I class myself as lucky, because getting hold of an original cast pintle hook for the MB is not so easy. This one came from my friend Charlz over in the Philippines - thanks Charlz :). It wasn't in great cosmetic shape so I stripped all the old paint off and ground out some rusty spots. It took a while to free up the moving parts as there was a great deal of crap accumulated inside it. 4 hours submerged in white spirit saw most of that off and I finished off the prep with a coat of Owatrol Oil (Penetrol in USA). Owatrol Oil direct to metal protects from rust and makes an excellent base for paint application. The hook has been very well used, the markings in particular have suffered lots of wear and are quite shallow. To avoid reducing them further with thick layers of paint, I just used the Owatrol as a primer and then went straight on with a coat of flat Olive Drab (Dallas Autos aerosol). Results in the pictures. Haven't replaced the existing M201 pintle yet, will need to get a trailer first!
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