Replica/Fake U.S. MkI WWI Grenade Opinions???

[Kilroy was Here]

Hi, here is a strange one, to me at least. It appears this is a "MkI" WWI 32 segment grenade body. I am not sure of the originality of this body. It has some odd features. I know already it has had a bad modern wrong color paint job, but.......I have chipped a tiny piece off and looked closely under magnification, and it appears to be old brown/black rust patina colored metal, not new looking.

The "F" in diamond is off center, the 3 is huge, and also the bottom plug is not lead. When you look down inside it, the bottom plug also has a slot like on the outside??? Granted, the plug could have been replaced by someone over the last almost 100 years, but the body still seems funny to me. The "knob" at the bottom is shorter also than my Original, but pitted body seen on right.

What do you other collectors think? Is this a real WWI grenade body?

Has anyone seen another one of these, or heard of anyone making reproduction WW1 MkI 32 seg bodies?? past or present??

Regards, Steve

 

[pointblank0]

I don't collect US grenades but have to agree with you. The botton bit just doesn't look right and I've never seen a filling plug like that before. Have you removed it? Just wandering where the threads end in the recess. It does look too new, but then, I dont really know. Someone will.
Rob

 

[Kilroy was Here]

I don't collect US grenades but have to agree with you. The botton bit just doesn't look right and I've never seen a filling plug like that before. Have you removed it? Just wandering where the threads end in the recess. It does look too new, but then, I dont really know. Someone will.
Rob

Hi Rob, Thanks. It's not my grenade body, I do not want to mess with it too much. I already chipped some paint off in small spots to see underneath. It looks like an old body under the new paint job. Looks as if someone maybe put "bondo/body filler" to hide pits on it before painting. I was going to strip it anyway if it is a real body and get it.
I was considering a trade for something I have this fellow wants, and wanted to upgrade my pitted MkI body in pic.

Regards, Steve

 

[paul the grenade]

Hi I think its ok.
Heres a pic of an unthreaded practice body which has a short base.
Cheers, Paul.

 

[dano1917]

OK

I think it's original, there are different base extentions. The base plug as you said may have been put in any time...Dano

 

[inertordnance]

Photo of three US MK1 Bodies with varying features. I also believe that the Green Colored MK1 Body shown above is refinished with the loading plug possibly replaced.

 

[dano1917]

line-up

Beautiful line-up of MK1's inertord, and Kilroy I think if that MK! were mine i'd strip off the repaint and see what lies beneath...Dano

 

[Kilroy was Here]

Photo of three US MK1 Bodies with varying features. I also believe that the Green Colored MK1 Body shown above is refinished with the loading plug possibly replaced.

Hi Interord, thanks for showing me your line up. Very nice. Yes, I also agree this is newly painted and originality of plug is in question.

Thanks to others for the opinions also.

The questions I have now are:

**1. Has anyone seen the "off-centered "F" in diamond before? All F's I have seen are centered. Granted this coulld be a batch or Lot flaw, it just looks funny to me.

**2. The font of the "3" looks odd and not correct. Has anyone seen or have a "diamond F" that has the "3" Lot number on it? any pics? or one with a 3?

**3. Has any company here in US or abroad ever made a "Reproduction" MkI 32 seg body?

I think there is a possibility this is genuine, But I will have to strip the paint off as I had originally planned to do from the very start if I got it for my collection to make a final judgment. I have no repaints in my collection, and do not like them. Green is the complete wrong color for a WW1 grenade anyway.

Regards, Steve

 

[inertordnance]

Hello Steve,

I have a MK1 with an off centered F and 3 that you mentioned (Photo Attached). I believe that the minor differences in Mk1 Bodies and Marking Font(s), is due to the molds being "hand made" between different mold makers and foundries, with no two molds being exactly the same. The US was desperately in need of Hand Grenades at that time and I am sure that serviceable molds for wartime production were a priority over exacting details between molds. Really the only Exact standards needed were the Fuze and Loading Plug Threads.

Also I have never observed a known reproduction of the MK1 Body in The US to date, except for the resin type replicas that are currently being offered. Up until about 20 years ago, the MK1 Bodies were fairly easy to find in the U.S. with the MK1 Fuzes always being fairly scarce.

Stay Safe!

