Original Item: Only One Available. Fitted with a single edged and a slight Bowie style blade this is an original fighting knife used by the Germans in WW1 and then again in WW2. In nice used condition, this knife has an all-wood grip with hatching secured by three pins. The blade is single edged but has a small false edge of about two inches at the point.
The knife comes in an original rolled steel World War One scabbard with a very fragile leather belt loop and strap with button closure.
No visible markings but 100% original, a classic example for display in any quality German edged weapons collection of the Great War or World War Two.
Approximate Specifications:
Blade Length: 5 1/2″
Blade Style: Single Edged Knife with Spear Point False Edge
Overall length: 10“
Crossguard: 2”
Scabbard Length: 6 3/8″ + Belt Loop
When the war began, many German and Austrian soldiers carried small privately purchased hunting knives. In addition, the German army issued a number of Nahkampfmesser (close combat knives) to their soldiers as standard equipment to be used as weapons and for less lethal purposes.
Each of these mass-produced knives consisted of well-made, 6-inch steel blades with a plain metal cross guard and wooden handles riveted to the tang. Each was carried in a black-painted, steel scabbard and suspended from a leather loop meant to be hung on the owner’s belt or equipment straps. German manufacturer logos were sometimes stamped into the blade ricassos as were the armory inspection markings.