Japanese Ceramic Grenades

[Jeremy92]

If your not familiar with these your probably scatching your head now. But dont worry I felt the same way last week... Long story short I acquired these from a local vet. He as many other trophies, but this is what he wanted to get rid of. From what I have read these were produced late war due to the lack of metal and other vital supplies. Numerous factories produced them, and I think that you distinguish them by shape, and color. Also they were not used much either. I know a few mroe facts but ntohing realy important. I believe the vet acquired these during occupation, which makes sense. Personally i think they are really neat, but I wonder how effective they were. For instance, would the ceramic ball shatter from hitting the groud before exploding? Well just posting to share a piece of the vast Japanese aresenol which I find unique. Lastly if anyones interested i may be willing to sell one or two. FInally, I was wondering i should put these in my 6 year brothers easter basket sunday? lol
enjoy,
Jeremy

[kaigunair]

nice inkpots. j/k. looks like a nice grouping. I think if you do a search, you'll find a few threads on these. there is also an example of a post war mfg painting these up really nice.

[Jeremy92]

nice inkpots. j/k

LOL, i never thought of that... lol

[rabbit indy]

Very nice late war WW2 japanese ceramic grenades.
These types of grenade were used in Okinawa and Iwo-Jima.

http://www.otanitoki.jp/newpage128.htm

rabbit indy

[Tim B.]

Here's another Type 4, the only one I have. A commander that I served with in Guam found one of these in the jungle at NavMag. EOD had to deact it.

Thought it was pretty cool and had to get one as well.

Tim

[Jeremy92]

Here's another Type 4, the only one I have. A commander that I served with in Guam found one of these in the jungle at NavMag. EOD had to deact it.

Thought it was pretty cool and had to get one as well.

Tim

I agree that is pretty cool! BTW nice type 4!

[Jareth]

great flower bud vases too

[maverick87]

I love the creativity the Japanese used in extreme late war, last ditch efforts. I read about the last ditch land mine: A japanese soilder would dig a hole, lay in it, hold a bomb, cover himself, and when an allied tank rolled by, he would self detonate the bomb with like a hammer or something.

[kaigunair]

I love the creativity the Japanese used in extreme late war, last ditch efforts. I read about the last ditch land mine: A japanese soilder would dig a hole, lay in it, hold a bomb, cover himself, and when an allied tank rolled by, he would self detonate the bomb with like a hammer or something.

I think that being buried alive would make it difficult breath and to strike a hammer on anything. More likely easier to hide in the bushes and run out under a tank, or emerge from an underground bunker/tunnel with a magnetic mine.

I'd also wonder how a US soldier could assess that a hidden japanese soldier using such a method actually did this vs a normal land mine, since you'd most likely have a burning hulk of US tank on top of whatever cause it to go off. I dunno, but it does sound better in a report to a CO explaining how you lost a tank...

[blinky]

This was outlined in a US Army booklet as one of the menthods used to destroy a tank using a small aircraft bomb with an instantanious fuze. I'll take a photo if I can find it today. It's a clever idea but I don't see how it could work....too many variables need to come together for it to be successful.

eric

[cbuehler]

These may not be as "late war" as many think. Many of them turned up in the mountains above Clark Airbase in the Philippines. The last Japanese supply ships to Luzon would have been in late december of 1944, so we know they were being made by late '44 anyway.

CB

[Tim B.]

Type 4 grenade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[JCB]

Ceramic Grenade fuzes and protective caps

Ceramic grenades are very common but finding one with the rubber membrane intact or fuze is very rare. I just bought a ceramic grenade on ebay that still had remnants of the rubber exterior along with the original rubber fuze housing (rare!) and protective wooden cap. The inert ceramic grenade is due anyday now.(Hurry up UPS!) I can't wait to see it. I paid too much but the fuze and cap are so rare....

Link-completeAuction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-WWII-Na...item27b06c16a0

Does anybody else have a ceramic grenade that has either the rubber exterior intact or a complete inert fuze?? I'm a Japanese ordnance collector and I've never seen a totally complete ceramic grenade with fuze, protective cap and completely intact rubber membrane. Post a pic if you have these rare parts!

Jim

JapaneseOrdnance(at)yahoo.com
Always buying good Inert Japanese Ordnance.

PS. Re:Rabbit Indy. Great link to the ceramic weapons page. I wish some of those items were for sale!

[Tim B.]

Thought I would drop this link into the thread for those that might like to read a bit more on these items. It has more than just Japanese as well. Enjoy

Inert-Ord.net - A Varied and Detailed Display of Collectable Military Ordnance

Jim,
You might want to read the section on the Type 4 grenade and the info on the fuzes and why you don't see these intact.

Tim

[Ryukyutunnelrat]

Ceramic grenades are very common but finding one with the rubber membrane intact or fuze is very rare. I just bought a ceramic grenade on ebay that still had remnants of the rubber exterior along with the original rubber fuze housing (rare!) and protective wooden cap. The inert ceramic grenade is due anyday now.(Hurry up UPS!) I can't wait to see it. I paid too much but the fuze and cap are so rare....

Link-completeAuction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-WWII-Na...item27b06c16a0

Does anybody else have a ceramic grenade that has either the rubber exterior intact or a complete inert fuze?? I'm a Japanese ordnance collector and I've never seen a totally complete ceramic grenade with fuze, protective cap and completely intact rubber membrane. Post a pic if you have these rare parts!

Jim

JapaneseOrdnance(at)yahoo.com
Always buying good Inert Japanese Ordnance.

PS. Re:Rabbit Indy. Great link to the ceramic weapons page. I wish some of those items were for sale!

Hi Jim,

Nice addition....the guy you got it from used to go caving with me and my father years ago...we used to dig these up still intact with all the rubber on it but only in muddy wet caves. I believe this one came out of what we called the Mud Cave along with the cyanide glass grenades that were still packed in the metal containers.....long story on that one LOL....I have pic of the cave if your interested.

David.