[roadie]

I got a bunch of these heavy canvas 5 mag pouches the other day and am wondering if I can soften them up a bit. They are a bit old I think, and the canvas is really stiff. I am wondering if they can be run through the washer, will that do the trick? Anyone have any of these and or have you cleaned them?

[Sprout47]

Quote:       Originally Posted by roadie

I got a bunch of these heavy canvas 5 mag pouches the other day and am wondering if I can soften them up a bit. They are a bit old I think, and the canvas is really stiff. I am wondering if they can be run through the washer, will that do the trick? Anyone have any of these and or have you cleaned them?

They will prbably shrink if you do that. Just work them out with a mag, they will break in.

[SightNSqueeze]

Agreed. You see them a lot in the Middle East. They are pretty tough. The stiffness of the cotton canvas reminds me of the high quality M-56 cotton canvas web gear we used to have before it was gradually replaced with M-67/73 nylon gear.

I noticed overseas that if they shrink, they just dont snap the pouches shut. Loaded mags are big and heavy enough not to fall out. If you wash them, just use clear cold water and no soap. Let them dry naturally, but not in the blazing sun, or they will definitely shrink more.

[imarangemaster]

Also, many military canvas pouches are treated with an anti rot compound, and detergent will wash it out. I have a new 3 cell Romanian, and it feels like it is. Best example of that treatment is a REAL USGI Korean War M2 Carbine 30 round pouch. They are almost waxy!

[Tulamosin]

I've run a few through the wash and it doesn't soften them up. I wouldn't run them through the dryer though; it makes a hell of a racket and the pouch edges wear and fade (like jeans eventually do). Let them air dry.

[SightNSqueeze]

They are no stiffer than the cotton canvas M-14 pouches and M-1956 web gear that I have. I think people are just used to the flimsy nylon issue that has been common in the U.S. and some Western countries for the past 20-25 years.

roadie- If your pouches are as stiff as mine, then I think they were meant to be that way. Again, I saw similar stiff pouches in Iraq.

[Mooseman684]

They may have been waterproofed as well and that makes em stiff !