WWII mess kits

The WWII mess kit, I've been told that they were tinned steel, and later ones were aluminum.

Are the Tinned steel mess kits, are they safe to eat from?

I wouldn't...they leech lead into the food.

The early ones were aluminium.

The late( British) tins were also aluminum.
The Canadians did not use steel.
Don't use the steel tins because they contain lead.

Just to be specific for the Second World War.

Canadian Messtins were only manufactured in aluminium. The Canadian military did employ British manufactured Messtins in Italy and Europe.

British manufactured Messtins were manufactured in aluminium until 1941 when this was changed to tinned steel. Aluminium Messtins were re-introduced in 1944 as part of the Jungle equipment for fighting the Japanese.

If you are doing a Canadian impression for Italy or NW Europe, then both Canadian aluminium or British steel Messtins are period appropriate, but NOT the late war British manufactured aluminium Messtins.

As has already been stated, be careful if you wish to eat out of wartime messtins.

Thank you guys!
 
I was given a MLJ stamped wartime mess tin set still in cosmoline, and it was magnetic, so it wasn't aluminum. Ill keep my eye out for a aluminum one.
 
My impression is a Canadian based RCA gunner at Cape Spear in Newfoundland, mid-late 1942.
 
here's a picture
 
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There's still a few things I need, like the Service Respirator, and other small things.

The helmet I repainted, and copied the measurements of the tactical flash and added it to the left side only.

I wouldn't recommend it after 70 some odd years regulations and metal technology has changed that stuff we where unaware about back then we are now more aware of it now at days.