Hungarian Army Mess Kit Review and Cooking Demo.

Today we are checking out the Hungarian Army mess kit and cooking up a little dinner with it. I hope you enjoy it!
Here is the link to the blog I mentioned about the Hungarian mess kit: webbingbabel.bl...

[@deplorableminime2453]

I was using that every day for 12 months in the eatly 90s. I used to hate it then got used to it and liked it. We called it "csajka". The food that time was mostly can foods: szekely kaposzta (cabbage with meat), gulyas, lencse (lentil), bab (beans) ...etc. We had a small alcohol heater, but we heated the cans, turning it over and shaking it and eating out of it so we don't have to clean our mess kit. We used the mess-kits at mess halls and field distributions and occasionally cooking something. We had a plastic bottle with an aluminium cap that fit into it and and a knife/spoon/fork/can-opener combo called "kanal-gep" (spoon-machine) I was running around with a PKM machine gun... Later I also served in the US, but in there we had numbered MREs (we were eating out of the bags) so the only thing we really used were the water bottles and the very similar silverware combo. Also in the Us we had tents with folding beds and sleeping bags while in Hungary, I only had a poncho and slept in a hole and dirt, rain even in snow. Once we had no food for two days because some delivery issues on the gield and i stole a chiken. It was miserable sometimes. Im sure it's different now.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Deplorable Minime wow! Thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds like it was tough in the field. I’m really interested in that plastic bottle that you describe that you had inside the mess kit and the silverware set. I saw a Hungarian silverware set for sale once on aBay but I didn’t buy it because I wasn’t sure it was authentic. Thanks for your post and for watching my video!

[@deplorableminime2453]

The hungarian service was only tough because they didnt care about us. We never had enough food, we stole whenever we could - sadly, even from each-other. Not because we were mean or crimimals but because we were just hungry. I received that time 150 forint per month it was enough for a box of juice (1 liter) a pack of cigarettes. (I stopped smoking after service - its bad for you) Anyway here how a hungarian water bottle looks like (nothing groundbreaking): www.obsit.hu/Magyar-Kulacs#&gid=1&pid=1 Or Water bottle third pic down and hungarian mess kit fiurth pic: www.obsit.hu/Egyeb-termekek/Kulacsok-Flaskak/ And The eating -tools: Look like this: armyuzlet.hu/termekeink/magyar-hadtap-keszlet-kanalgep They all should be super cheap.

[@untitledperson1732]

Hello from Hungary! Thx for review :D I have a unused one of these mesh kit (we called it in hungarian language "csajka"). I hope you will try more hungarian items, becouse I think we make good things :D Thx again, and hello

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Hello from the USA! I think Hungarian equipment is very nice and I enjoy using it too. I have in the past almost bought a Hungarian canteen and a shelter tent. But the deal did not work out. Maybe one day in the future. Thanks for watching my video and for your comment!

[@ManLand]

That "Poof" from the burner was cool! The whole video you have here is Brilliantly done and very educational...and makes me want to get one of these to play with as well.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thanks for the compliment! I do my best to make my videos useful. Even though I don't have fancy cameras and editing software, I'm glad people like what I do. Thanks for watching and for your nice comment!

[@ManLand]

Welcome to the Club Brother...I got a Walmart Camera That I splurged on two years ago...because it has actual optical zoom on it...but several cell phone cameras that I still use 90 percent of the time...all given and collected by me....I keep them cell phones if the video quality is better than my WalMart cam...lol.

[@Sylvanas72]

You got a very nice cooking system.

[@chiosmet]

Nice review John. I use the same mess kit with a Swedish army windshield and a svea stove. The mess kit nests inside the windshield like a Swedish one!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

chiosmet nice! I have done the same thing with one of my East German mess kits. It works well after modifying the screen a little. Thanks for watching my video and for your comment!

[@johnplecki1716]

So I ordered a Polish wz70 kit and was apparently sent the Hungarian one. As soon as we are on the good side of freezing temperatures here in Chicago, I'm going to try this out. Thanks for the videos.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

John Plecki I saw where you first posted on my Polish wz70 video so I am just replying here. I think you will still be happy with you Hungarian one. Of course with me being a collector, I would say owning both is even better! Is it the older Hungarian one like mine or like the newer one I showed in the picture in the video? It really makes no difference. I’m just curious.

[@johnplecki1716]

The newer one. Has no markings but definitely looks Hungarian. Very well made kit. I'm happy. Thanks for the reply.

[@jelkel25]

Passed on the Hungarian mess kits, could only get them online and it was a bit of a lottery if you got a good one or a really beat up one but did get the canteen, very well made. Your's looks in very good condition. Great stuff!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Yeah. You never know what you will get when you order online used. There are different levels of "serviceable". Did you get my private message a few days ago about the canteen? Thanks for watching and for your comment!

