For Ade - SA Dienstdolch

[Scout]

Here a pic just for Ade - I know he prefers his daggers this way!!

Just kidding, Ade - you can take it
Besides after you drawing my attention to it, I have begun to notice it too!
This dagger is in decent to average condition. Its a Carl Eickhorn, Solingen blade. "S" marked on the cross guard.
Rhöm signature has been ground off (of course) and it has not been done lovingly. Not that its too bad, but one can see the tool marks where the letters once were. I can see Sepp Dietrich in a huff with a belt sander!
Tip of scabbard shows signs of having met a not too unforgiving surface/floor a few times, as is often the case with these.
Blade is okay with some wear but no nicks or dents.
Handle is also in okay condition apart from a few cracks where the tension on the wood shows.
I have been debating with myself whether or not to slightly unscrew the handle to relieve tension on the wood, but really dont want to mess with it, so will most likely leave it alone. Besides, it looks like its been in that condition for a long time and the cracks certainly havent gotten any longer in the past few years.
I have deliberately not undone the buckle and removed the leather hanger since I got the dagger, as the leather part closest to the dagger is worn and I will not open the buckle, as I try to save the leather from tearing.
Not a dagger for the anal collector, but as I am neither, Im well chuffed with both the condition and the dagger
Further more, I got the dagger from a bloke whose father personally 'liberated' it. That adds an extra dimension...at least for me.

[Danmark]

Nice blade Scout - I had a similar one back in the mid 80's, bought for $160 and sold early 90's for $300 and I thought I made a killing :-( ah well I was only it's caretaker!
Dan

[Scout]

Thanks, Dan.
Sounds like a good deal.
I dont even know what they go for in this condition today.

[stuka f]

Scabbard seems black to me.. in that case it would be a NSKK dagger.
I like it anyway.
Still need to ad one to the collection, every time I have one some one wants to trade it...
cheers
|<ris

[Scout]

Correct, metal scabbard is dark.
I lean towards thinking, that the metal scabbard has oxidized and/or has been handled by sweaty mitts without being wiped, so that its gone a darker shade. With the naked eye, one can see a difference in colour/hue on different parts of the scabbard.
But I really cant say, as I dont have any other NSKK/SA daggers to compare with.
In the interest of science, I will gladly accept dagger donations purely for comparison purposes
Always tricky with these web shots, as the lighting is different according to natural light conditons, flash etc etc.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Nice original dagger.

Cheers, Ade.

[Frogprince]

It looks like a nice dagger to me as well.

In sunlight the brown oxide finish used by Eickhorn is a darker brown color than some others and I’m assuming that the lighting may also be a factor here. I also would probably leave the handle alone myself as wood tends to shrink with age not expand. Which is not to say that wood doesn't expand and contract some depending on the amount of moisture in the air. But when I looked into why so many (especially SS grips) had fractured, it confirmed (government and other data sources) that it was not a natural effect - but (again especially with the SS daggers) parts swapping and over tightening as the direct cause for fractures - because the expansion and contraction (lengthwise) was for most purposes negligible with well seasoned wood. FP

[Scout]

Interesting info about the Eickhorn finish.
Food for thought and ties in well with my own thoughts.
Agreed, I have likewise come to the conclusion, that Ill leave the handle alone and not fiddle with it.
As you also mention, I noticed when taking the pics, that the wood has withdrawn/shrunk ever so slightly from the metal crossguards.
PS
I get a kick out of your forum name every time you comment on daggers ...and frogs
(Frogprince - its like talking to the TyreKing!!!)

[85ronnies]

Nice honest dagger that scout thanks for showing, any chance of a pic of the ground side please
cheers Ronnie
PS looks like SA scabbard to me aswell

[Scout]

Thanks.
Not much to see on the reverse of the blade except for the grinding marks, Im afraid - but here you go.
I included a couple of pics of the handle too, so there was at least somehting to look at :-)