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BEWARE smooth M1917 German WW1 egg grenades

If you run across an M1917 German egg grenade with the smooth sides (no grip ring). Beware especially if it has been repainted. Lately i've run across an inordinate amount of regular M1917n/A German egg grenades where the lugs have been ground smooth to simulate the smooth bodied model. Some are done so well it is hard to tell. Even the original "smoothies" can look fake due to the mold seam running around the middle. The only way to know for sure if it has been repainted is to insist on stripping off the top coat of paint before a deal is made. Stripping off the top coat will make it quite obvious as to whether it has been altered or not. Seems like lots of trouble to make a 50.00 egg into a 125.00 egg, but trust me people are doing it. Let the buyer beware and be educated....Dano
 
what's wrong with this picture

Something just don't seem "quite right" with this Lanz mortar shell??? Dano
 

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I did paul but my computer had a major meltdown where I lost photos and files. If you have a smooth egg that is a defo repaint, just strip it and the "worked over" area will be quite obvious. It is Win Win because if the egg is good you end up with original finish, and if it a reworked n/A simply paint it black again and hand it back to seller with a polite "no thanks". Where the lugs were ground off it'll leave a roughness that the shysters will spot fill with spot glazing putty. Really seen it more than a few times lately....Dan
P.S. Again there are original smooth eggs with a mold line around the center which are perfectly original. On these the top and bottom halves dont exactly match. But again a little stripper will tell the story. If seller is unwilling to let you strip it simply pass.

Pictured here is a 100% no doubt original M1917 WW1 German smooth bodied egg grenade.....Dano
 

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Rick, I think that is a good one. There are many with the mold seam around the middle that are factory and it will show as a flash line, If the flash line was prominent enough a little factory grinding was done. The fakes I have seen were virtually undetectable except for the fresh coat of paint. On this example no effort has been made to cover it up with filler and/or paint. No way to be 100% sure but looks okay to me. Basiclly what I am saying is that if you see a smooth egg with a new paint job insist on a strip before you buy it. This thread is far from over as I am going to take some pics of known fakes and known good ones. as we all know if you buy from a reputible dealer these are things you need not worry about. I got burned on one on ebay some 10 years ago. It had been painted gold so I got it for a modest 25.00. i decided to strip the gold off ( no brainer) and to my chagrin it looked like the checkerboard square.......Dano
PS picture shows 2 smooth m1917 German eggs. Left one I just got in trade and is very obviously a good one. The one on right was a repaint so I suspected it. I stripped it down and it had not been altered but only about 5% of the paint was there so I repainted it black again. These are both good ones. Sometimes if you take a suspect egg and rotate it while holding your thumb on mid section of body you can feel sharp/flat edge(s). If this is felt I would be suspect and demand a strip before a deal is struck. The only reason I brought this up is that I have ran into three altered eggs in the last year or so. I think 98% of smooth eggs to be good because there is just not enough money to be made for the amount of labor it would take..
 

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