Beginners mistakes

[Dietrich Maerz]

I'd like to start a thread about beginners mistakes. Sometimes there seems to be some confusion or lack of knowledge about certain thing. Maybe this thread can help to avopid some of those. I'd like to start with one of the more obvious:

Schinkel
This was the gentleman who designed the Iron Cross. Some earlier crosses are 'named' after him because of the shape of the cross arms.


Schickle
Manufacturer of the Knights Cross in Pforzheim for a short period of time. Also manufacturer of the Iron Cross 1st Class. Never got a PKZ number. LDO-number L/15


Klein & Quenzer
located in Idar-Oberstein, no LDO-number, PKZ-# 65. Also manufacurer of the RK, EK1 and 2


Klein
surely not to be mixed up with Klein & Quenzer! Located in Hanau, manufacturer of the DK, no LDO-number, PKZ-# '134'


Juncker
manufacturer of the RK and EK's. LDO-number L/12, PKZ-# "2". Located in Berlin


Junkers
Airplane manufacturer, located in Dessau.


Maybe more members can add their comments to the thread. Not only names, but other 'beginners' misconceptions also. It will help some people for sure!

Dietrich

[Peter Wiking]

3 piece crosses with magnetic core are genuine. There are many fakes made this way.
1 piece crosses are fakes. There are genuine crosses made this way.

Cheers.
Peter

[Calvin Hall]

Urban Myth: Iron Crosses w/ non-magnetic (i.e. non-ferrous metals such as brass or zinc) cores were for the Kreigsmarine. This was due to the corrosive, salty air that would damage the cores of the KM issued EKs.

Old wives' tale!

As far as I know, their is no validity to this urban myth.

[Peter Wiking]

The core is magnetic.
This does not mean that metal objects will stick to the core and function as a magnet.
It means that a magnet will stick to the core and thus the core is made of a material containing iron.

Cheers.
Peter

[mike smith]

beginners mistakes.

I am so confused now i think i will give it all up.

[RoyA]

S&L
The firm of Steinhauer und Lück, located in Lüdenscheid. LDO L/16, PKZ #4. Manufacurer of the RK, DK and EK.

S&M

[mrg]

All Iron Crosses are genuine .

Seriously. All iron Crosses from certain makers rattle. Not true. Some cores are stuck or rusted to the frame.

[DavidM]

Hello

My contribution is:

I bought it from a dealer, so it must be genuine - they said so

There are good honest dealers out there, and there are dealers who will deliberately sell you a fake. Even the best of the honest dealers occasionally gets caught out and sells a fake.

The advice is, learn your subject. Get as many good reference books on your area of interest and read them. Read the posts in forums like the WAF, and study the pictures. Know your subject as well as, if not better, than the next person. An investment in knowledge will pay dividends in the long run.

Regards
David

[Franco]

Hi Peter,
Are there any pre 45 one piece RKs that you know of ? Marked or unmarked.Silver or non silver.
Cheers Franco

[Dietrich Maerz]

Are there any pre 45 one piece RKs that you know of ? Marked or unmarked.Silver or non silver.

Maybe another misconception! There are no one piece RK of the pre-May 45 period. Ther are, however, genuine non-magnetic and non-silver frame examples.

[Peter Wiking]

Hi Peter,
Are there any pre 45 one piece RKs that you know of ? Marked or unmarked.Silver or non silver.
Cheers Franco

None of the official RK's are one piece. There are one piece Iron Crosses though.

Peter

[George Stimson]

Another common mistake for beginners (and for seasoned collectors sometimes, in fact) -- in a general sense, not just with EKs -- is to be in too much of a hurry to acquire items. This can lead to the purchase of many bad or poor quality pieces. If I had one bit of advice to give collectors, it would be, "Slow down. Study. Don't worry about missing a certain piece. There will always be nice things to get. Take your time in collecting and you will end up with a superb collection."

[Allan P.]

Another common mistake for beginners (and for seasoned collectors sometimes, in fact) -- in a general sense, not just with EKs -- is to be in too much of a hurry to acquire items. This can lead to the purchase of many bad or poor quality pieces. If I had one bit of advice to give collectors, it would be, "Slow down. Study. Don't worry about missing a certain piece. There will always be nice things to get. Take your time in collecting and you will end up with a superb collection."

That George is probably the best advice available not only to beginners but to many collectors.

[MH184]

C.F Zimmerman, Pforzheim L/52 and 20

Fritz Zimmerman, Stuttgart L/24 and 6

[Don D.]

Thinking you can find a real RK/DKiG on ebay.