"AS" PAB

[Jan Arne S]

Hi All !
I found this "AS" maker marked PAB in Bronze . On pics I have compared with an "AS" in Silver made of zinc . The PAB in bronze are thinner that the on in zinc . But everthing elso seen to be OK . Is this PAB made of tombac ?
Opinions !

Lillegutt

[Jan Arne S]

"as" Pab

Back of " AS " PABs

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Lillegutt,

No, that´s a zinker as well. These AS PABs do only exist in zink.

Cheers, Frank H.

[skip]

Lovely bronze PAB Lillegutt

[Jan Arne S]

Hi Frank and Skip !
Thanks for input !
I had never seen other than zink , but it not any metall expert .
But the badge is nice to be a zinker , if I`m allowed to say that of my own badge .

Lillegutt

[Frank Heukemes]

That´s true! Zinkers can be very nice, I do not think some of them deserve the bad reputation they generally have.

Talking about PABs, I think it can be made a rule that there are no MASSIVE PABs that are Buntmetall, they are all zink. The only Buntmetall PABs are hollowbacks or...fake.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Tony Barto]

Hi Gents!

Very nice badges, Lillegut! I may have my terminology screwy but is it possible one is zinc and the other feinzinc?

[Mark S.]

What I think is that these AS badges used two distinctly different finishing techinques. I have seen the silvers with a wonderful finish that has withstood the test of time, and others which seems to wear out. This could also be caused by a better quality metal as mentioned by Tony. Maybe the early ones were of better quality, so they held the finish better? I cant say for sure, but it seems that what appears to be earlier ones have a more metallic look to them, as opposed to a silver wash on the later years.

Here is mine, which is the silver wash type. Thankfully my finish is intact. Maybe someone can post a picture of an earlier type to illustrate my point?

[skip]

Hi Frank,

you say in your post that you believe there were no massive "Buntmetal pieces", what do you say to the one on Detlevs site with the small "W" as maker. I used to have one of these and it was very dished and a lovely condition (unfortunatley I sold it a few years back after I stopped collecting)

Skip

[Greg]

Mark,

Here is an AS PAB that has a shinier finish, though it is starting to bubble. I know what you mean about different finishes; I've had other AS PABs where the finish is a duller silver, and this kind in my experience usually has "zinkpest" as well. I also have a Hermann Aurich PAB that has the duller finish but in very good shape, as opposed to one I had with a shinier finish, but it was bubbling as well (this is the example in the Silver PAB in the Image gallery).

I don't know if this type with the shinier finish means it's earlier or not.

Greg

[Greg]

The back of the badge above.

Greg

[Mark S.]

Another observation which I wasnt sure of, but now that Greg has posted his badge, I feel pretty confident in suggesting.

Notice that the version with the superior finishes also have the reverse with sharp grooves and bumps on the reverse. The obvious differences are readily evident in the bronze and silver badges posted side by side above by Lillegutt.

Although no proof exsists of one being early or late war variations, I would hazard a guess that the washed ones (like mine) are late war, going by status quo of other Wehrmacht items, badges included. Of course this could be a span of years or months..hard to say.

Mine, being the washed version, has the subdued reverse.

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Greg & Mark,

Here is my AS PAB in a shiny metallic looking plated finish.

@skip: I think the W marked badge in Detlev´s update is a very good condition feinzinc badge as well.

Cheers, Frank H.

[Frank Heukemes]

front

[Frank Heukemes]

Mark, please notice that this one has no sharp grooves and bumps on the reverse although it bears the high quality finish.