What is a 'transitional' dagger?

[Gimmie]

I keep seeing 'transitional' SA and SS daggers and I don't understand what it means when a dagger of this sort is 'transitional'?
I'll probably get a quick answer; pretty simple question I'd say.

Regards,
Bas

[rbminis]

It means that it was produced during the change over from maker's marks, to RZM and normally contains both markings.
Ralph.

[Gimmie]

It means that it was produced during the change over from maker's marks, to RZM and normally contains both markings.
Ralph.

Thanks, Ralph!

[Wagriff]

It was during this time also, that the war began to take it's toll on the higher quality materials and you'll see on occasion plated guards being used with maker marked blades, poorly gilded bits with earlier good quality pieces as they were being used up, etc.

[Gimmie]

It was during this time also, that the war began to take it's toll on the higher quality materials and you'll see on occasion plated guards being used with maker marked blades, poorly gilded bits with earlier good quality pieces as they were being used up, etc.

Also useful to know; thank you, William!

Regards,
Bas

[Frogprince]

Understanding that it's the traditional collector/dealer term used to describe daggers with both the RZM and early standard blade marking, in the past it has caused me to do some "head scratching" trying to reconcile that explanation with some of the observable facts. The first of which is that for example some early period manufacture SS daggers have only RZM markings. And as William pointed out more appropriately (IMO) to me it makes more sense from my perspective as referring to the transition in the materials used to make the daggers. With nickel silver being the initial production material of choice, followed by malleable cast iron and aluminum (for some makers) and ultimately zinc. And judging from period documentation, 1935 when an edict was published restricting copper (nickel silver is very roughly 2/3 copper) from non-military uses although the effect was not immediate as there was no requirement to surrender already delivered supplies. Best Regards, Fred