That WWI German & occasional Austrian Trench Knife Thread

[masch19]

i have also 90 trench knive

[CCMJR]

i have also 90 trench knive

Please show some of them.

[VocelkaV]

I just found this interesting thread, thank you for your helpful, and professional writings Lance, I keep watching

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

No knife’s post today, but a post to create an awareness amongst fellow German Blade collectors of a newly released book. German Knife and Sword Makers: The definitive directory of makers marks, from 1850 to 1945 (J. Anthony Carter's unfinished work has now been completed by his friends/peers). This book is a completely revised/updated and at $45USD it’s a bargain for the wealth of information you receive in return. My copy arrived today and I’m quite pleased with what I have gleaned over so far. This is one of those books, which is very affordable and goes out of print quickly. Here’s a link where I purchased mine, German Knife and Sword Makers by J. Anthony Carter - Complete Edition A to Z: Amazon.com: Books This book is a one-stop reference for those unknown and known logos which show up on German blades from time to time. There are also several annexes in the rear of the book discussing several categories such as RZM markings and Turkish markings. All in all, this is a very well executed book. I possess no connection with the publisher or authors, stop reading this and get your copy ordered before the book doubles in price or available copies are sold out

Cheers,

Lance

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

I continue to run behind with posting on this thread, my apologies. I’ve been busy at work and frankly, busy posting/creating other content too. Below is a very nice personalized M-1917 Austrian Trench Knife made by Resicka. The knife has some well-rendered edelweiss flowers and the owners name "F Bachmaier." It also possesses the commemoration “Ersturmumg Der Meletta 4XII” with a date of “1917.” The knife commemorates the second “big” battle there, when in December of 1917 the Austro-Hungarian Army stormed Monte Meletta and captured the massif from the Italians (for a second time, the first time being in 1916).

Regards,

Lance

Double click on images to enlarge.

[oradour]

Lance, a great little knife, a testimony to the to and froing of the White War !
A little researched part of WW1, the Austro-Hungarian Italian front......
Thanks for showing.
Prost ! Steve.

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

For your perusal, another private purchase variant. This is a fairly petite knife with an unmarked blade of only 125mm. This knife must have been built so as to keep it on the “affordable” side as it is overall lightly constructed. I believe if you attempted to stab/slash anyone wearing a woolen type of outer garment on, the one-piece wooden handle would most likely snap off in your hand. Interestingly, the knife has 11 slants/grooves cut into the handle versus the usual 9 you see on the standard Leopold design types. Unfortunately, I do not have any images of this knife being worn to share.

Regards,

Lance

Double click on the image to enlarge.

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

Another stag handled private purchase trench knife variant. This example possesses an unmarked blade 160mm in length. This knife is a medium sized variant similar to the large one posted back in post #61. The knife is well made and well balanced; one wonders why the firm who made it did not feel the need to place their name/trademark on it. I have often heard this (lack of blade’s markings) discussed amongst fellow collectors as a needless manufacturing stage eliminated when attempting to create product quickly for the wartime market. And too, I have heard, if the knife turned out to be defective… it being unmarked might not sully the manufacture’s reputation.

I added the bottom of the pictured Austrian shell for those of us interested in such things

Cheers,

Lance

Double click images to enlarge.

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

I seem to be in an antler handled rut of late This post’s specimen is a private purchased affair with a respectable blade length of 180mm. As in post #44, this knife has a repurposed leather bayonet scabbard, but in this case a S71/84’s. Interestingly, the scabbards top mount or locket is unit marked to the 22nd Infantry Regiment, 5th Company, and the 243rd weapon (in that company). I wonder what stories this knife and scabbard could tell.

Regards,

Lance

Double click on images to enlarge.

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

For all intents and purposes this knife, is the same knife's design as the more commonly encountered version being made by Gottlieb Hammersfahr Solingen, Foche Company (see post #28) including the (not pictured) “Germany” export mark on the opposite ricasso. Its blade is 151mm in length and the wooden grip’s nine diagonal cuts run in the same orientation as the Gottlieb Hammersfahr Solingen, Foche Company’s knife as well. There are no fraktur marks on this example, hence a private purchase affair and with the “Germany” marking on the other side (again, not pictured) a knife that was most likely, exported after the war.

Interestingly, the WWII variant made by this company possesses the same light blade trademark’s stamp; see fellow forum member Reibert’s post with an example here https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/dagge...horster-43220/

And to all, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years!!! What a great forum and what great membership, thank you all for making this my favorite online community.

Double click images to enlarge.