[@kirbyhill3411]

I really liked the way you put out that alcohol stove. Mine gets to roaring sometimes and I have trouble putting it out. Using both rings (with the rubber gasket out) was a great common-sense idea. AND, thanks for the video, because I though I had a Polish mess kit until you showed me what I really have. I generally use the Russian one more often because its not so heavy, but the Hungarian one cooks better, IMO.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Kirby Hill I'm glad my video was of some help. Sometimes I can put that stove out with just the simmer ring and sometimes it takes the lid too. Also I'm glad you were able to ID your kit. Both do look similar. Thanks for watching!

[@Veldvaardigheden]

Hey John ! Nice review again . Alway's a treat to see you review your gear and see it in action with some nice chow. Als o that your gear is almost the same stuff I use when I am in the Woods like the CZ waterbottle , usgi messkit , CZ breadbag and such . Tanks for taking us along and take care.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Martin Outdoors Thank you very much for watching my videos and for commenting. We do have a lot of the same stuff. Great minds think alike!

[@joekurtz8303]

Bought a NATO mess kit. It contained triagia stove and swedish stand/ wind screen, and this Hungarian mess kit. Sturdy. Haven't used in this fashion, but boil on stove top w shield to heat vegies/ refried beans in bag. Also have Yugo mess kit, use its cutlery daily.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Joe Kurtz Very nice! I hope it serves you well. I have a Yugo kit too but the canteen leaks. Thanks for watching and for your comment!

[@Indianartifact]

Another great and informative video. I rely on your videos to help me decide which mess kits to acquire. Very much appreciated! Btw what fuel do you use in the little burner? Thanks and God bless

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

I use a product called Heet. It’s a automotive gasoline fuel tank additive used to prevent fuel line freezing in very low temperatures. I believe it’s pure alcohol because it burns so clean and hot. I use the Heet product in the yellow bottle not the red bottle. It’s found in Walmart and automotive parts stores here in the US. I have had very good luck with it.

[@CrombatRations]

awesome video and channel mate - you got yourself a new subscriber !

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thanks very much! I hope you enjoy what I have posted. Thanks for watching and for your subscription!

[@crazycommissioner4308]

Thanks for the video. Your use of 2 separate mess kits gave me an idea for some group hiking we have planned.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Crazy Commissioner No problem. I hope your trip turns out great! Thanks for watching and for your comment!

[@jamesaritchie1]

I boil in a pot, and fry in the US skillet. Or, for fun, in the Russian skillet. Or in the lid/plate with the kit you have. I find it's a lot east to fry eggs, or brown a small quantity of something, in the lid/plate, and use a pot gripper, if there's something to grip. . And I'm never, ever without I also carry a small container of cooking oil, a small container of lard, which never seems to go bad, and usually a small container of bacon grease. Love eggs fried in bacon grease. I've tried at least a dozen ways of carrying eggs in the field If you have free range chicken eggs that have never been washed they stay fresh a very long time. Washing the eggs removes a natural barrier against bacteria. You can make store bought eggs last a very long time if you coat them with wax before any bacteria gets on them, but it's risky. I carry free range, unwashed eggs in a padded, egg shaped container. I've never had one break or go bad, and I've had some in the field for over a month. Regular eggs from the store have shells so thin I don't even try to stop them from breaking. I pre-break them into small plastic containers with screw on lids. Each container holds two large eggs The containers cost two for a dollar, and I bought six packs. One dozen eggs. I greatly prefer unwashed free range eggs because they can last for months. I've seen good ones after a year of room temp storage, as long as bacteria couldn't get to them. The natural barrier wears off, so you need something around the egg to protect it, whether it's an airtight container, or salt, or cornmeal, etc.

[@monicajones8450]

I just got one of these kits. I think mine is the newer one with the ring type thing for the belt. Thanks for sharing, cant wait to use mine

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Monica Jones I hope you enjoy it. It’s a nice kit. Thanks for watching and for your comment!

[@kirbyhill3411]

Btw, I have the Hungarian canteen and cutlery set that goes with it. They are heavy duty, too.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Which Hungarian canteen do you have? I have seen a short plastic one and a taller metal one. I would like to buy one in the future from the 50s or 60s to go with my mess kit. I saw the Hungarian silverware for sale but haven't bought any for my collection yet.

[@RiflemanMoore]

Do these alcohol stoves leave any residue on the tins at all or is it a completely clean burn? Great review, I look forward to watching through some of your other videos!

[@MrRW1980]

very nice review ...this form of mess kit somehow has to be derived from the austrian hungarian monarchy but unfortunately i never found one austro hungarian before 1914....very good video!!

