K Ration How To
Written: 9/14/2010
Author: Dave Lammert
Introduction:
Over the years we've been working on displayable and consumable K Rations for use at events. The project has gone in fits and spurts, with Squirrley doing much of the initial work several years ago, only to have momentum totally lost, then be picked up again recently by Dave. Having a "fresh" set of eyes look at the various foodstuffs and their respective packaging has helped reinvent the way the rations are assembeled, in both technique and procurement.
The goal of this article is to take the next step beyond the PDF's available for the printables, to illustrate examples of materials to be used, assembly methods as well as reccomended foodstuffs.
Our target completed ration is the Mid-War type K-Ration.
I have been working on K-Rations using Squirrely’s pdf’s that Greaser gave to me. I thought that this ration project was going to be straight forward. I decided to use the Mid War K-Ration box because we can use it for early war or late war events.
While researching the K-Ration I have found numerous variations based on date and manufacturer. I have found several documents that contradict eachother as to the contents. Squirrely went to the Quartermaster Museum in Virginia and got a lot of valuable information for the K-Rations. Specifically, he scanned the Quartermaster Specifications for the K Ration and its amendments. We used this information and photos of original rations to come up with a generalised content list that was true to World War II. We've made the QM Specs available below on this page.
I have found some additional sources on line but I have not been able to attribute them.
I had boxes professionally printed and cut base on the information that we found. I do have some boxes available for sale.
I have been making changes and inprovements to these rations for several years. Please let me know if you have any suggestions on how to make a better K-Ration. I am always looking for new ideas to make a more accurate ration.
This article is to assist the reenactor in making a eatable ration that aproximates the World War II ration.
Equipment
Beyond the basics of Scissors, X-Acto knife, straight edge / rulers and glue - the list below we have found to be very useful, if not essential to the processes to be shown.
1) Impulse bag sealer
2) Plastic bags
3) Sealing Iron
4) Paper cutter / shear
The Historical Documentation:
CQD 28 B - Assembly and Packaging
CQD 22 F - K Ration Confectionaries
CQD 28 H - Assembly, Packaging and Packing
The Guides:
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