Wz98

[Hombre]

Get a parcel yesterday with a WZ98 so now I have two… WZ98 and a WZ98A…
Military or commercial I do not know and it is impossible to know if they military did not mark them. Frankly speaking I do not know if I shall care or not. I just like them.
Without not knowing I guess, these ones and also Glock knives are used just now in for instance Ukraine.

If I understand it right three makers have made the WZ98, Gerlach, Sanitas Łódź and Militaria Łódź but my WZ98 and WZ98A have no marking with a company name so how is it possible to know who made them? I have seen that Gerlach marked theirs with a crown and the name but nothing more...

Best,
H

[AndyB]

There is already a large discussion some days ago between me and Reibert on Your first thread named wz98a, so this design started as a Sturmovy noz Wz98, also a special combat unit knife of polish army, improvement of model Wz.92. Is confirmed that majority of them for special forces of Polish army produced under Gerlach marking. In period 2010-23 its much copied design and it became a very popular knife for outdoor, similar to Glock knives. Personally i dont have any ammounts delivered to polish army in period 1998-2002, when the major contract was realised, same as i dont have any numbers from later period. As in polish Army is adopted a Grom bayonet with cutting blade similar to new modern design of bayonets i assume the numbers of this modell in Polish army would be not extra high. Anyway this remains open.
As when You look at internet there are about 100 or more sites that selling this type of knives, even with the wz 98 logo, so i personally tend to commerzial market pieces here, most real produced by Sanitas, or Militaria Lodz. The prices going from 50-80€. There are inox variation and normal steel version of blade in market.
You should move this thread to polish militaria area, and ask the polish expert here, or find any polish literature, find contract numbers in polish army documents??

[Hombre]

Thank you, AndyB,

I was told that mine were made by Militaria Łódź. I still do not understand how you can see the difference between a WZ98 if made by Gerlach, Sanitas Łódź or Militaria Łódź if they are not marked with the company name.
In my own opinion I believe it is impossible to say if these knives are military or commercial because they seem to have no military markings. Anyway, in the end I believe mine are commercial so I am not dreaming that they are military.
On the other side I am sure of that many of them, both WZ98 and Glock have been used in military conflicts, like now in Ukraine. During all kind of wars soldiers have sometimes been taking there own choice of knife with them so...
By the way, I am sure of that if Sweden has been participated in the WWII I am sure of that every old Mora knife have been considered as a trench knife.
When it comes to the Glock knives a few have military markings… I have one for instance from the Danish defence and I have seen I think Reibert have one from the Bundesheer so then it is easier.
Got this book yesterday and I am sure that I at least, will learn something…

[AndyB]

From the information of the book thanks to Reibert and polish collectors in AK forum, was declared that the Gerlach marked ones exist in all models, also dagger, normall and sawback blade. Prior this time i never saw a Gerlach one designated or stamped with wz98. For this i would search about buying of this modell by polish army, how many , what for period, as is declared that post 200x the Gerlach production was moved to Sanitas and Militaria Lodz. That similar knives were used personally by some conflicts now in Ukraine is very real.

[Reibert]

@ Hombre

Hi, what´s the year of manufacture of Your both "wz.55" knives ?

[Hombre]

Hello Reibert,

I believe it is 55...
Unfortunately only the bottom one is number matching...

[Reibert]

Hello Reibert,

I believe it is 55...
Unfortunately only the bottom one is number matching...

I brought my first "wz.55" with me from my foreign assignment in the Syrian Golan Heights.
I exchanged several of these knives with my Polish comrades there and most of them didn't have a matching number.
Do not worry about it.

Because in the meantime the "wz.55" has also become quite collectible.

[Hombre]

I brought my first "wz.55" with me from my foreign assignment in the Syrian Golan Heights.
I exchanged several of these knives with my Polish comrades there and most of them didn't have a matching number.
Do not worry about it.

Because in the meantime the "wz.55" has also become quite collectible.

Of course, it is nicer to have a number matching item but it is what it is... I know collectors here in Sweden who doesn´t care if a Swedish bayonet m96 have matching numbers or not but I think it is nice if matching and even nicer if the regiment numbers are the same on bayonet and scabbard. With that said, if I should find a scare bayonet I should buy it if I could matching or not matching but if I can chose I prefer matching.

[AndyB]

Swedish bayonets M1896 are harder to find in matching condition, anyway a Wz.55 is still foundable in matching depot condition,as many were produced.

[Hombre]

Swedish bayonets M1896 are harder to find in matching condition, anyway a Wz.55 is still foundable in matching depot condition,as many were produced.

I guess, it has to do where you live... Easier for me to find the M96 in matching condition than for instance the WZ55 (year 55,56 and 57)... By the way, did the different years have the two different frogs... Like in the picture?
?