I'll be making a "mutt" U.S. MKI grenade

[dano1917]

I have kicked it around a bit, and have decided that I can't afford a "totally original" U.S. MKI grenade, so here's my next project. I have a US MKI throwing body (original) that both top and bottom holes are unthreaded. Also pictured here is the resin MKI fuze i'll be using for it. I carefully cut it off of a complete MKI resin replica. Grenademan2005 (Miguel) was nice enough to provide some close-ups of an original MKI fuze so I could get an idea on correct colors, patina etc. Well I will paint/age the fuze and epoxy it to the grenade. Now I probably could afford an original MKI at some point, but when I do get that kind of money to spend it will no doubt go to get a rarer German WWI piece (German collector by nature). And The body will be original, and I will be fine with it. I will try and keep the progress on this thread. I got the original body for 60.00US and the resin replica MKI was a throw in on a stinko trade deal. So I think I will end up with a perfectly displayable, partially original US MKI for practically zippo. Goofiest thing about this whole deal is that I don't even like the MKI fuze, and would much rather have my US MKI displayed with the early MK2 fuze. The MKI fuze was quickly s__t canned due to complexity of usage and the motions required to arm it. there were many reports of Germans picking up the partially armed MKI's, completing the arming process and throwing them back. The doughboys were trained on defensive French F1 with the automatic fuze. so for obvious reasons the early MK2 fuze on the MKI grenade worked many times better. Why make an over=complicated mess out of a relatively simple operation!.......... Dano

 

[dano1917]

stage 2

Well, here is where I am with this project right now. I have not started on painting/aging of the fuze yet but have epoxied it to the practice body. I think once I get the fuze painted/aged i'll end up with a reasonable facsimile display piece........Dano

 

[paul the grenade]

you would never know it was a repro fuze.
well done dan.:tinysmile_twink_t2:
cheers, paul.

 

[dano1917]

Appreciate your positive input Paul. I am just started on this on as I still have a ton of detail work to do on the fuze, but I think i'll be happy with the result. Thanks again my friend......Dano

 

[GTR003121]

That's the prettiest mutt I've ever seen

 

[Kilroy was Here]

Well, here is where I am with this project right now. I have not started on painting/aging of the fuze yet but have epoxied it to the practice body. I think once I get the fuze painted/aged i'll end up with a reasonable facsimile display piece........Dano

Hey Dano, this is a goofy project, your right!! Goofy is good though some times!! hehe.
It will look good your way, but you could take an old M10 or M200 series fuze, and cut the back off of the real fuze body with dremel or hacksaw. Then super glue or epoxy on the resin swing lever handle in just right position? This way it will have a mostly metal fuze instead of resin??

If you do not want to modify the MkI throwing body by threading it for the real fuze body, you can grind down the threads on fuze until it fits snug and proper by just pushing it in.

Just an idea for you if you have an old US fuze laying around. Then you can also cut off the spoon/handle to make the small top cap/cover that were on the orig fuzes. I made a top cap like this, and it looks almost perfect like original one. I think I have a top cap repro already cut like this if you want to see it.

Regards, Steve

 

[GTR003121]

Hey Dano, after reading what Steve wrote above, I have a collector friend who is a machinist and he makes fabulous cutback spoons and MKI fuze caps. I know you already epoxied the resin fuze and that's probably good enough. But if you want to expand on the project and make a metal cutback set up as suggested above, send me a PM and Ill refer you to him. Good luck!

Justin

 

[dano1917]

Steve and Justin, I really appreciate the input but think I will stick to my original plan. I have some good MKI fuze close-ups and think I can do pretty good with paint/aging of the resin piece. Also the peepers aint what they used to be so I guess i'm taking the easier way out. The most important thing to me is that it is an original body. I'm not a perfectionist by any stretch so I don't set the bar real high. I think i'll end up with what I intended, a good displaying MKI mutt grenade. Also if I simply remove the fuze I am back to an original MKI practice thrower, unthreaded. Again gents thanks for the input. Best..Dano

 

[GTR003121]

Steve and Justin, I really appreciate the input but think I will stick to my original plan. I have some good MKI fuze close-ups and think I can do pretty good with paint/aging of the resin piece. Also the peepers aint what they used to be so I guess i'm taking the easier way out. The most important thing to me is that it is an original body. I'm not a perfectionist by any stretch so I don't set the bar real high. I think i'll end up with what I intended, a good displaying MKI mutt grenade. Also if I simply remove the fuze I am back to an original MKI practice thrower, unthreaded. Again gents thanks for the input. Best..Dano

I completely understand Dano. The most important thing is that you are happy with it and you do what you want. Even if you left it as is, you have already succeeded in making a great representative of a MKI. I look forward to seeing it after aging and detailing. Good luck my friend!

Justin

 

[Kilroy was Here]

Sure Dano. No problem. Will like to see it when you're done.
Have fun Mr. Van Gogh.

Regards, Steve

 

[dano1917]

Well, Here it is. I abandoned the MKI resin fuze as another BOCN Member was kind enough to send me a cutback MKII fuze which is correct for this grenade (thanks Justin)

 

[Kilroy was Here]

Looks good Dano, very nice now. That was very nice for Justin to send you that fuze and spoon, they are not easy to find separately.

Did you thread the neck or just shove it in? or.....?

Regards, Steve

 

[GTR003121]

Nice!

Looks great Dano, glad I was able to help you out! Enjoy it my friend.

Justin

 

[navyman]

Hello all,
Having just read Dano's thread regarding his 'Mutt' grenade. I'm hoping to glean some information regarding American grenades. I know nothing about them at the moment and have only two repro's in my grenade section of the collection which has examples of some from other countries.
I have one very poor resin replica with a repro lever/fuze set. The lever is flat with a raised central rib and holds the lugs over the fuze body top.
The second is a cast body which I think may be perhaps original, with a repro fuze body and a lever with no raised rib but has folded down edges and holds the lugs from underneath. The unit is attached to the cast base with a short piece of threaded bar as there is no fuze/det with it. Through the black paint on the cast body I can see the letters AF.
I'd like to add a couple of decent American grenades to my collection, but would like to know what to look for, also the difference between the Mk 1 and later versions?
I will be grateful for any help here.
Best regards,
navyman.