In this post, I’d like to introduce the cleaning kit pouch carried by the No.1 gunner—the shooter responsible for the light machine gun—in a light machine gun team equipped with either the Type 96 or Type 99 Light Machine Gun.

We’ll take a look at an authentic example of the pouch, a reproduction made by Nakata Shōten, and finally, the process of crafting my own replica based on an original. If you’re interested in Japanese WWII gear or looking to improve your reproduction accuracy, I hope you’ll find this useful.

The gunner operating the Type 96 or Type 99 Light Machine Gun would carry this cleaning kit pouch, along with a rectangular accessories pouch, by threading them onto the equipment belt. These were typically worn around the left hip, toward the back. For a visual reference, take a look at the illustration on page 15 of “Nihon no Gunsō” (Japanese Military Uniforms) by Ritta Nakanishi.

Authentic Cleaning Kit Pouch

Here is the authentic cleaning kit pouch. While it’s overall a bit dirty and worn from use, there are no tears or frayed stitching.

Since I only acquired the pouch itself, the contents are missing. However, the leather strap remains flexible and shows no signs of cracking.

While the overall construction is simple, the finer details are surprisingly refined. The leather piece that holds the buckle, for example, has been skived so that the tip is thinner and lies flush. On the reverse side, the large single piece of leather has its edges carefully burnished.

When creating my reproduction, I’ll be aiming to replicate these subtle details as well.

Comparison with the Nakata Shōten Reproduction

This is a comparison between the original pouch and the reproduction made by Nakata Shōten. Until I acquired the original, I had been using this replica. The replica itself is now out of production and rarely seen even on Yahoo Auctions.

When comparing the two, the dimensions differ slightly in both height and width. The belt and buckle used to fasten the flap also vary in size.

That said, gear like this from the wartime period was largely handmade, and the specifications were often quite loose. So I wouldn’t say that Nakata Shōten’s reproduction is necessarily incorrect. It’s entirely possible that a version with these dimensions existed at the time.

Creating the Reproduction

Since I was fortunate enough to acquire an original cleaning kit pouch, I decided to try making a reproduction. While replicas of the long rectangular accessories pouch are occasionally seen, it’s rare to come across a reproduction of the cleaning kit pouch—so I figured there might be others out there who would want one too.

I started with the canvas portion. The original pouch is quite dirty and darkened with age, but I based my fabric selection on the cleaner, less worn areas to get a more accurate color. I also referred to other canvas military gear from the same period in my collection to help guide my choice.

After visiting several brick-and-mortar stores and ordering numerous fabric samples from online shops, I finally found a canvas with a tone I was satisfied with.

Next came the leather components. I used leather of the same thickness as the original and carefully replicated the stitch spacing to match. I also went to great lengths to find a buckle with the same slim profile as the one on the original.

The leather on the original has turned nearly black due to aging, but I dyed the leather for the reproduction to resemble something with moderate use—darker than new, but not yet heavily worn. The dyeing process itself is quite labor-intensive, so if I were to produce these in larger quantities, I might leave the leather undyed (natural color).

Of course, the originals weren’t dyed at the time of issue either. They would have been supplied in their natural color and gradually darkened over time through exposure to sweat, rain, and sunlight.

The canvas parts can be sewn using a sewing machine, but the leather sections are all hand-stitched. The leather is quite stiff, so after making just one pouch, I ended up with calluses on my fingers…

And with that, it’s complete. Since my main job is working as a salaryman, it took me about three nights of late-night work to make just one pouch. I’m quite satisfied with how well it turned out.

It’s a perfect size for carrying small items like a smartphone, so I recommend even use it regularly to let it develop some natural aging.

I believe it looks very similar even when placed next to the original.

Since it looks best when the accessories pouch and cleaning kit pouch have a unified style, I’d like to make a reproduction of the accessories pouch someday as well.

I’m not sure how much demand there will be, but I plan to make a few and list them on Yahoo Auctions. If you’re interested, I’d appreciate your support.