Brass Eks

[roseh52]

Hi guys,

Just out of plain ol curiosity, How common or rare are brass EKs especially ek1s? And do they have mms or is that uncommon. Ive seen a few but none that i can remember being marked. If I recall correctly, brass was used in earlier production, then they cut the costs and used iron... feel free to correct me on that but isnt brass indicitive of an early ek?

Rose

[Anthony Evans]

not sure on the early or late part of the brass, i belive l/17 was one that made brass along with a few others. I would label them a high end common all they way up to a mid uncommon item. As far as i know they were mainly issued to the navy due to the salt water would corode the heck out of the iron ones. some one correct me if i am wrong.

[Peter Wiking]

Hello Rose.
I have just looked at a nice Souval cross marked L58 with a brass core.

The brass contra navy isue is a myth. There can be many reasons why a cross is made of brass, copper or zink instead of iron or silver/nickel. Many iron cross makers prodused other items before the war, items as door knobs, door signs, heaters... It is natural that they would have sheets of brass and zink stored. These materials would be used first. Other reasons can be technical issues with the dietools that prevents them from using iron materials.

Peter

[franki]

Hello,

here are coming a couple of manufacturers who have made crosses with brass core:
Hofstätter; F. Orth, Souval, W&L, S&L
Schinkel crosses and further a lot of unknown manufacturers.

Best Franki

[roseh52]

Thanks guys for your replies.

One other question though, did Souval make them then (during war) or is it the post war Souval in the 60s?