Does anyone have any thoughts on this boot knife? It has a bakelite plastic handle, which seems off. I thought this sort of knife would have a wooden handle.
Thoughts on this Boot Knife?
Does anyone have any thoughts on this boot knife? It has a bakelite plastic handle, which seems off. I thought this sort of knife would have a wooden handle.
Hi KB..normally they do come with wooden grips..and this one might be a personalization or a recent application. Yet the blade and crossguard I have no issues with. Wait for the Luft guys to chime in on the grip itself..and will tell you exactly if the grip plates are period replaced. Regards Larry
It is not the size of a Collection in History that matters......Its the size of your Passion for it!!- Larry C
One never knows what tree roots push to the surface of what laid buried before the tree was planted - Larry C
“The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” - Winston Churchill
Concur with Larry about Grip plates on whether period or replaced. Usually they are wood from what I have seen. Blade and crossguard are good IMO. Tom Johnson has one on his site with clear grip plates. Johnson Reference Books
Link to mine is here with wood grips...pretty common knife: Luftwaffe Fighting Boot Knife
Hope it helps.
Rossi
"It's not whether you get knocked down...It's whether you get up"
My Collection: www.tothehiltmilitaria.com
For my two cents: The basic knife itself minus the grips appears to be period. With the mottled smooth plastic grips almost certainly postwar. With the clear types probably postwar, with a very limited possible exception for the clear plastic grips made from salvaged aircraft parts like the glazing (period plastic windows, etc.). Which can be seen sometimes with items such as from the Pacific theater where the necessary tools were aboard the nearby ships, that periodically were not that busy in the in-between times. Or perhaps a repair facility. But never done IMO by the Germans themselves. Best Regards, Fred
Thanks guys. I figured the grip was an after-thought, although I did find in the book "Edged Weapons of Hitler's Germany" a mention of a utility knife on page 136 with a brown bakelite grip. Just wondered if anyone had seen anything similar.
Almost certainly, the grip panels have been replaced postwar. But, I will say, that whoever Did it did a Heck of a nice job fitting them to it. A very conscientious and careful bit of work. Did the original wood set get damaged and the GI decided to fix it? Probably so, and in doing so, just added to the knife's apparently interesting history.
William
"Much that once was, is lost. For none now live who remember it."
Noticed it was done well too William...Great Add!by Wagriff
"It's not whether you get knocked down...It's whether you get up"
My Collection: www.tothehiltmilitaria.com
Only adds to the story. Obviously not done to deceive anyone. A GI in theater or maybe back home after the war is my guess.
"Please", Thank You" and proper manners appreciated
My greatest fear is that one day I will die and my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them
"Don't tell me these are investments if you never intend to sell anything" (Quote: Wife)
I have one like this one except it still has the wooden grips and is marked with an "S".
I like its appearance!
Like stated above, no evidence of being applied in wartime.
So pay like its been a postwar feature....lovely done though!
Ger
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