L/53 with box.

[Hans N]

reverse zinker

[Dennis P]

Hans:

Your badge in gold is stunning.

Thanks for posting your badges and for the additional insight. It certainly appears from your examples that the 5 5 5 5 pattern was used, until the second die was created (4 5 5 5) on later war zinc pieces.

Dennis

[Von Brand]

After reading your response, I looked through my photo files on L/53 silver wound badges......and ended up learning something I had not realized. Two different dies were used by this maker in their badge production.

The earlier tombak pieces have 5 lines to the left portion of the left sword hilt, while the later zinc ones, only have 4 lines. Additionally, the later badges show the guide lines for placing the hinge and the catch, where the earlier ones don't show this.

I am wondering if your badge is tombak or zinc? There may have been a time when the early die was used for a time on zinc badges, before switching over to the new die, featuring a 4 5 5 5 hilt pattern, and the setup guide lines.

Here are some examples with photo credits to the owners of the other badges which appeared on WAF threads in the past. Hopefully, this will not raise any objections.

Dennis

Dennis,

The badge I own is made from the so called "Feinzink" so it's made from zinc.

The badge you posted from Ronny R, looks a lot like my badge only the pin has a different colour. The one from Ronny R looks bronze mine has the same colour as the rest of the badge.

[Von Brand]

Btw may I ask what tombak exactly is? Is that when the badge has a back with stripes, or am I saying something really stupid here?

[Dennis P]

There is nothing stupid about it, and the term is used frequently.

To the best of my knowledge it is an alloy of metals, mostly brass.

Here is a tombak 11 marked SWB in my collection. You can see the brass toned base material where it was worn off the swastika.

Dennis

[Von Brand]

Thank you for your explanation. It's clear to me now

And I'm also 100% percent sure now that mine is made from zinc. So it's a L/53 made from zinc with the 5-5-5-5 pattern. Is it one to keep ?

[Greg]

Heck yeah, it's a keeper! But then, I keep ANYTHING made by Hymmen.

My silver zincer is 5-5-5-5.

Best,
Greg

[Greg]

back

[Greg]

My gold zincer is 4-5-5-5. I haven't been able to figure out what happened to the finish on this one. This appears to be the original finish (ie not paint), but very dull and oxidized.

[Greg]

.

[MH184]

Bugger! I can't view the pic's of the box, are they on some photo bucket site?

I've a LDO box for a black L/53 badge, but have yet to find the badge to fit.

[Greg]

Marcus,

They're on ImageShack ... if you can't see that, and if Von Brand will grant me permission, I'll post them here regularly.

Best,
Greg

[Von Brand]

Go ahead

[Hans N]

Here are Von Brands pics

[Hans N]

2nd one