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Heya, Dean!

The German stielhandgranate (stick hand grenade) or potato masher used a friction fuse... a length of wire coated in abrasive material that was surrounded by a sensitive ignition compound that also provides the delay. The wire is yanked, the compund sparks up, and voila... very much like a strike anywhere match. The Germans were pretty much the only ones to use this type of fuse after the early days of the Great War.

Here's a link that might explain it a little better:

German Stick Grenades, WWII - Inert-Ord.net

I recall reading various versions of someone pulling the pin on a grenade, and it sputtering and smoking as it was thrown. I can picture a potato masher doing this, but it would be pretty much impossible to hear any other 20th century grenade do this. Grenades before the 20th century (bombes) would sputter and smoke, they were nothing more than a metal or ceramic vessel with a length of cannon fuse hanging out.

Quick clarification: there are things grenade-like, smoke grenades, flares, some pyrotechnics, that might also sputter or smoke, but most all explosive grenades use internal, percussion type fuses... nothing to see or hear.

Probably a fair amount of "artistic license" combined with ignorance of how things actually function.

Hope this helps!

 

Thanks Russcal -

I know American pineapple grenades would smoke and sputter - I have seen photos of them smoking in Marine island fighting in particular, and from what I've read they sometimes made an audible sputtering sound.

I've just never seen a photo of a german stick grenade smoking or read any soldier's combat experience where they described them doing so.

Thanks for your reply!

Dean

 

Don't know from first hand knowledge, but Wikipedia says:

The stick grenade was introduced in 1915 and the design developed throughout World War I. A friction igniter was used; this method was uncommon in other countries, but widely used for German grenades.

A pull cord ran down the hollow handle from the detonator within the explosive head, terminating in a porcelain ball held in place by a detachable base closing cap. Pulling the cord dragged a roughened steel rod through the igniter causing it to flare up and start the five-second fuse burning

Usually, where there is fire, there is smoke....(or visa versa)....

 

Thanks OSP -

I've held several actual WW2 vintage non-reproduction potato mashers in my hand, and the porcelain ball attached to the cord runs right through the handle of the grenade - I wonder, if it was held long enough, if the smoke from the fuse would travel out through the bottom of the grenade in the now cleared hole where the porcelain ball, and the small spring that keeps the ball from moving in the handle (even when the cap is screwed on) formerly was.

I know the grenade's were shipped without the fuses inserted - they came separate - and that's what the white stamped words are on the charge head - a warning to insert the fuses prior to using them in combat.

Thanks for your reply!

Dean

 

On a quick side note, the series finale of STRIKE BACK (that aired recently) had a scene wear a WW II German potato masher grenade was used by the two main characters to take out a small cluster of unsuspecting PMCs that surrounded them. The PMCs didn't immediately recognize was it was until it was too late.