Something for GJ

[Edelweiss]

Wire cutters are Waa stamped so why not crampons?

Of course, among hundreds of other pieces of equipment. So were ice axes too, for instance (inside yellow circle below) :

[Edelweiss]

And even piton hammers :

[Christian_GJR3]

.

Yes, you are right and I gotta revise my statement which I made in 2007. All these equipment can be nicely WaA marked.

[Alex Ciavaglia]

Hello friends,
i think there is so much confusion on the Gebirgsjaeger specifical equipment. In the past, i 've seen a lot of very identical Stubai's ice axes, hammers etc with or without 'HV', 'GJR 137' or waffenamt engraved on them. This is enough for me and it tells that someone had fun remarkings the german, austrian and switzerland armies equipment stuff with WW2 Gebirgsjaeger regimental markings. Of course in the post war time.
This is another STUBAI 's ice axe. It's lightly different in shape of the Edelweiss one. It's not regiment marked but, both, have the same red striped hold strap!! As i said, there is much confusion for lacking of official knowledge!!
Alex

[Alex Ciavaglia]

2

[Alex Ciavaglia]

3

[FestungSpanien]

Here's the same maker as the one posted by Chris (Edelweiss) but with another variation,without the HV marking and the strap doesn't bear the two red stripes
Ace

[Edelweiss]

Yes, you are right and I gotta revise my statement which I made in 2007. All these equipment can be nicely WaA marked.

Happy hou did in the meantime Christian, this forum is a real information mine. Nice crampons BTW, are these yours ?


Hi Alex ! Well, even if what you brought into the discussion has little to do with crampons markings, first subject of this thread, as this point has now been fully treated, I have nothing against seeing the thread take this new direction.

You are right, I've seen a lot of these specific regimental markings too. Regarding the Eispickel and hammer depicted above in my posts, I got the two of them, plus a second absolutely identical stone mint Aschenbrenner ice axe from the same seller in Germany ; the total price for the 3 pieces was a fraction of what would have costed the manufacture of only one of these ice axes. Except perhaps if it was made today in China (not absolutely sure though), which I doubt regarding the high quality of the manufacture and materials.

It's well known that Peter Aschenbrenner designed these "Aschenbrenner" ice axes, and that these were period (fully hand) made by Stubai (below, different steps in the period fabrication process of an ice ace) :







The "Aschenbrenner" are taller in size than the regular Stubai ice axes, and also of a slightly different design in the "metallic head" (sorry, I lack the right term in english). The red stripped wrist strap is also right (in materials and colors) for a period issued one made by Stubai, the civilian models generally showing different kind of color variations. The oval ring to secure the strap around the wrist is also present :

[Edelweiss]

Now regarding the maker's mark, Stubai changed its diamond-shaped logo after the end of the war for this one :




The Swiss issued ice axes were generally marked accordingly :




Now, regarding the army acceptance mark (HV), it can be found stamped in different ways on these items : hot stamped on the wood (like on my Aschenbrenner above), cold stamped (hammer)*, and also sometimes stamped on the metallic part of the axe (below my regular Stubai Eispickel) :




In the metal, these acceptance stampings can be very accurately and neatly done (another example below, from another collection) :





* Remark : very same provenance for the two items in post #31 (Aschenbrenner ice axe and piton hammer), but obviously different lettering and method of application regarding the two "HV" stampings.


So, what to think about all this ? Are these ice axes 100 % fakes, or good ones with fake markings ? Or is it original acceptance marks on period ice axes, but with fake regimental markings added later ? Or were regimental depots stocks dispersed after the war ? We already saw this kind of thing happen for several accepted items, like G.43 pouches, 2nd model WH pith helmets or WH tropical sidecaps to speak about these three examples only. I'd be very interested to hear what other collectors (Bart, Pat & al) do think about that.

[FestungSpanien]

Nice pictures, Chris
Here's my strap.
I bought the ice pick dirty cheap so if faked I assume I could have payed 200€ plus
It also has the oval ring
I figure that as they took many civilian models to be used you can find several variations of the same pattern

[Edelweiss]

I figure that as they took many civilian models to be used you can find several variations of the same pattern

Of course they did, and not only regarding ice axes : many (if not every) piece of GJ equipment could have had a civilian origin. I won't post - period and collection - pictures here, as it would then become a too huge thread. But caps, Windblusen, snowshoes, climbing shoes, ski boots , gloves, skis, crampons, stoves, puttees, backpacks, etc, etc... could be of civilian origin and/or private purchase (it was also the case to a certain extend during my time in the Chasseurs Alpins). On this point only, I guess Patrick could make a big chapter in a book (*wink* - nudge), only with period photos. Reason why I will post only one, that once again depicts the very ski boots I posted higher in the thread, quite characteristic of an officer's private purchase item.





Back to the ice axe subject, happy you scored well with your Aschenbrenner Ace, they're really great (and of a high finish level) items !
Here's a view of the strap on my "regular" Stubai :

[Edelweiss]

Which BTW is now displayed on a wall in my home together with the first pair of crampons, as the Aschenbrenner and the strapped crampons above replaced them on the collection set.




But well, I'm just a sweet amateur on the topic compared to some here, hope we'll soon hear from them on this subject.

[FestungSpanien]

Very nice neat pictures
I have just realized that you strap includes a lovely period edelweiss
Here's a picture of my strap in detail
Berg Heil!

[Edelweiss]

I have just realized that you strap includes a lovely period edelweiss
Berg Heil!

And also a natural one, but



Horrido !

[madandi]

All from STUBAI but different WaA-Stamps. I still don´t like the WaA 103.