[@instantbadass]

Just got one of these this past weekend thinking it was German. Took some research to determine it was Hungarian, but cool nevertheless. Haven't cooked anything with it, but I use the cup to eat my cereal out of.

[@jochensch8821]

It looks like der German Mess Kit from 1935, perhaps Hungary used the German type im WW II. The West-German "Bundeswehr" used it und the East-German NVA too. There are only small diffrents Germany 1935, Soviet at that time and both German Armys at the cold war.

[@williamwyoming]

Thanks John, great vid. I have caught the mess kit collecting bug from these reviews!

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Ha Ha! It's hard to stop this hobby too! Sometimes I'm thinking too much about mess kits. Thanks for watching and good luck on your hunt!

[@jarikinnunen1718]

That taco type bread can make in pan. Flour, salt, baking powder and water. Thin and dry not stick to the pan. Rubber tongue is good for make it flat and turn it over.

[@davidthomasmartin1075]

I think you'll find it actually might be polish. Similar to the Hungarian type which is bigger and there are subtle differences in the design. I'm sure it's definitely not Hungarian. If it is, I haven't seen it before.

[@susrev88]

is there a rick in cooking in aluminium vs stainless steel? can you put this in direct fire? i'm planning to buy one but i want to know its limitations. i always go with stainless steel as it can be put into direct fire and cook everything inside but these type of kits tend to be more exoensive. for exampke, i can buy this kit for x but i can also buy a bcb crusader kit for 10x.

[@OKBushcraft]

Very good review. Many thanks. Atb, John.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thanks for watching another one! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Until next time!

[@stinkyfinn6977]

love your vids, modified dog leash is good to use as lether straps for these style tins, also the hungeran water bottle will fit inside the kits and is ment to be carried like that I've been told, all the best

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Great idea with the dog leash. It would give a more authentic look compared to the Velcro strips I use. The canteen you mentioned must be the short stocky one that I have seen. I would like to add one to my collection some day. Thanks for watching and for your comment!

[@stinkyfinn6977]

John Sherwood I done it with my West German tin and it works great and you dnt have to worry about it melting the straps, I'm not sure what version it is the waterbotle is for but it fits in simler designed ones, it's not the wooden canteen it's a circular shaped aluminium one, anyway love the videos, and give the dog leash I try it's not too difficult a bit of sewing for the buckel and that's it, take care

[@lestarattila2380]

Jó látni hogy rolunk magyarokrol sem feletkezett meg a világ.

[@sirguy104]

Good demo. I would have cooked everything in reverse.

[@andymeresse6930]

Any chance you'd be willing to share the name of the surplus store you go to? None of the ones in my area of Florida have foreign equipment.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Andy Meresse sorry for the late reply. The store near me is Vet’s Army Navy in Lakeland. It varies what he has in stock.

[@vladimirlopez7840]

Sportsman’s guide has these I just bought one and I got it today

[@jamesmcgee2447]

👍🏻

[@YourOldPalFernbark]

I like that size container. I don't care for the one side having a curve (like the regular G.I. has too). Have you tried an artic canteen cup for cooking?

[@OKBushcraft]

MorningWood The Swedish mess kit is a complete oval, but they are pretty hard to find.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

I second what OKBushcraft said with the Swedish kit. They have the miltec remake mess kits now that are paired with genuine surplus windscreens and stoves. I'm not sure how good those kits are. I have a US arctic canteen and cup but I have only made coffee with it. I'm gonna have to drag it out and try cooking with it soon. There is a fella that cooks with one regularly on his channel called Scoutforlife. You might already know about him. He's pretty entertaining.

[@Bushcraft242]

Awsome

[@jerold8908]

How do you get it clean in the field once you have spam and eggs baked on the pan?

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

In this case, I was just doing a daycamp so I washed it at home. When at regular camp I take a small sponge (regular sponge cut smaller) and biodegradable soap with me and wash at camp. I usually do not have a problem with excessive food sticking to my cooking stuff. Using a lower temp while cooking helps keep stuff from sticking. But if I do happen to have stuck on food, I just put water in the pot and put it back on the fire and heat it up to boiling to release the food.

[@davidcooper6704]

The handle needs to be dead straight immediately before the loop. If you remove it and make that adjustment it will function as it should. I just picked mine up for $6 including postage on eBay. An absolute bargain.

