Vintage work crew photos

[PJs]

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Dipping rifles in oil before shipment, Midvale Steel and Ordnance Co. Eddystone PA Apr. 1918

Great Quality Pic Jon, Thanks! A tell all in expression, especially the supervisors vs the workers. That was likely some form of Cosmoline in 1918 (invented by Satan according to some gun collectors). I can personally attest after stripping a brand new O3A3 back when I was a kid...Smelled great but a Pita to get it all off of every single nook and cranny and the stock wood...oh my.

Interesting that it's derivations are ~140 years old and started as a pharmaceutical product.

https://www.originalcosmoline.com/who-we-are.php

Cosmoline was developed by Houghton International in the late 1800's as a pharmaceutical product. The original Cosmoline was basically an ointment and was used for many different cosmetic and medical purposes. It was kept in homes to disinfect wounds and was used by veterinarians to treat cuts, abrasions, bruises and sprains. Cosmoline could even be found on the farms where it was used to relieve swelling in cow's udders.

As industry changed so did Cosmoline.

Cosmoline products were available in ranges from a light type fluid to a thick, heavy grease meant for long term protection. Cosmoline's versatility was unparalleled.

Cosmoline became an everyday name when it received a government specification as a rust preventive and began being used by the military to protect it's equipment from rust and corrosion. Cosmoline could be found on military equipment in the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict and Vietnam.

In 1958 Schafco Packaging began packaging Cosmoline products into aerosol versions for Houghton International and in 2004 Schafco became the exclusive distributor for the Cosmoline Aerosol line of products.