Stone mint Horster HOD

[Frogprince]

From a more technical perspective, with some of the late swords I've looked at in times past that had a white "frosted" appearance in mostly the crevices - my sense of them was that the white powder like coating was zinc oxide. Best Regards Fred

[gerrit]

Hi Fred,

i can assure you that what is white/silvered on the dagger, best seen on the ferrule and pommel is silvering and no oxidation.
I will make a picture of the above side of the guard, there its very clear to see what it is.
The silvering can bee seen with traces of wear from the portepee, its a thin layer of silver/frosting.
Give me day Fred and i will post a picure that will clearify it!
Now im off for the day with my metaldetector hunting Roman coins

Cheers,
Ger

[Frogprince]

Hello Ger,

We are about 8 hours apart, and I have a busy schedule Sunday until at least very late in the afternoon. So I'm now going to post two images of a sword from as I recall a West Coast dealer where there was a difference of opinion. Never having it in hand, this sword to me looked like it was perhaps lacquered or had some other kind of clear finish which gave the white material something of a glossy look in the images. But conversely, having in hand some others where I was able to scrape away what very much looked like to me a white zinc oxide powder with my fingernail. And so it's clear, I'm not making any judgements here - just reporting what my experience has been.

Best Regards, Fred

[Mac 66]

Ger,


Thats a Sweet army by Horster, love the frosting & mint blade/fittings



Congrats



Regards Mac 66.

[Degens]

Beautiful Horster. It looks like the Holler variant of the E-Pack 3rd cross-guard that Horster must have used as a stop gap at some point.
The silvering and lacquer that Horster used on many of their daggers was certainly unique, if you ever get to see people claiming that they possess a Generals army dagger ( golden fittings ) 95% of the time the maker will be Horster. The lacquering process was such that over time and depending on conditions, it can turn a deep golden colour, especially on the Horster 3rd which used pot metal base materials.

Even many of their early daggers show a plating and lacquering technique that differed from other manufacturers. Hard to explain but Horsters in hand, shown alongside daggers from other manufacturers and the differences are normally blatant.

Great addition Ger, your on a roll !

[Larry C]

Hi Jon..I dont know if there is any relevance..but I would like to add that with some early high profile SS crossguards also had this time lapse of a golden hue that have turned to a light golden yellow. I feel these metals aged with time..as Tom Wittmann also points out in his SS reference. I know these 2 type of daggers can not be compared to each other..but the process..IMO I feel is the same. A great example of this "toning" can be seen on a pinned thread in the SS forum..of a Minty Himmler dagger. Just my 2 cents Regards Larry

Himmler Inscription SS Dienst Dolch...a Stunning Mint Example.