Just got my MkIII Compass back from Trademark London

[ponch0v]

Just picked up a 1942 T.G. Co MKIII, in Pakistan of all places, and having some difficulty disassembling it.

Reading through the guide and am to the point of removing the compass bowl. I've removed the two screws on the outside housing, but the bowl will not budge. It looks like its been "repaired" somewhat; missing two of the eight screws around the face and hash that should be at 0deg is around 240deg, so may have been removed in the past and just jammed back in.

Anyone ever run into something like this?

[Charlie303]

I came across this thread when researching the MkIII prismatic compass, what a wealth of knowledge! I certainly found out what I was looking for on the MkIII (and the G150, M73...)

Anyway, I thought that you might be interested in the attached scans from a book in my collection, Notes on Map Reading, published in 1940. I surmise from the text that it was written well before the MkIII was in general use and the dry type Mk VIII, used to illustrate the notes, was.

ATB,
Charlie

[Cruisey]

One thing I was hoping someone would show in this thread is an elusive Australian-made MkIII. Australia, like Canada, was licensed during WW2 (I think only during ww2?) to produce the MkIII. They were made by J.W.H. PTY LTD. and from what I gather are slightly rarer than the already rare Canadian Kodak. Canada and Kodak also had brit-made compasses in their supply chains so even in their origin countries, they are not common.

I've never seen on personally, but the odd pic is around on the net.

Here you are Claven, this one belonged to my grandfather, who bought it home from New Guinea, up until maybe 10 or 15 years ago it was fairly easy to read, although it had a bubble inside, now it needs a bit of TLC to get it back in shape. . . . . hello Mr Laidler !

[Warren]

Got digging in "the shed"(tm) and came up with a MINT, in the box Mk. IX by the Canadian Kodak Company. Dated 1942 and still in the original 25 C.O.D. box. Attachment 20045Attachment 20046

[Claven2]

Beautiful MkIX! The advantage to that model is that there is no liquid to seep out over time, though it isn;t as feature-rich.

[Claven2]

Here you are Claven, this one belonged to my grandfather, who bought it home from New Guinea, up until maybe 10 or 15 years ago it was fairly easy to read, although it had a bubble inside, now it needs a bit of TLC to get it back in shape. . . . . hello Mr Laidler !

Nice Aussie there I think it might need a comprehensive rebuild though as there appear to be putty substituted for the bowl gasket - that never holds up for very long, sadly.

[Cruisey]

Nice Aussie there I think it might need a comprehensive rebuild though as there appear to be putty substituted for the bowl gasket - that never holds up for very long, sadly.

Yes, that putty has only become visible in the last few years, would that have been used originally ?, as far as I can see, & as far as I am aware, the compass has never been taken apart.

[Claven2]

No, originally it would have had a solid gasket. The putty is evidence that someone, probably in service, "bodged it" way back. Sending it in for refurbishment would fix it right up, but it's spendy. Maybe Peter could help for a more reasonable fee? You'd have to ask him.

It IS worth fixing though IMHO.

[Cruisey]

I have disassembled my MkIII, pictured earlier, for cleanup & repair, a fairly simple job so far, hovever, I need to remove the glass in order to reseat the dial, which had jumped off its pin at some time in the past.

After removing the 8 screws on the bezel, it took me 3 hrs of dissolving the mastic in meths before I could pry it loose !, the glass is proving to be more stubborn.



EDIT: Got it . . . just took more soaking, face down in a shallow saucer of meth, until I broke the seal by twisting with my fingertips, then levered out with a sewing needle.
Hope this helps somebody else

[Claven2]

Hey Cruisey - have you made any more progress with that one? Any pics?