[@ryanvictoria6206]

Bought one of these thru a famous mil.-surp.shop in Finland. The one i got had a lot of rust(a lot!) in the lid handle coz its made of iron not aluminum(only the handle.the rest is made of alum.)to make things worse the messkit turns upside down whenever i grab it by the handle( handle is too flimsy.you can bend it with your fingers.) Thats the kind of quality the Hungarian army had during the Kadar Era.a time of budget cuts and downsizing in the military. But thats not to say this messkit is worthless. A little DIY skill,WD- 40 and a new paint job and you'll be able to restore this bad boy to its former glory.just for the guys who received some beat up mess kits like me.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

That's a shame that they sent you a kit in such bad shape. But I like your attitude of fixing it up. It is a piece of history and would be bad if it was lost. I hope you get it back to its former glory and you enjoy it for many years to come. Thanks for watching and for your story!

[@ryanvictoria6206]

John Sherwood actually john i was able to sell it to another outdoorsman for a modest price.(with the damage repaired of course) and with the money earned was able to buy myself a decent used bumdeswehr issue 3 pc messkit. Was gunning for the polish one after i saw your video but the german version became more accessible.( not to mention the 3rd piece in the messkit)enjoying it now.thanks again for the great videos.keep em coming!!!

[@deplorableminime2453]

I served in hungary. I used the hungarian one for a year, it never rusted as it made out of aluminum. I think the only steel part was latch and the handle really. .

[@kidbach]

Thanks for sharing. If you could only have one version of this style mess kit to be your primary, which one would you choose?

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Well, that depends on what I'm doing. If I need lighter kit with an extra cup or container with a handle, then I would choose the East German kit. If I didn't need that extra cup then I would lean to the heavier Swedish mess kit in stainless because of the included stove and windscreen and the fact that its bullet proof. Unfortunately, I don't have the Swedish kit in stainless so I have the next best thing which is in aluminum. Then there's other styles of kits that I like other than the German style kits I mentioned above. If we went down that road I might be here all day discussing those :)

[@kidbach]

John Sherwood lol. Thanks.

[@danofort]

Where can you get the alcohol heater and simmer ring?

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

danofort I bought it from Amazon. Here is the link: Trangia Spirit Burner with Screwcap www.amazon.com/dp/B000AR7970/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_p92zCbPPAKN6C

[@gregorythomasmusic]

the most pressing question i have, as i recently just acquired one, here in LA, is the paint safe? worried about carcinogenic fumes when on the fire. i tried placing mine on open fire yesterday and it could be me overreacting but the paint seemed to not be liking the flames. quickly switched to my non-painted post-war kit.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

You could be right. Who knows what kind of paint they used back then. The kits were most of the time used through a chow line wherever the solders were located and the use of fire to prepare food was a secondary backup in case the mobile kitchen was not available. Most of the kits in my collection I have used only once or twice for a video or demo and then put away. The ones I use the most are the stainless USGI mess kit and canteen cup set at about 90% of the time and the East German kit and the Czech mess kit at a close second and third. If you plan to use your kit a lot, you could remove the paint (especially on the bottom of the cup where it rests on the pot) so you don’t have to worry and fully enjoy your kit. Other than that, it’s a great little kit that should serve you well.

[@gregorythomasmusic]

John, thank you for the thoughtful response! Interesting history lesson, was trying to figure out why a lot of these kits that seemed to have gotten “some action” don’t have any burn marks on the bottom! Makes perfect sense. In regards to the paint, I’ve been rather torn the last few days, so this is an extremely helpful response. The intention is to use them as often as my 1950s boyscouts’ kits and Worcester Pressed Aluminum Company kits. So maybe getting the paint off might be my best bet! Speaking of my other kits, in all the years I’ve used my other kits, had never experienced burning off the wing-nut right off the screw attaching handle to pan. What I get for leaving kit directly on open fire and unattended for 5 minutes. Still absolutely shocked that the fire was that hot. Think it was the original wing-nut. Curious what alloy it’s made of, for that to have melted down like that. Now to see if I can remove the melt off the screw with any success. If not, will just have to replace wing-nut and bolt all-together. Wonder if you’ve ever experienced something that odd before? Incredibly helpful stuff here, all the same. Thanks for listening!

[@chrisu.k9307]

Nice vid 👍🏼

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thank you!

[@micahfrye8885]

Anyone who has one of these, how well do they fit in the Alice pack outer pockets.

[@WilliamsKnifeLife]

They don't fit in an Alice pack outer pocket. Too big width wise.

[@trevorlahey2488]

I could use one of the straps to let it hang off of the side but it can’t fit in the outside pockets

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

what's the make of your oil flask?

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

John Doe It’s made by Stanley.

[@JohnDoe-ee6qs]

John Sherwood thanks

[@speedy7111]

its a copy from the german army mess kit😉

[@Alaska-Jack]

Nate?

[@Camelwrestler]

Does the paint cook off? Chinese canteen paint just peeled off under a flame.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

It will cook off these too if it gets hot enough. It doesn’t seem to as fast if used on a stove or keep the flame low on your campfire. Burnt paint gives it character!