PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-666
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 666
MAY 2008
50
PS 666
MAY 08
51
PS 666
MAY 08
I
t’s hot. It’s muggy, and the heat is
unforgiving for personnel wearing full
combat gear.
Keeping cool in the desert is a must
for those wearing the interceptor body
armor (IBA) with ballistic plates.
To get temporary relief from the heat,
some soldiers freeze their ballistic plates
before putting on their gear.
In the short run this practice may
seem OK, but in the long run it could
be deadly.
The constant freezing and thawing
of plates over an extended period of
time can degrade plate adhesives.
Paint
If a tool is stored outside,
paint the handle to protect it
against the weather.
Follow local SOP for paint
color. Usually it’s the same as
the vehicle’s basic color but not
in a camouflage pattern.
When the paint starts to
chip and bare wood shows,
strip the handle and repaint it.
Linseed Oil
If a tool is stored inside, rub the
handle with linseed oil to prevent drying,
cracking and splintering. NSN 8010-00-152-
3245 gets you a gallon of linseed oil. When
the handle starts to feel dry, rub it with
oil again.
And here’s a tip to tighten a loose
wooden handle: Soak the portion of the
handle installed in the tool head overnight
in kerosene or antifreeze. Soaking will
swell the wood and make the handle tight.
This is a big problem between
the spall cover and the internal plate
components, but more importantly,
between the backing material and the
ceramic tile within the plate. Repeated
freezing and thawing can cause
separation or debonding of material
within the plates.
On one hand, you’ll be cool for a
while. On the other, repeatedly freezing
and thawing plates can result in a
catastrophic plate failure that can put
your life in harm’s way.
If you’re hot, Fnd another way to stay
cool, but never freeze ballistic plates.
Handling Instructions
Tools…
Handling Instructions
Interceptor Body Armor…
wood handles on
tools need regular
care or they’ll rot,
dry out or splinter.
preventive
maintenance is
especially important
for tools that get a
heavy duty workout:
shovels, picks,
sledge hammers,
adzes and axes.
when it comes to pm
for handles, you’ve
got two choices: paint
the handle or rub it
with linseed oil.
freeze
ballistic
plates?
not!
how can
you stand
it!? I’m
sweating
bullets!
my ballistic
plates got
a little help
from the
freezer.
666.50-51.indd
1-2
3/28/08
5:44:52 PM
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