That WWI German & occasional Austrian Trench Knife Thread

**MilitariaOne** · 07-01-2017, 09:07 AM

Greetings all,

This month, a Wlaszlovits Stoćsz (blade 212mm), and a Komporday Hugo Stósz (blade 206mm) better known as the Hungarian variants of the Austrian’s M17 Sturmmesser. What is nice about these two examples is their trademarks/companies names are nicely stamped. More often than not, on these variants, their trademarks/names are lightly stamped or otherwise half-visible. At the time of WWI, the town of Stoćsz/Stósz was part of the Kingdom of Hungary. Today, the town is known as Štós and resides in Eastern Slovakia. Knives and other blades have been made there since the 17th century (i.e. Hungary’s version of Solingen). More about these two companies may be viewed here https://hliva.blog.sme.sk/c/347438/s...vej-vojne.html use a Slovak language translator and you may view a piece of this blade making town’s interesting history.

Notably, these Hungarian variants have longer (70mm) cross guard versus the typical (55mm) cross guard of Austrian made M17 models (a comparative cross guards’ view may be seen in post #80 of this thread) and too, they possess slightly thicker/wider handles. Because of these subtle differences, they feel more robust in hand than the Austrian made variants do. And finally, there (supposedly) is an “Ompordhayh Stósz” marked variant, but as of yet, I have not viewed an example (do they even exist?). OK folks, that is all for now, see you all next month.

And of course, Happy Hunting!

V/r Lance

Double click on image to enlarge.

That WWI German & occasional Austrian Trench Knife Thread

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 07-01-2017 09:07 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**MilitariaOne** · 07-31-2017, 10:46 AM

Greetings all,

Here’s a Hammer & Schlagel manufacture’s marked (i.e. crossed hammers) Leupold variant with a blade of 127mm in length (without any fraktur marks, hence a Private Purchase variant). This crossed hammers trademark was owned/used by the Herman Konejung Company, which existed in Solingen from 1873 until 2005. During the First World War, this company made both marked and unmarked variants of this style knife.

This knife’s point is broken off and of course, that significantly reduces its collector’s value, yet as a marked Leupold variant they are somewhat harder to come by in any condition.

The grabenkeule “trench mace” in the photo is an unfinished (no handle fitted) late war variant manufactured by the Krupp company. Notice the company’s three-ring logo stamped on top of the club’s head.

Welp, back to collecting!!!

Regards,

Lance

Double Click on image to enlarge.

**MilitariaOne** · 08-05-2017, 07:27 PM

Greetings all,

This recent creation (top Left in the first image below) finished on eBay earlier this week and the seller (hailing from Poland) listed it in the original items category. The fact they have another reproduction knife with the same bogus manufacturer’s mark currently listed within the same category, made me wish to devote the time and share this fraudster’s efforts for those forum’s members interested in the hobby.

Interestingly, I posted a similar yet wholly original lion’s head M17 knife on post #4 of this thread and it possesses the correct manufacture’s mark of Simon Redtenbacher of Sensenwerke, Linz. Note the size and depth’s differences in the two knives’ manufacturers’ trademarks and too, the differences between scabbards’ belt loop attachment mounts. Additionally, check out the third image's intentional cuts to the top of the lion’s head in order to add some “genuine” wear and tear.

When viewed together, it is quite easy to determine that one example was created by a skilled craftsman, the other, not so much. With this seller, I’m sure more “rare” creations are only a short “whittle” away. Fortunately, their attempts at carving are on par with the challenged manufacture’s trademark stamping.

Caveat Emptor!

Regards,

Lance

Double click on images to enlarge.

**habicht** · 08-06-2017, 01:04 PM

Looks more like a dog than a lion but what can you expect given it's from Poland.

**MilitariaOne** · 08-31-2017, 11:39 PM

Greetings all,

This month, we have an example of a 110mm bladed knicker. The knicker (also called nicker, nickfänger, genickfänger) is a traditional hunting knife, which in addition to its general use is meant to finish off a wounded deer by a stab in the nape (neck) above the uppermost cervical vertebrae. Because this vertebrae allows nodding of the head, it is called the nodder. Hence the name "nicker" (or even gnicker) for the knife and the term "nod." In this knicker’s case, there are no manufacturer’s markings on the blade; only Garantie Fein Stahl “Guaranteed Fine Steel” stamped on the left side. Fein Stahl is a steel produced by subjecting the material to intense compression on all axis by rollers to create a steel with optimum and uniform internal structure. Typically, Fein Stahl is one grade below rostfrei/stainless steel and a worthy substitute. The handle of this knife is made of wood carved in imitation of stag grips (read: affordable).

Made well before, during, and after WWI, knicker knives went in large numbers to the front as they were readily available. Knickers are viewed in contemporary soldiers’ images as tucked in boots or worn on belts. As you may view in this month’s example, there is no practical way to wear this particular knife’s sheath on one’s belt. You could tuck it into your belt (as seen in one of the below images), but after a few minutes of walking on rough terrain it will fall out (in the case of the aforementioned image, I assume, it is temporarily worn tucked into the belt because of the photograph being taken). Additionally, there are other variants, which do possess scabbards with fittings for wear on the belt. Traditionally, these knives were/are carried in a purpose made trouser’s pocket that the sheath fits securely into and that is why they do not (on average) possess a means for being belt worn.

This example’s scabbard possesses an interesting proprietary catch. A catch, which holds the knife’s guard in place via a pivoting swivel’s arrangement. Notice too, the traditional hunter’s decorative motif of the hares, hunter, and forest lightly pressed into the scabbard’s metal surface.

While surely not the most wicked or intimidating of trench knives, knickers were a convenient (to carry) and affordable option that, if in the event of an extreme emergency could be used to good effect in the confines of a trench. Desperate situations aside, I would suspect knickers actually did more damage to wurst und brote than to the Allies.

Regards,

Lance

Double click on image to enlarge.