLCE kit I believe? Zips straight on to my M84 bergen. It was dirty and had seen lots of use but a careful wash revealed the black had faded badly so the only thing I could think of was to use a permanent black sharpie marker to redo all the black! It actually worked really well and now it's looking respectable again Sadly it's missing the red cross badge. Anyone know where I can find one to stitch back on? (it's 70mm x 65mm)




Matt.

Matt, nice work with the Sharpie marker!

And yeah, the black on OD cross tag is missing from many a Danish medical pouch, they were simply sewn on too poorly or too close to the tags edge.
Even the one I have in mint condition is threatening to come off.

Thanks Ronny, I'll keep an eye out on British kit I may find the black on OD cross patch on something.

Matt.

Be wary of using sharpies without some experimentation. I used them once on a Russian uniform with rubberized badges on a black felt background. The felt was a dull gray for the most part. I used a black sharpie and it looked nearly new when I was done. 2 years later the ink has stained the rubber in places. Not anticipated

Steve

CollectinSteve wrote:Be wary of using sharpies without some experimentation. I used them once on a Russian uniform with rubberized badges on a black felt background. The felt was a dull gray for the most part. I used a black sharpie and it looked nearly new when I was done. 2 years later the ink has stained the rubber in places. Not anticipated

Steve

Yup I was a bit concerned I had done the right thing but then again it won't be used in the rain or get wet so it should be ok. Live and learn though!

Just continuing the trawl through of my Danish kit. I got this from Germany this year and I'd been searching for it for ages! Sleeping bag has a tooth missing in the zip but otherwise ok (dated 1998) The bivvy is in great shape (dated 1999). Had to replace one of the broken clips on the stuff sack but luckily there was a seller selling the exact same ITW Nexus clips on ebay which saved me having to unstitch and replace the other part of the clip

Latest find, a 'Balkan' first model ripstop shirt/jacket. It's in great shape and dates to 2000. Sadly it's a little long for me being a size 6, I'll have to look out for a shorter one if I can ever find another.

Good addition. I had two of these and both of them the black buttons all wanted to fall off. Defective stitching. You might want to keep an eye on them, because I lost one button before I figured this out. No idea where it went

Steve

Hi Matt,

Hmmm, say is the jacket/shirt you have fitted with both a zipper and buttons under the storm flap?

I have a 2000-made one and it is unique in that respect, as all other 'vintages' has buttons only and no zipper?
And Steve is right; many non-Canadian buttons on the earlier made 'Balkan' jackets liked to jump ship at inconvienient times.

Oh, and I may have a smaller size 5 laying around. If I do I'll PM you!

No this hasn't got the zip so yours must be quite rare Ronny. Mine just has buttons and elastic cuffs and waist.

Matt.

I haven't seen anybody else with a zippered model either. Must have been an early trial. After all, the standard jacket has both zipper and buttons.

Having said that, look very carefully to make sure the zipper wasn't added after the jacket was manufactured. Sometimes a really good modification is hard to spot until you look at it more closely.

Steve

Sorry to hijack your thread Matt

Steve, I love your forensic scepticism, and you may be right again-again. 'Cause suddently I'm not so sure...

I've had two of these jackets, both made in year 2000, and both were sporting the same size and brand (YKK) zippers as the standard Danish combat jackets. I've included a few pictures;







The last is a comparison between twill and ripstop variants from the same year.

And l think I'll swing towards Steve's latest assumption and change the status of my remaining 2000-made rip-stop piece from 'issued' and 'super special', a to 'probably modified by troop' status.

Thank you for posting all your gear Matt, (though I know you've got loads more!)! And cheers Steve, for taking all of us to school!

no worries Ronny you're welcome to hijack any thread especially if it contains Danish M84

Found this the other day, it's a pistol holster? No markings and I've never seen one before so not sure if it's a genuine bit of kit?

Matt, the pancake holster looks commercial/airsoft to me.
The standard Danish Army sidearm is a version of the Sig P210, designated 'Sig M/49' or 'Neuhausen', 9mm pistol.
There are special holsters in M/84 camo to clip onto PLCE (with a thigh mounted extention piece) or straight onto MOLLE vests, with room in it for a spare clip.
Will try and squeeze of a photo later!

Whoa, I missed the post of the zippers until just now. From those pics it appears the zipper was added after manufacture. However, the most critical place to check for that isn't shown in any of the pics Specifically the zipper's stitching on the left side (as you wear it) as seen from the outside of the jacket.

What you are looking for are signs that the zipper could not have been sewn "on top" or clear signs that it was patched in. Different thread type/color, stitch counts (how many stitches per inch), straightness, etc. It is also very useful to see how the zipper (or any other item for that matter) stitching is integrated into the rest of the stitching. For example, at the top of the left side where it meets the collar. Did someone pop some stitches in the original collar's stitching, insert the top of the zipper, the restitched? It's hard to tell from the picture, but if that is the case then I'd say it was put on after original manufacture.

Now, here's a twist. Sometimes the initial production is officially modified to test out a possible improvement. Therefore, it's entirely possible that the Danish MoD asked, and paid for, these zippers to be put on. If that is the case then it's an experimental item by every meaningful definition.

I have an example of an experimental item from a standard production piece. Early on (1991?) the Bundeswehr experimented with a 4 pocket version of the standard Flecktarn shirt. They produced a fair number with lower pockets assembled from the same cloth and snaps as the standard shirts. I don't know if the factory that made the shirts did the modification, just for sure the pockets were added to shirts that were unissued. I've only seen a couple and they have the same labels. They were issued to a single unit (or so I've heard) for testing.

Steve

Sorry for the long wait, I had to dig around for this one. Couldn't find the extension piece for mounting on the hip/thigh though; I know I have some laying around...
This is the latest issued Danish holster:









@ Steve. Yeah, I'm now a 100% sure these zippers were sown on later by a trooper, too lazy to button up the thing, but as it is of an early production year (2000), I assumed it may have been a trials piece. But as we all know: Never assume; that makes an ASS out of U and ME both

Thanks Ronny I had a feeling it was an aftermarket thing, it wasn't as well made but it was only a few pounds so I'll pass it on at some point, it's of no use to me.

A little late but having noticed the couple of holsters on this thread, I thought you might be interested to see this one. A signal flare pistol holster in m/84.

Yes, I knew of its existance, but this is the first time I've seen one.
Good score!

i must say, it does fascinate me how different countries use different patterns but exactly the same or very similar construction of their kit, for example the bergen/sidepouches are as i see them practically identical to the British kit, and the pistol holsters are partly similar. Is this down to the same single manufacturer just being given each country's camouflage pattern or is there some standard EU/NATO design for the kit?

I believe since WWII, all Danish webbing and loadbearing equipment has emulated the Brittish quite closely, from PLCE's to bergans.
So it would not surprise me if manufacturers also turned out to be the same.

All Danish PLCE pieces seems to come uniformly from Brittish maker CQC, as do most MOLLE pouches and combat vests.