Kriegsmarine U-boat frontspange die question

[John R]

Gordon,

You have an example of the U-boat frontspange die shot in your book. Two questions. First, were these shots ever faked to your knowledge? I see no reason why one would be faked, or possibly they were made to make fakes after the war. I do not know. Attached is an example posted on WAF, many conflicting opinions on it. Your book is referenced there also since you stated that both die struck and die cast shots would have flashing.

Your take on this would be appreciated.

John

Edited June 18, 2007 by John Robinson

[John R]

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[John R]

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[Gordon Williamson]

Die struck or die cast ,flashing would still be evident. Once the blank is formed, the piece is put into a cropping tool which shears off the flashing. Just look at any original Frontspange and the striations around the edge from the operation to shear off the flashing are quite evident.

I would expect far less flashing though, on a die cast piece than on a die stamped/forged piece.

I would doubt if anyone is specifically making fake unfinished blanks, but they are certainly making fake Fronstpange so I suppose there must be unfinished ones around.

Quite how one would tell a test shot from an original tool from a test shot from a tool for making fakes if they had got the die characteristics right I don't know. I would only ever consider such unfinished pieces as having (minimal) value as a "curio" and included it in the book simply to illustrate the appearance of a die stamping after the first stage strike.

[RichardT]

Interesting. I was just looking at Gordon's book and if you turn it upside down and compare the outside contours of the flashing shown in the book and the flashing shown in this example, they closely match each other, although not totally. Coincidence? Who knows but interesting non the less.

Richard