WW1 cans

[Robin]

Anyone recognize these cans? They have a WW1 look to them. Both are OD with one being painted red over the OD.

[frenchman]

hello
these can where use I think to refill kerosene lantern and kerosene head light on truck and tractor in wwI
the one that say hub oil just to oil the wheels on some of the roling equipement and maybe the 1917 machine gun cart wheel
since they are almost the same size of the vicker ammo box the can would be stocked with the ammo box
just my 2cents
frenchman

[Raymond Smith]

Looks like the one says LUB OIL, not HUB OIL.
Don't know about stacking with a Vickers Ammo box though, the strap handles on top would make that rather difficult.
Otherwise, i tend to concur that they are very early cans.

Coal oil, is oil produced directly from a type of cannel coal. Production in the US stopped around 1860 (from Wikipedia). Some people mistake Kerosene for coal oil, but Kerosene is produced from crude oil.

It is possible that these cans were used on a railroad engine, as I vaguely recall reading somewhere that coal oil was used to start the wood or coal used to fire the boilers. The firebox would be stacked with coal, and the coal oil used much like lighter fluid on a charcoal grill. That might make sense, given how these cans are used laying down with a neat little tap valve. One fills a smaller can to pour on the fire, and the LUB OIL can would be used to fill the engineers oil can.

Regardless, cool find. Might I ask how much you paid for them?