That my friend is where the collection of information and a current reappraisal of all available information comes in. Houston IMO was right on when he pointed out: "so called ... Candidate Degen is in fact an SS Officer's Degen� ... and �should not go without challenge and we should try to be correct in our terminology�. With that topic demonstrating what a current reappraisal can do instead of relying on postwar books, sales catalogs, web sites etc. etc.

The point being that what somebody 1, 5, 10, 20, or even 30 years ago in catalogs, books, whatever (having shaped current thinking) may be in error. And more to the point with the black gripped examples, were they just manufacturing variations or were they intentionally made longer?? I don�t know. But I think until some hard data is developed at this instant in time the only thing really for certain is that there were some manufacturing anomalies. With after reviewing the discussion the �why� part of it still a question mark. Regards, FP