Eickhorn heer dagger for review

**saginaw** · 10-08-2013, 02:53 AM

Hi All, posting pics of a eickhorn dagger for review, it has a really nice blade and what appears to be a generic type A cross guard. Is it possible that it would have been originally assembled like that? Thanks for looking!

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 10-08-2013 02:53 AM

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**dr73** · 10-08-2013, 07:20 AM

Eickhorn was one of the biggest producers of army daggers and they made all the parts in their own factory. Unlike other smaller companies who purchased parts from other producers and used generic parts (like this crossguard) on their daggers. Although anything is possible, I think it's highly unlikely that this piece was originally assembled with a generic A crossguard. It is most likely that someone replaced it after the original crossguard was denazified.

Danny

**PeterCollector** · 10-08-2013, 08:02 AM

Hi,
Danny I agree with yo, that Carl Eickhorn was one of the biggest - or I think biggest producer of edged weapons during Third Reich. To this dagger I have to say that we sometimes see Generic "A" crossguards on Eickhorn daggers - it is nothing unusual! Eickhorn run out of its own parts, so he must to purchase some generic crossguards and put them on its daggers, it is very simple, you can´t stop production if you missing just one part of dagger. I´m looking for long time to purchase Eickhorn´s dagger with generic "A" crossguard. If I look closely to dagger, it match with other parts - silvering is extremely well done! In my opinion it is authentic dagger in almost mint condition.

Regards Peter

**dr73** · 10-08-2013, 08:22 AM

Peter, I also considered this possibility but I think in this case it's very unlikely. It's true many producers ran out of parts during the war. But at first they started to use inferior materials like zinc based parts. This one is heavily silvered, which indicates that it wasn't made in a period of shortage. Another point is the trademark. On this dagger, the second Eickhorn trademark is used. Which makes this dagger a mid period dagger. The germans are known for their thoroughness (grundlichkeit

) and I can't imagine a big firm like Eickhorn ran out of parts when there still were enough materials around.

Danny

**Wagriff** · 10-08-2013, 08:33 AM

I would agree with Danny's theory. This crossguard should not be on this dagger, but his reasoning that it was likely a replacement for a de-Nazified piece makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, it's unprovable, but I can see no reason to doubt it's possibility.

**PeterCollector** · 10-08-2013, 08:59 AM

Danny, I also learn that everything is possible especially in Army daggers

In past I saw some Eickhorn´s daggers with generic parts - generic "B" also, but generic "A" is more common, one was in Thomas Wittmann offer and in description to dagger he sad his theory, that Eickhorn ran out of its own parts so he purchased some generic, it was for very short time and daggers which has generic parts are hard to find.

Peter

**Wagriff** · 10-08-2013, 09:07 AM

Tom has always had a way of saying things to make a square peg fit into a round hole....

**PeterCollector** · 10-08-2013, 09:31 AM

saginaw ask: "Is it possible that it would have been originally assembled like that?" And I answer to him, yes it is possible, because Eickhorn ran out of its own parts and purchase generic. I also saw several Eickhorn daggers with generic "A" crossguards during my years of collecting, so Wagriff you are right, my or Danny´s opinion is unprovable.

**saginaw** · 10-08-2013, 11:21 AM

Thanks for the replies! everything on this dagger fits nice and is tight.

**Larry C** · 10-08-2013, 11:39 AM

Competing firms such as edged giants of Eickhorn and Ernst Pack & sohn..heavily relied on each other returning favors to each other...and mostly relied on the smaller firms..to produce parts. With these Heer daggers Im not surprised at all. A perfect example is the Haco SA crossguards..which are known for their thinness..have been used on other SA makers...and are the rarely seen " K" marked guards..without the painted numbers inside. (I will be doing an up coming thread on that soon)

There is no doubt as early production fell into shortages..due to demand..........At the opposite end of the spectrum as all have commented..is that..it also could be a put together. Saginaws dagger is quite desirable....but for the type collector...he or she would prefer a dagger with parts that are consistent with the maker. I have seen Hacos SAs with heavier fatter guards...but I myself prefer originality when collecting these type daggers....or initial production examples. Regards Larry