When Craig started the topic, from comments on the Wolf sword thread, I was fairly certain that it was going to get controversial. My suspicions were confirmed and unfortunately it appears that collateral damage is resulting from the discussion which is truly unfortunate. I was trying to be restrained in my comments - but here is another piece of �technoglop� mixed in with two scenarios for consideration. I am not saying that NSKK Honor Daggers don�t exist. But I have to look at objective data, and what I see that is physically before me.

Scenario 1) A Gahr silversmith makes a mold, casts, and then finishes the piece. If the casting was defective for some reason it gets re-melted. With an acceptable finished piece - the silversmith then uses one of the many stamps that the company already owned to put the crescent moon and crown and the (one piece stamp) "800" content marks onto the finished item.

Scenario 2) Somebody who probably had not worked with silver before makes a mold (from an original period example?). Someone who does not have any specialized stamps, which are expensive and time consuming to make, and consequently has to add the "Gahr" markings to the mold itself. The silver is melted (BTW: silver absorbs roughly 20 times its volume in oxygen when molten). The molten silver is poured into the mold. And when the oxygen leaves at a very rapid rate it partially obliterates or causes other problems like pock marks, pin holes, etc. as it tries to escape. Ordinary individual number stamps are then used to touch up the �800� marks as needed.

I�ve always liked Occam's Razor: �Pluralitas non est ponenda sine neccesitate�. Which put into everyday language says: �The simplest explanation is the best�. But if that doesn�t work for everyone that�s fine with me.

PS: While looking into silver alloys that were more tarnish resistant than the standard German 80% silver content alloy, versus Sterling which is 92.5%. I did come upon one piece of information that I hope is non controversial.

It seems that the origin of the crescent moon marking for silver is rooted in alchemy. And it was the alchemists who referred to silver as �Luna� that gave it the symbol we see today. FP