Totenkopf ring

[SAC]

From what I deduct,,the band was die pressed flat,,a skull made,,ring cut for size, engraved, rolled, and the skull soldered on. Finis..

QUOTE]

Well guys, I am new to this forum but since I have been looking into TKRs I want to contribute some of my research:

Besides having seen several rings on my own and coming to my own conclusions, (I am having a background in sculpting and other metal work), I talked to the owner of a medal factory whos father had produced awards in Germany during WWII. He examined one of the rings and told me that they never were produced by using the lost wax method.
The quote above taken from a post by Gaspare comes very close to what he told me regarding the only way of producing that number of rings with their specific appearance. The other theories, including the one from CG are not conclusive.
All the best,
SAC

[TOMEGA]

was the totenkopf ring skull cast or dye stamped ?

if it was done via either of these methods ,why the cavernous holes in the eye sockets at all ,would'nt casting or dye stamping fill the area in ?

my question is not so much the meat of the ring itself ,but why the holes in the skull eye sockets on some rings an not on others?

the SS Officers visor skulls have uniformity throughout the skulls eye sockets,why was it different on the SS Totenkopf Honour rings?

[11C]

was the totenkopf ring skull cast or dye stamped ?

if it was done via either of these methods ,why the cavernous holes in the eye sockets at all ,would'nt casting or dye stamping fill the area in ?

my question is not so much the meat of the ring itself ,but why the holes in the skull eye sockets on some rings an not on others?

the SS Officers visor skulls have uniformity throughout the skulls eye sockets,why was it different on the SS Totenkopf Honour rings?

I've suggested this before..............I believe the skulls were cast. That's the only part of the ring that was cast. The "ring" was dye stamped and the cast skulls were added later. IMO

[SAC]

I've suggested this before..............I believe the skulls were cast. That's the only part of the ring that was cast. The "ring" was dye stamped and the cast skulls were added later. IMO

11C - yes, I agree!

[Gaspare]

There was a collector that actually had 2 of the late pattern skulls! [one damaged]. Cool little things. He no longer collects but won't part with the little devils!
Don Boyle has always said the skulls were cast..

Just to explore a bit -
Is anyone familiar with the 'Press a Penny' you see at certain attractions? You put a penny in this machine, you crank the handle, and the penny comes out the other side bigger, flatter, and with a detailed design on one side....
Well, does anyone think that the HR could have been made that way? Either in total,or, in part?

[sgstandard]

Rings

I don't know the exact name of the method used, but it involved a method similar to what Gaspare just mentioned, similar to the method used to make other rings of that period, as seen on rings with hollow backs. They were NOT cast by the "lost-wax" process that is so common today. I don't know if the skulls were made similarly, or not. As I've said a hundred times, they were not lost-wax cast, because there are NO advantages, and only disadvantages. They were "pressed" or "stamped", whatever you want to call it. And they were not pure silver, but made of various alloys.