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Still dont know what this one is

Hi Paul

I suspect this was a one off prototype. What size is the body? The standard French ball grenade was 10 inches in circumference. How does it match up size wise? The quality looks pretty good - could it be Japanese?

It looks too complex for mass manufacturing ( a bit like our No 3!). Also percussion grenades, no matter how clever were on the way out by 1915 so it must be from the 1900 - 1915 era. A wonderful thing to have in a collection. I've always liked it and pondered the origins.

John
 
Phantasm

Ever see the movie Phantasm. Now what i'm thinking is a practice version of the Phantasm ball, you know the orb device that would pull a full stop about an inch from the victims head then shoot out a drill bit that would proceed to bore a hole into their skull. By no means a positive ID but I strongly suspect that this is correct. The actual orb was chrome which leads me to strongly believe that this is a practice or even a prototype version. Now I totally realize I may be wrong but the similarities are just too strong to dismiss....Dano
 
dano1917 said:
Ever see the movie Phantasm. Now what i'm thinking is a practice version of the Phantasm ball, you know the orb device that would pull a full stop about an inch from the victims head then shoot out a drill bit that would proceed to bore a hole into their skull. By no means a positive ID but I strongly suspect that this is correct. The actual orb was chrome which leads me to strongly believe that this is a practice or even a prototype version. Now I totally realize I may be wrong but the similarities are just too strong to dismiss....Dano
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i think your still drunk fro last night dano!! ha ha
:hahaha:eek:nly kidding,but i remember the film.

all the best dano.
ive searched all over the net using loads of diffrent search titles and found nothing that looks like that grenade.

A fantastic adition to a collection,even if no one knows what it is!

Has anyone checked patents for ww1 grenades?
 
Hi Paul,

Have you thought of the possibility of it being some kind of training grenade?
Not an expert in this field at all, but the design with the lever could have been done so that the grenade was held correctly in the hand and the mech could be designed for training purposes - puff of smoke or something? Just throwing another idea your way.

Are there any training manuals for the French ball grenade giving any indication, if indeed, there was a correct way to hold/throw grenade?

regards
Kev
 
Well for the last hour ive been throgh pages of Patents for grenades.

You can imagine the range- fire extinguising grenades,training,explosive,toy....

the only grenade that looked a little like yours is the one below.
It seemed to share a resemblence. (sorry crap grammer)

I'm possitive if some time was spent searching through these patent pages on Google patents,your design would be found.
Keep searching and it will be found.

Maybe it was a prototype,and wasnt put into production that why we cant find another.

Wish i could help more.


p.s. bloody picture too small! arghhh computers bahhh
 

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So, are we talking WWI on this grenade, with a maybe off of WWII possibley?
 
V40 said:
So, are we talking WWI on this grenade, with a maybe off of WWII possibley?
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hi v40,
hope you have enjoyed the holidays.
This grenade is really bugging me.

It could be pre ww1 maybe up to 1930's?
i dont know.
I think because it is so intricate and delicate it was a one off or a prototype that wasnt produced.
Most grenades i have seen are quite basic and easy to mass produce.
This looks too complex for mass production when other simpler devices are available.
Who made it?
Maybe there is only a couple in the world!
It possibly only exists through this example and a patent or diagram somewhere.
Is it even a grenade or is it a sub munition?
I wish this was resolved! arghhhh:frown:
 
Could it be a English "Pitcher Hand grenade? They are almost the the size as the one you have, then their is the "Ball Hand Grenade" wich is 3" in circumference. The pitchers grenade was also known for the complicated fuzing system, and all the troops had to be trained in its fuzing system.


Just my $00.01 cents worth.
 
hi guys. cheers for the ideas.
18 pounder. do you have a better pic of the patented gren you have posted? or a link to the actual patent?
v40, im afraid its not the pitcher gren as that was cylindrical.
ive only called it a french experimental gren as thats where i got it from, it could be any country at all.

cheers, paul.
 
paul the grenade said:
hi guys. cheers for the ideas.
18 pounder. do you have a better pic of the patented gren you have posted? or a link to the actual patent?
v40, im afraid its not the pitcher gren as that was cylindrical.
ive only called it a french experimental gren as thats where i got it from, it could be any country at all.

cheers, paul.
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hi paul
i viewed the image allow with description on the Google patents site.
I tried to save the document and the site wont let you.
When i managed to save the crapy picture you see,it came out like that:frown:.

i can search again if you want,its just a case of searching through the documents rather like a micro fiche.
i'll see if i can find it again,write the details down and maybe you could view it that way.

Doug
 
18Pounder,

my friend, It came up in a book I had, but I am starting to agree with you and the others that it might be an "experimental grenade" or it could be a Hand Grenade and also used as a booby-trapping" device.
 
V40 said:
18Pounder,

my friend, It came up in a book I had, but I am starting to agree with you and the others that it might be an "experimental grenade" or it could be a Hand Grenade and also used as a booby-trapping" device.
Click to expand...

quite

well ive searched the patents and given up! cant find where i saw the grenade that looked abit like this. huff.
my fingers are aching!
i give up.
If someone wants to troll through Google patents under the heading hand grenade,please do.

Youll also find some scary looking devices for throwing grenades.
 
it may not even be patented.. how many inventors make/made a one off working example but dont patent ? or are in counties that at the time didnt have a patent law ?
it looks 1900 - 1930's to me by the engineering.
 
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