UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Army, Navy, and Luftwaffe Forum "Glass grip" some info please

Hey Guys,

I`ve searched this form broken, but for the life of me, I cannot find any threads on the so called "Glass grips" I hope I`m not chewing over a topic that has been chewed over and spat out several times, but can someone inform me a little more on these elusive grips!!
What are they made from, what configuration can one find them in, i.e Slant grip or other, and are there different types of compesition?? Are these also referred to as "Bernstein Griff"?
Would appreciate any info!

Many thanks,
Dion

Sometimes called "amber grip"

Dave

"Glass" grips were to my best knowledge manufactured to resemble pure amber. They consist of a translucent yellow material. Some are more translucent some less. Mostly there are included small particles of any material eg minute brass plates) to resemble the inside cracs and also material within real amber.
Real amber also can be melted and reformed(pressed) at certain temperature, I am not sure if this process was also used for army grips.
The terminus "glass" grip I think came first from the translucent material and second from the extremely brittle material. It is nealy impossible to get one without chips or at least cracks.
I am not aware of a slant glass grip but this does not say that they could not exist.
Most glass grips can be found on armies, on rare occasions there are grips which do resemble glass grips mated with 2nd lufts.
Here is the pic of my perfect glass gripped Siegfried/PACK army.
Regards.

Hey Wotan,

MAny thanks for that info. Is there any INfo, books or documentation on "Glass grips" as I`d like to find out where this info comes from? Could it be that there are "REAL" amber grips out there or are they all just imitations? And, how would one tell the difference?

Dion

Hello Dion, I am sorry that I am not aware of any info in books (beside TTw does mention them in his army book) concerning glass grips.
My info is "common knowledge" and what I could personally observe.
I for myself have not seen a real amber grip. But as said within a very small temperature segment amber can be melted and cast (this information I have from a dealer of precious stones and amber) so I think it is not impossible to find a cast amber grip.
Do you have any grip in question or what is the reason for question?
Regards,

Hi Wotan,

Thanks once again for your answer.
The reason for my asking, is quite simple. On one of the German dealers websites, there is an amber grip army dagger on offer for quite a high price! I`ve just bought an Army dagger with a "glass grip" at a very low price. The reason there is now alot of interest on my behalf is because of the descrepancy in values between collectors and dealers, both in the US and Germany. Is there something that the Germans know, or value, when it comes to "Glass grips" or is it that the US just simply doesn`t see any particular value in these grips because it is the opinion of most collectors that these types of grips are indeed imitations?
This particular dealer is describing his dagger on offer, being equipped with a "Bernstein Griff" which translated means "Amber Grip"! Now, my question pertaining to the above is, is this a true AMBER grip, or is this just an imitation amber grip?
My grip is virtually identical in every way, but, I`m now not sure what I have? Do I have an actual AMBER grip, or just a cheap imitation with little copper pieces in the mixture?

Dion

First US dealers wanted true premium prices for glass grips. At these (early) times here nobody took any notice of the different kind of grips. One of my first armies I have bought (and still have it) was a nice patinated EICKHORN with pure ivory grip for the price of a "normal" dagger.
In the meantime simply the dealers here do what have was done over the sea long before, gain premium prices for any "extras" like glass grips (mainly without knowing and taking care what they really are....), "rare" manufacturers and so on.
As said, I for myselve never have seen a true amber gripped army, only those imitation ones. There would be the destructive hot needle test (I do NOT recommend because of irreversible damage) for those who cannot judge it by view.
Simply show a good, detailed photograph and an overall one from front and side here, tell the manufacturer of the dagger (if there is any) and I will try a look.
I think I know the "Bernstein" grip here and would not worry about it.
Regards,

One of these days I�m going to have to find one of these grips in unsalvageable condition in a parts box somewhere to have it analyzed. But my best guess at this point is that is that it�s a chemically dyed cast phenolic resin grip. That is physically unstable, which is the underlying problem with many of the cast grips made of this type of plastic. FP