Is there a Doktor in the House!?

[bobcam1]

I'm a HUGE fan of Jimmy and his work, when it's called for, but.....at best, I would hope that you might consider a trade with someone who WOULD preserve the history of this piece.....

[CWP]

An original field made item with loads of character and provenance that goes back to the trenches of WWI... and you are going to rework it and rob it of its historical integrity, ruining forever its status as an un-messed with artifact, just so that it looks more pretty? There is a big difference between a denazified and abused or badly repaired anonymous badge and a named unique item like this. If you can't bear looking at the solder I wish you would have sold this piece to someone who really appreciates the HISTORY behind these items. Call it "flak" if you want but I am passionate about the history of these items we collect and to see something wrecked forever like this.... Words fail me.

[Paul R.]

An original field made item with loads of character and provenance that goes back to the trenches of WWI... and you are going to rework it and rob it of its historical integrity, ruining forever its status as an un-messed with artifact, just so that it looks more pretty? There is a big difference between a denazified and abused or badly repaired anonymous badge and a named unique item like this. If you can't bear looking at the solder I wish you would have sold this piece to someone who really appreciates the HISTORY behind these items. Call it "flak" if you want but I am passionate about the history of these items we collect and to see something wrecked forever like this.... Words fail me.

I agree with Chris.. I do not understand the absurd obession some people have with tinkering with an historical item. It's not just medals, tunics, photographs, it goes beyond that. Just leave historical items alone. Please channel this obession on something else.

[Eric Gaumann]

It's yours to do with as you please but I'm with the rest here; leave it be.

[Kondor]

Mea Maxima Culpa I cannot understand how the addition of a catch and the removal of that glob of solder to the right alters the history of the piece one bit The difference between that and the restoration of enamel or the repair of any other catch on any other badge???? But I will take myself off to the corner now and sit in the naughty chair for the next hour.

[Chris D.]

Fixing something post-war done is one thing, but the crappy pin job is much more interesting than just another standard EK. IT IS PART OF ITS HISTORY

Should this helmet be sanded down and repainted to look as issued?


(*not my helmet, apologies to the owner for the re-post)

[MauserKar98k]

Fixing something post-war done is one thing, but the crappy pin job is much more interesting than just another standard EK. IT IS PART OF ITS HISTORY

Should this helmet be sanded down and repainted to look as issued?


(*not my helmet, apologies to the owner for the re-post)

It is very much apples and oranges. Yes, you would obviously not sandblast and repaint this work of art, because that's what it is, a work of art. A giant glob of solder on the frame of an EK that is not accomplishing any purpose is not "art" by any stretch of the imagination.

The question is, at what point is restoration acceptable? Can we never restore anything ever again because a it was touched at some point by a soldier of the past? Those who say that cleaning up the solder on this Iron Cross is destroying history are being very melodramatic. Your outrage would be justified if the intent was to convert this medal back to an EKII, as it was issued, but that is not the case at all. We're are talking about removing ONE glob of solder from the frame and repairing the catch. Even disregarding the solder, was the broken catch supposed to stay broken? How is repairing that destroying history? It wasn't shot off, it broke at some point, so what is the problem?

[paddywhack]

It is very much apples and oranges. Yes, you would obviously not sandblast and repaint this work of art, because that's what it is, a work of art. A giant glob of solder on the frame of an EK that is not accomplishing any purpose is not "art" by any stretch of the imagination.

The question is, at what point is restoration acceptable? Can we never restore anything ever again because a it was touched at some point by a soldier of the past? Those who say that cleaning up the solder on this Iron Cross is destroying history are being very melodramatic. Your outrage would be justified if the intent was to convert this medal back to an EKII, as it was issued, but that is not the case at all. We're are talking about removing ONE glob of solder from the frame and repairing the catch. Even disregarding the solder, was the broken catch supposed to stay broken? How is repairing that destroying history? It wasn't shot off, it broke at some point, so what is the problem?

the solder was put there by the soldiers in the trenches when they field converted this ek! removing it removes the history so it can look "pretty" , id actually FIND the money to buy this ek of the owner if he still plans to "fix" it!!i really think doing this would really take way from this cross and it will never be the same after!!

[juoneen]

As you are flying along trying to decide think of this :BOOM----BOOM-----BOOOM---BOOOM-----BOOM-----BOOM-------BOOOM----BOOM------BOOOM!
(FLAK EXPLODING ALL AROUND YOU)
BBBBBBBRRRRRTTTTT!!!!!

[ChrisCook]

EK restoration

Wow.... There is a big difference between restoration (replacing an eagle on a uniform with correct thread and period techniques), and what is being done here.... I've had a couple items over the years that I didn't like for one reason or another, bet I never thought of destroying the history or integrity of the object to make it "suit" me. If it bugged me that badly I passed it on to someone who would appreciate it, and used the funds toward something I'd really like... Don't know what else to say, seems like you are set in your decision.... Chris...

[jager17]

the solder is all part of its history!!!!!

[ROBB]

What has the swastika got to do with the cross ? Rob

[sscrooge]

I think its a wind up nobody who seriously collects this stuff would destroy the history on this cross , what i want to know is why is the guy sat on the horse carrying part of a castle on his back ?

[Kondor]

Flakbait

OK purists, I'm back and personally I still don't understand your concerns! A glob of solder is history!? Judge for yourself if the piece and its history has been destroyed. As with other "broken" badges that have had their catch replaced, we are fortunate in the fact that we have a caring restorationist who takes the time to study the piece before he operates. He has copied the catch style from the original botched job on the left arm of the cross to repair the catch on the bottom. Whisper to me the difference between this and repairing a catch on a CCC, PAB or IAB or the enamel of a German Cross. If I follow your logic, then a uniform would never be cleaned to remove the dirt, sweat or mold, yet I have seen plenty here painstakingly cleaned. No eagle would ever be resewn because the original owner removed it in the POW camp as required! Now to the Swastica. I posted the story behind it up in the Iron Cross section when another member found a German Cross WITHOUT a swastika. I actually had offered this one to Jimmy as I know he works on German Crosses. At the time I did not know if it was a period piece or not. I got it when I traded for a German Cross in Silver with a damaged Swastika. The dealer was getting ready to pop the original damaged one and put that one on. I wanted the German Cross as was/is because it shows a lot of field wear. The dealer threw in the swastika with the deal as he no longer had any use for it. Check out the thread as I did post the German Cross as well.

[wh014d4394]

can we see the out come jack??? you got a better cam than me? pissed again that means me: love it