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Unusual WWI German Practice Stick Grenade

M

moondoggy

Well-Known Member
Here is an unusual style of a WWI German live fuse practice stick grenade. It never had a belt hook either.

practice 1.jpg

practice 2.jpg

practice 3.jpg

practice 4.jpg

practice 5.jpg
 
Hi Vinny, Sure glad someone jumped in here. I am totally intrigued and also totally at a loss with this one. I have never seen the like. So much says it to be WW1 German and I also think it is WW1 German. It's just one of those eye poppers that i've never seen. The only other WW1 German stick I know of without the belt hook is the Verdun 1916 "artisnal" sticks. It is awesome. I thought this grenade would draw posts out of the wooodwork....Dano
 
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dano1917 said:
Hi Vinny, Sure glad someone jumped in here. I am totally intrigued and also totally at a loss with this one. I have never seen the like. So much says it to be WW1 German and I also think it is WW1 German. It's just one of those eye poppers that i've never seen. The only other WW1 German stick I know of without the belt hook is the Verdun 1916 "artisnal" sticks. It is awesome. I thought this grenade would draw posts out of the wooodwork....Dano
Click to expand...
Ha Dano,They might be it awa,I no I was when I first seen it.
That handel screams german to me 5 1/2 second.I hope its not lost to history,I would really like to no more about it.
Later on.
Vinny :tinysmile_grin_t: :tinysmile_angry_t:
 
Hey Vinny, The can is similar to a practice WW1 stick in Delhomme's book. I have never seen a handle with C.S.S. on it. I really thought this thread would get jumped on as it is a "different" piece than the norm. No positive proof it is WW1 German but I think there is little doubt that it is. This thing has me totally rapt and I would sure like to find out more information on it. Has any of you guys out there seen the like? It is a sweet grenade. Come on guys we need some input, comments, opinions.....Dano
 
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thread bump

I wanted to get this thread on the "front page" at least one more time as I would really like to see some opinions etc.... on this practice stick. I think it is uncommon and warrants a little scrutiny. I won't bump it again, just wanted to give some of the members a little more time to comment on this grenade that moondoggy originally posted. Thanks in advance......Dano
 
very interesting. ive never seen this sort before. i wonder what the mechanism in the head is for??:tinysmile_hmm_t2:
cheers, paul.
 
I would assume the mechanism in the head would be for a smoke spotting charge of some sort? I bet I have seen dozens of variants of the various practice sticks of WW1, especially the earlier 1915 model. Different handles, different cans, different methods of attaching can to handle etc..., but never one like this one. I guess if you hang around this hobby long enough you will seen new things come to light. To me, being a WW1 German grenade collector this one is exciting because it is so different from any others I have identified. So obviously WW1 German yet so different. If these pieces could only talk!! Dano
 
I could be wrong, but I think that C.S.S. might be Carl Spaeter. I have seen several of the early large can stick grenades with handles marked Carl Spaeter. I did a quick google search and the company still exits today. I forgot what I paid for this grenade, but it wasn't a lot. This was taken out of a closet and put up for sale on ebay about five years ago. I don't think many people knew what it was or they were looking for actual stick grenades as opposed to the practice models. I agree with Dano. I believe the spring mechanism was used to hold a live fuse or smoke charge. The pull string was fed through the handle just like a typical stick grenade. The spring mechanism combined with an open end would allow a quick reload of the fuse during practice. The 5 1/2 second fuse stamp would date this to WWI.
 
closer look

Looking at the can it does not appear to unscrew from the collet holding it to the handle as the typical stick grenade does which means it could not come apart in that fashion to install detonator so the mechanism could have held detonator/smoke charge...Dano
 
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