Ek1 unmarked with flaws

[Doctoru]

Hello, beginner collector here, what could you tell about this cross, please?
I see it has big flaws on 6 and 9 o clock arms and the paint is in bad shape.
I could not figure for myself what maker is.
Thanks,
Horia

[sanya13]

IMO this is a Steinhauer & Lück type

[Douglas 5]

Yes an early S&L type .

Douglas

[Hank C.]

Yes an early S&L type .

Douglas

Why would an "early" type (of any maker) have frame flaws that severe?

best
H

[Douglas 5]

Many early makers start up or growing pains .... trial and error - to get things just right .
Various contributing factors : like material used, proper die hardening and alignment have to be just right .

S&L and Meybauer are known to have used frames with lots of flaws( even some early R3 Deschlers) ...
It was up to the individual companies - to set a cut off point when the production die started failing .
Most threw out the die at the first appearance of flaws others - when it got visually too noticeable ?
The painted frosting method helped with hiding flaws to some degree .

With S&L we have their bin method . .. with the last struck frames being on top and used first .
I have talked to others to see if there is any idea how many frames these rolling bins could have held . ... a few thousand frames .
The case here with S&L they supplied many joining companies with tooling and or frames - so they went through a few dies doing this .
Also how long a production die could be used is not predictable and no data is obtainable .

Douglas

[Hank C.]

Many early makers start up or growing pains .....edit

....obtainable .

Douglas

Thanks Douglas.

H