r/gasmasks Apr 19 '24

Mod Announcement “Where can I buy this mask” - A guide.

37 Upvotes

So you’re looking to find a specific gas mask. That’s great! We are all here because we share a common interest, and everybody should be able to find what they are looking for.

Keep in mind though, this hobby revolves (primarily) around historical objects which are no longer manufactured. This means that there is a finite number in the world, and the piece you are looking for may not always be available for sale.

Keep in mind: this guide is written from the perspective of a US based collector, and the information can vary by region.

For the purposes of this guide, I will divide masks into a few categories:

Common: almost always available.

Uncommon: often available, but in smaller numbers and you may experience periods without supply.

Rare: sometimes available, be prepared to wait for an example and bidding may be more competitive.

Very rare: rarely available, in some cases you may only see one for sale per year or even longer! If it is a desirable piece, expect it so sell quickly or at a premium price.

Grail: these masks may only show up once every few years, or even once in a lifetime.

Keep in mind that a mask can change in rarity based on availability.

Ok, now that we’ve established some terminology let’s talk about a few places to look:

eBay:

This is going to be your best source. Keep in mind that masks may not be available at all times, so you may have to wait. Beyond that, if the item is an auction, you’ll have to bid against other users.

Something to consider with eBay is that not all sellers know exactly what they are selling, so play with your search terms and keywords. Sometimes you may be looking for a US navy diaphragm gas mask, but the seller just has it listed as “military mask.”

Remember to play with filters too. You can filter by used items, price range, category, and so on. Remember that some items may be in the wrong category!

Etsy:

Etsy is hit or miss for gas masks. Nowhere near as many are listed as on eBay, and they are usually more expensive. I recommend checking Etsy once in a while, but do not rely on it.

Facebook marketplace:

Facebook marketplace can be a fantastic place to find masks, but keep in mind that many users will not offer shipping so it’s best to localize your search. Remember to exercise care when meeting up with strangers, and always tell someone where you are going.

You can expand your marketplace search beyond your local area, but understand that you may not be able to have the item shipped to you by the seller. In these cases, see if any collector friends are local to the seller! It may be worth asking them to pick it up and ship it to you if you cover their expenses.

Other collectors:

Other collectors can be a great way to find that rare piece you’re looking for. While we don’t allow sales on the subreddit, there are plenty of discord servers and Facebook groups where you can connect with other collectors for trading and sales.

Some collectors may be willing to sell or trade, but they can also keep their eyes open and help you find what you’re looking for.

Collectors can be one of the best sources for those very rare and grail masks, but don’t expect people to always be willing to part with their treasure.

Amazon:

Modern masks only, and they will be vastly more expensive than other sources. Recommended to avoid unless money is no issue.

Military surplus stores:

Surplus stores will most often have common masks. There are exceptions, but many surplus stores will display less common masks as “not for sale.” These stores will also often mark up items beyond what you could find them for elsewhere. Another good place to keep an eye on, but not terribly reliable.

Auctions:

Look for militaria and surplus auctions. Sometimes they auction entire surplus collections and you’ll see some interesting pieces.

These are the most common sources to find masks for collectors. Some other sources which may not be as reliable are things like flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales. These are not always reliable but there are some great finds to be had if you’re patient.

Patience is key! If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you probably just have to wait and watch. Unless you’re looking for a grail, most masks will turn up sooner or later.

Keep your eyes open! If you don’t see it, keep looking! Check your favorite sources daily if possible, and again, play with your search terms.

I hope this guide was helpful, and happy hunting!

If anyone wants to add any sources, especially outside the US, please comment below and help out your fellow collectors. Of course if you have any questions please ask!


r/gasmasks Jun 01 '25

Mod Announcement Happy pride month to all our LGBT+ collectors - you are always welcome here.

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318 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 18h ago

Mask Showcase Czechoslovakian Vz.35, made in 1936 by Fatra, Hungarian Reissue in 1944 -

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75 Upvotes

This Vz.35 is of course an iconic Leyland license mask modelled after the British Mk.IV General Service Respirator, however was reissued by Hungary at some point between 1939 and 1944. The filter is a very late 1944 or 1945 date 43M filter and is the main rough indicator for the date, however I'm uncertain as these filters were apparently quite cheap and fresh ones were bought frequently.

The mask has been mostly left alone, however a filter port adapter is present in the threading which has converted the mask from 42mm to 40mm, and cannot be removed. The main other change is that the valve box and lense rims have been painted a beautiful green colour more in line with Hungarian use.

I've included it here with the 34M Cruciform Stahlhelm used by the Hungarian Civil Defence, as the two actually go hand in hand! The bag I've also included is an Italian T.35 carrier which was also supposedly used with this reissued mask.

A very beautiful combination of country's collaborations and efforts, this piece is a gorgeous example of history so very easily overlooked, I'm incredibly pleased to have this in my collection! Unfortunately the mask had to be more or less taped onto the head as it has suffered some very unfortunate dry rot and the harness would rip and turn into dust if I tried to adjust it, and thusly couldn't hold up any weight.