Frank

 

[Kilroy was Here]

Of Course there were differences in castings, and these little pretty details did not matter for wartime production, I know this. :nerd: Functionality is what matters in wartime.

Now back to the issue at hand.

Thank You Frank!!! This pic you posted is what I wanted, and needed to see. The Font of 3 is the same. For some reason the 3 did not look to be the right font. I thought maybe it would be more a "old-time" looking numeral, you know what I mean? I just have not seen a 3 on a F body, and could not find a pic of an example.

So... It appears this "might" be original. I will see if I can get it for my collection for a reasonable price, and will strip paint and show everyone again when finished with my magic. I love stripping grenades and have a bit of experience and good results doing it. Pictures to follow soon!!! (maybe)

Thanks again for the fast reply and great pic Frank!!

Regards, Steve

 

[inertordnance]

Hello Steve,

Glad that it helped!

It reminds me of the days when Letters and Polaroid Instant Photos (Usually Blurry) :sad: via mail were the normal chains of inquiry, man I Am glad those means of correspondence are gone!

Stay Safe,

Frank

 

[Kilroy was Here]

HaHa, yes, I remember. Computers really are a great information gathering tool, this is true. Thanks again Frank, will let you know what happens with this body.

Regards, Steve

 

[Eodtek]

Well if anyone was wondering what the original green paint on a MK I looked like, here is the only one I like that that I have/had. Unfortunately, this is one of the grenades that was stolen last year so all I have now are the photos of it.

 

[dano1917]

Mk1

To the best of my knowledge the MK1 body has never been reproduced save the resin replicas now available. As we all know the MKII is an altogether different story. I'd damn near bet my life that the MKI body is original. There seems to be grenades that are reproduced and grenades that are not, and again as far as I know no steel repro MK1 bodies exist. For what that was worth.......Dano

 

[Kilroy was Here]

Well if anyone was wondering what the original green paint on a MK I looked like, here is the only one I like that that I have/had. Unfortunately, this is one of the grenades that was stolen last year so all I have now are the photos of it.

Hello, thanks for sharing the pic. Sorry she got stolen. :tinysmile_cry_t4:

As Far as I have researched, the MKI was NEVER "Green" painted during WWI. Grenades were mostly Black, or sometimes Grey. I think your grenade is a Grey grenade and the color has changed over time to a greenish hue.

Regards, Steve

 

[Kilroy was Here]

To the best of my knowledge the MK1 body has never been reproduced save the resin replicas now available. As we all know the MKII is an altogether different story. I'd damn near bet my life that the MKI body is original. There seems to be grenades that are reproduced and grenades that are not, and again as far as I know no steel repro MK1 bodies exist. For what that was worth.......Dano

Hey Dano, thanks for the input. I think it's real also. New pics of it, and my magic soon!!!!

Steve

 

[Eodtek]

Hello, thanks for sharing the pic. Sorry she got stolen. :tinysmile_cry_t4:

As Far as I have researched, the MKI was NEVER "Green" painted during WWI. Grenades were mostly Black, or sometimes Grey. I think your grenade is a Grey grenade and the color has changed over time to a greenish hue.

Regards, Steve

We considered that but the paint is not altered through it's composition. Breaking a fleck off and examining it under a scope showed that it was green all the way through. I have also seen one example of a greyish blue one that was recovered at Fort AP Hill 2 yrs ago.

Not knowing the origin of the MKI that I photographed makes it difficult to pin down the full story.

 

[Bonnex]

US Mk 1

Thought the colour on the lefthand one might show up better than it does. Anyway the fuze types might be of interest.

 

[dano1917]

Green MK1

I guess I went brain dead for a while as I had been watching this thread. I have never seen another green original painted MK1 in 30 years of collecting. I thought live units were black and practice units blue, blue-grey and grey. You see something new every day as that paint looks original as hell to me. Could be green over black but just don't think so. That's pretty much it.....Dano

 

[Grenademan2005]

Hi:
Im sorry, but it is totally fake.....:tinysmile_cry_t2:..... :tinysmile_fatgrin_t It is a real one, as Dano and other expert collectors said before there is no exist a copy, by now, in metal of the MKI body. Just yours it is a practice body, like mine with number 11. For this is slightly different from a combat one.