Article about: Good day to all, I acquired this dagger, along with a 1937 pattern Luftwaffe model (currently posted in the appropriate sub-forum), some 15 years ago and have always felt it to be correct. I
Good day to all,
I acquired this dagger, along with a 1937 pattern Luftwaffe model (currently posted in the appropriate sub-forum), some 15 years ago and have always felt it to be correct. I purchased the pair from the son of a veteran, through an ad in a local paper. Sadly, he was unwilling to divulge any further details regarding his father’s name or service. Both are nice and tight everywhere and I have never felt the need to disassemble anything.
Having trawled through previous posts, I am now in two minds about this Heer dagger (though I don’t know why), as there seems great disagreement (and sometimes even confusion) in many cases... My confidence in the Luftwaffe dagger remains high, however.
Regarding this example, certain aspects of the craftsmanship seem a little ‘poor’, while others are razor-sharp. This does not seem an uncommon blend, depending upon date of manufacture and metals employed - as I understand it.
The Eickhorn squirrel mark was difficult to capture, but seems somewhat crude to me, when compared to the crisp early versions.
The oak leaves above the cross guard are ‘traveling’ left (as opposed to the more common right), though it seems this is not an impossibility and some were, indeed, assembled this way.
There is a slightly clumsy ‘step’ in the oak leaf casting to the scabbard loop bands.
I look forward, with some trepidation, to your appraisals,
With my sincere thanks in advance,
Bob
My apologies for any jumbled, upside down images (cannot control them)!
Well if you looked through the posts of the Eickhorn Type 4 daggers why do you have any doubts about this one?
Best
Ger
To me its a complete Textbook Eickhorn Type 4 with the harder to find 3th type stamped Logo
I have seen lots of ferrules facing the left and facing the right, so no worries there.
Even have seen scabbards with the upper band facing the leaves to the right and thebelow one to the left.
perhaps the Eickhorn employee had a rough weekend?
Any doubts I had were just down to good ol’ fashioned confusion! I had always felt it to be right, just got confused by the complexity of the subject and, above all, how good the copies are becoming (certainly to a novice like myself anyway).
Thank you so much for allaying those doubts and sharing just a tiny part of your knowledge with me.
This and my named Luftwaffe dagger are the only examples I have and this area of collecting is really not my subject, I’m afraid.
I am very pleased to learn that this Heer dagger is textbook, naturally, and sits comfortably back alongside my Luftwaffe model...
I think I’m going to need a Kriegsmarine example before long though!
I guess that’s where the slippery slope starts...
Like Ger said, a very nice original textbook piece! If you are uncertain about a navy dagger you find, you can always compare it with one in the link below: Kriegsmarine dagger collection
Heer dagger for your appraisal
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