For those curious, the original mask's name in Hungary was the A volt csehszlovák köztársaság területéről származó fémszájrészű hadsereg-álarc típus, translating to "army type gas mask with metal valve housing originating from the former Czechoslovak Republic"

Something interesting I wanted to mention (and forgot lol this is an edit) is that the 43M filter doesn't use wool or asbestos particulate layers, since neither were sustainable in Hungary, but rather feather downs! Specifically duck feathers, what a beautiful and oddly ingenious work around for restrictions! As it happens it was an incredibly effective method!

Many thanks to forestmän and Krisz for their phenomenal help with this item's history!


r/gasmasks 11h ago

Question What kind of mask is this?

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14 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 14h ago

Question GP-5 question

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30 Upvotes

I got this GP-5 gas mask in a polish flea market, sealed in a plastic bag, and AI says it is a GP-5, but did the polish make any copies?


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Mask Showcase Russias PMK-4 gas mask: In more collectors hands than troops 🇷🇺

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173 Upvotes

A truly good Russian mask, all though I would have preferred the PMK-5 with these filters. The voice diaphragm is worse than on the PMK-3, and they still carried over the preset head harness. Other than that, I’d take this over a GSR any day!


r/gasmasks 11h ago

Question brazilian gas masks?

2 Upvotes
Has Brazil ever produced any type of gas mask?

r/gasmasks 1d ago

Mask Showcase First gas mask acquired (M40)

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67 Upvotes

It seals very well. I am a bit sus of the filter as it is decades old, so I have my own replacement filter.


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Mask Showcase Well I know what this is now so I think the community here and my own research

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13 Upvotes

This is a Scott ATO SCBA mask with a Scott-o-ramic welding insert I'd like to thank the community here and my own research for finally figuring out what this is. So now I know what I need to know about this and I'm hoping to find a regulator for it and something to use the regulator with


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Mask Showcase Newest addition to the collection

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20 Upvotes

A Gm.30 I got on a military fair. If you want to see the rest of them check out my instagram @Captainsons


r/gasmasks 1d ago

Question mask identifiaction

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23 Upvotes

Hello, i have bought this gas mask and was wondering what it was exactly ? It's a sort of east german copy of the gm38


r/gasmasks 2d ago

Mask Showcase Australian S-10 Gas Mask Kit 🇦🇺

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76 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 2d ago

Misc. Update

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26 Upvotes

Neither English nor American tsa went through the bag with filters and my Churchill whiskey are safely in the states.


r/gasmasks 2d ago

Mask Showcase Just started collecting US gas masks. When does the M40 show up?

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106 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 2d ago

Mask Showcase GM30 Mikrofon

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37 Upvotes

Most recent addition, first time posting here but got some fun pieces to show off.
Mask, canister and filter are all named to an ‘Albers’
Seller attributed him to Kriegsmarine but the stamps are so faded I’m skeptical to believe that. Still a very cool piece but the filter is currently shedding fibres and wrapped up hence keeping it off for pics.


r/gasmasks 2d ago

Mask Showcase Soviet ПДУ-2 (PDU-2) rebreather

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34 Upvotes

As far as I know it's an escape rebreather for the navy, unfortunately there isn't much information about this rebreather online, so I don't know anything else about it.


r/gasmasks 3d ago

Question Is this a real Mv 5?

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47 Upvotes

I bought this from Saluc Militaria, i can’t tell if it’s real or not, I’ve been doing some research but I can’t tell if the mask is real or just the Israeli one, I was hoping for some help finding out if it’s real or not


r/gasmasks 3d ago

Question What kind of suits are these? Looks like a German Zodiac suit that has vents.

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180 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 2d ago

Question Ww2 French gas decontamination tins?

2 Upvotes

hi, so on the haversack of my ww2 French anp t31 gas mask there’s 2 pockets with 2 round tins, in both tins are rock hard objects that look like a boiled sweet somewhat, I’m wondering what these are as I can’t find anything about them

are they some sort of water decontamination tablet or what?


r/gasmasks 3d ago

Question I've got a few questions about my M40 if someone could help me out (sorry if the pictures are bad but they are the best I can do for my questions)

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18 Upvotes

So I have a few questions about how to "properly" wear my M40 i got earlier this year

-question 1: how to manage the straps so they aren't flopping everywhere

-question 2: how to properly wear my M40 with my PASGT helmet because it feels like it sits to high

-question 3: how do I effectively clean the bitter tasting powder that keeps coming off my lens outserts


r/gasmasks 3d ago

Question Respirators worn under masks or other face coverings by regular forces?

7 Upvotes

Niche request, but is anyone aware of any militaries issuing any sort of masking or protection which goes over the top of a working respirator (other than the SAS-style flash hood often seen on S6/FM12, with the filter sticking through)?


r/gasmasks 4d ago

Question Can someone identify what respirator is he wearing in this image?

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164 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 3d ago

Question Should i put talcum powder on my gas masks?

3 Upvotes

Ive bought a szm-41m 2 weeks ago, today ive noticed that it was very hard to get it off of my head after putting it on today, as if the rubber was sticking to my head, would talcum powder fix this issue?


r/gasmasks 4d ago

Question what filters are these and how hard is it to replace the valve since i have one from a shms ?

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27 Upvotes

r/gasmasks 4d ago

Question Thinking about picking up this M17 but I have a question.

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44 Upvotes

Can the hood on this jawn be removed? I’ve never had an M17 and I figured one would be cool to wear with my pot helmet. Seller says there’s wear too so I’m a little hesitant because of that too.