Original Heer Dagger??

[fpicoli]

HI,

I've found this one on the web.

I would like to know 3 things:

- Is this authentic? Or a replica?

- How can it be cleaned to remove the rust, without damaging the metal parts?

- Do you know anything about this maker "WKC Solingen"???

Regards.

Fábio

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Fábio, it is a good original Heer Officers dagger.

WKC is Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co.. I have written on the forum about them only last week, as I have a Luftwaffe dagger made by them. They are still in business today:

http://www.military-swords.com/startweb.php

The dagger can safely be cleaned just a rubbing it over with a clean white cloth. Nothing more is needed. This is a typical later production Offiziersdolch with steel scabbard and zink fittings.

Cheers, Ade.

[fpicoli]

WOW!!! Adrian.

That was fast!!

Thanks. I will read your post about this maker.

One more thing. If it's fittings are made of zinc, they can start to bubble with humidity, just like some Ostmedaille???

Regards.

Fábio

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Fábio, my pleasure.

The fittings on this one will not bubble. These are a bit better quality metal in this case than used on the medals later in the war. But as you can see some of the thin silver wash has worn away on the crossguard and pommel, leaving the dull zink base metal showing through. This is common to find.

Here is a nice site which has a lot of info about the makers of the Heer dagger:

wardaggers.com - German Dagger and Collectable Edged Weapon Site

Cheers, Ade.

[fpicoli]

Thank you, very much.

Nice website, too.