Luftwaffe Dagger 2nd version. Fake?

**Datrus** · 09-02-2011, 12:12 AM

I have done some research here on forum on my dagger. I can't really tell if it's fake or not. It's stamped F Hörster Solingen under the Swas. No numbers or other markings. I will be happy if some of the sharper eyes will give an opinion on it.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 09-02-2011 12:12 AM

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**Datrus** · 09-02-2011, 01:06 PM

Will somebody please take a look at this dagger?

**big ned** · 09-02-2011, 01:48 PM

The pic's are a bit ambiguous, can you post better ones of the whole dagger and scabbard side on, front and back. Also the scabbard fittings, not too keen on first sight of these. The blade is the wrong way round, M.M. should be on the reverse.

Regards, Ned.

**Datrus** · 09-02-2011, 03:06 PM

Thank you for looking. Here is some more pictures. Hope they are ok.

**big ned** · 09-02-2011, 03:49 PM

O.K., The scabbard has been polished (probably mechanically) to within an inch of it's life, losing every iota of patination in the process. I can't figure out why the top fitting has those two grooves, not through natural wear i'd of thought, perhaps others know?

This particular make (Horster) has been cited in Stevens's book as being the most often faked Luft dagger, probably causing many to have been binned. But this has since been disproved, although the mud still sticks.

As I said before, the M.M. is on the wrong side, so what with the polished scabbard and that we know it has been messed with at sometime.

However, everything else looks o.k. to me so I'll give it a cautionary thumbs up, but It would be best to wait for other opinions from the dedicated dagger guys!

Regards, Ned.

**Datrus** · 09-02-2011, 04:02 PM

Thank you so very much for taking the time Ned. I don't know about the scabbard polishing. It does not appear to be polished thin in anyway. It has some weight to it. Also, the grooves looks strange to me. I have not seen this on other daggers. A dagger is most likely not carried all the time, so that this kind of wear will occur.

**davejb** · 09-02-2011, 04:52 PM

I think those grooves were caused during the polishing process, if you look closely you can see where the metal has been polished inside the fitting, and Ned is right it has taken the natural patination away completely, these grooves would not have been caused by natural wear and tear in my opinion

**Datrus** · 09-02-2011, 05:16 PM

You guys might be right on the polishing issue. I can't see though why you want to polish THAT much inside a fitting? Looks like it has being hanging in the rings, and whatever it has being hanging on moved a lot. Like in a car or such. Just as an example.

**Frogprince** · 09-02-2011, 07:11 PM

As manufactured, later production scabbards had a matt gray phosphate finish not highly polished steel. And scabbard (ring) mount wear by itself is not unusual because steel is harder than a base metal. But to have it on both the top and bottom of the fitting as seen here is highly unusual. Because the dagger would have to be carried upside down as much as it was carried upright?? FP

**big ned** · 09-02-2011, 07:23 PM

I think Dave's nailed it. The polishing wheel has cut into the soft aluminium hangers. I don't think the wear was caused by it hanging in a car or suchlike to get that amount of wear, unless it has been hanging off the rear view mirror of this roadster for the last few centuries. Seriously.

Regards,Ned.