Luftwaffe 2nd pattern dagger

**thorne83** · 02-20-2015, 09:52 AM

Hello all,

as I know very little of Axis militaria, perhaps the good folks on here could tell me a little more of this dagger and if it's a common maker etc? My great-uncle picked it up at Delmenhorst airfield, Germany, in the summer of 1945, when he was stationed there with the RAF. As it was not allowed to be kept in the house, on orders of his wife, it was stored in a cupboard in a barn until about two weeks ago when the barn was being cleared out following his death.

I'm particularly interested to know if it would be worth having the handle restored (the wire that has come away and the base of the pommel)? If so, who would be the person to do such a job in the UK?

Cheers, Tom

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 02-20-2015 09:52 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Adrian Stevenson** · 02-20-2015, 10:42 AM

Hi Tom, given it is a family piece I would not go for any kind of restoration. Replacing the grip wire and pommel would just make it is "bitsa". I doubt the pommel would come off easily? Odd on how the metal has been lost on this where it meets the grip.

Preservation would be the road to go down. Clean the grease off the blade and give it a coat of museum grade wax. The zinc parts would benefit from a wipe over with some Vaseline to help slow down any zinc pest.

Tiger's come with two makers logo's: large and small size. This is the small version. No idea on any rarity?

Cheers, Ade.

**Larry C** · 02-20-2015, 11:25 AM

This dagger screams with totally untouched History. I agree also with Ade...to leave it well enough alone. Not sure which was harder on the daggers existence....the barn it was kept in....or the wife who told him to keep it there.

Nice find regardless.

Regards Larry

**thorne83** · 02-20-2015, 07:37 PM

Thanks gents, I'll give it a gentle clean and leave the wire as it is. My great-aunt always used to say that I could have 'that old Hitler Youth knife in the barn', when I was younger, but I'd forgotten about it until my relative turned up to give it to me last Sunday! These were the other things he picked up from Delmenhorst, that were kept in a drawer in the house, that were given to me when I was younger:
Unknown '1937' badge

Still interested to know if anyone can tell me a little more about the maker/rarity?

Cheers, Tom