This little article is about how to make K-ration bits
K-Ration bits you say? Thats correct K-Ration bits, this is how to make the stuff that goes inside the K-ration, only. This article is NOT how to make the whole k-ration itself.
The idea is to make a K-ration that will not break the bank and the products will not be totally wrong. Will they be wrong? Yes, they will be but, not to a "farby" extent. They will look good from 5ft away. Give me a break ok, I mean, we are trying here. Hell, its better that idiots and farbs having Mcdonalds or Pop tarts out in the field.
If you want the box, either buy a repro set of them OR download them off of
Step 1: The biscuits are two types. K1 and K2. Graham crackers and Club crackers. In pictures, there is 4 crackers in each package. Each K-ration had both the K1 and the K2 types.
Step 2: Get Saraan wrap, and cut off enough plastic to wrap around 4 stacked crackers. Then get a piece of scotch tape and tape the bottom to hold it together. I suppose you could figure out a way to get the Saraan wrap to hold without tape. If you do, more power to you.
Both K1 and K2 crackers were wrapped in like that.
The Meat
For your breakfast it was Ham and eggs in a cylindrical tin can. Since no commerical product comes like that. The next best thing is Hormal Ham in the same style round tin.
For dinner (lunch): It was a canned cheese product. I have not figured out whats the best to use.
For supper: It was a beef and pork loaf. The best thing to use is some type of meat product (unless you can find a beef and pork loaf commerical product). Chicken comes in a tinned cylindrical container and that is the best to use.
The Biscuits and the Ham are the easist to prepare, and won't break your bank!!!
The P-38
You can find the P38 at Surplus Stores, or at Events. To make the packaging you need to go to Dog Companies site and use that.
The Cigarettes
Many different companies made them for the war and some of them did end up in K-ration boxes.
Camels are the ones that are found the most.
You need 4 of them and to get the box go to Dog Companies Site and get it.
The Coffee
Used in breakfast K-ration. Get regular ground Coffee or the soluable type. Fold it over, glue the bottom and put the coffee in and then glue it shut. How much coffee? enough to fill up a 3in. by 2 1/2in. paper. Double it to get the right size paper (unfolded)
The Lemon Drink
Used in dinner. Fold over, glue at bottom, put the lemon powder (which would be a some type of drink mix, like Kool-Aid) and glue shut. How much Lemon drink? Enough to fill up a 3 1/2 by 3 1/2in. paper. Double it to get the size of the paper (unfolded)
Chewing Gum
Several Companies made gum for our servicemen. Denteyne is the one found in most K-rations. Buy some "chiclyte" style gum and use the label off of Dog Companies website.
Fruit and D-Ration Bars
The Breakfast unit had a fruit bar. It was wrapped in a foil. The left over wrappers from a Hershey bar would work just fine. I suppose you could also use tin foil, or some type of colored silver paper.
The Supper had a 2oz chocolate bar. You can buy some Hershey bars and use them. 1 1/2 bars should do it. Just wrap those in the foil, and make them look like 1/2 the length of the orginial Hershey Bar.
Matches
Get a generic book of red-tipped matches. And go to Dog Company and glue the label on them. Used in all three types of K-rations.
Suger Cubes and Confection
The Sugar cubes (breakfast,Supper)were wrapped in foil. So I guess you could buy the cubes and put them in some type of silverish foil.
The confection was caramels(Supper). Just buy regular commerical confections.
Boullion Powder
Dinner only. I do not have a label at this time for it. But use the same method listed for the lemon drink and coffee. How much? enough to fill up a 3in. by 2 1/2in. paper. Double it to get the size of the paper (unfolded).
Toliet Paper
Dinner only. Get about 20 sheets and wrap them tightly up. Then get a brown strip of paper (a brown paper bag works perfectly) and wrap it around the TP in the center. About a 2in. by 2in. strip of it is all you need.
