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THE HISTORY OF THE 2ND MODEL LUFTWAFFE DAGGER


THE ANATOMY OF THE 2nd MODEL LUFTWAFFE DAGGER
The 2nd model Luftwaffe dagger consisted of a colored spiraled shaped handle, wire wraped, with nicely adorned handguards bearing a large Luftwaffe eagle clutching a swastika. The detailed on the eagle is always of very good quality. The blade was usually marked but this was not always the case. The dagger came with a metal scabbard with two rings affixed to the side.

The appearance of the Luftwaffe daggers may vary from one another because there were many manufacturers making them and the RZM may not have been implemented at the point of production.

An in-depth view of the anatomy of the 2nd model Luftwaffe dagger is presented here.

POMMEL
The pommel is the end-cap for the 2nd model Luftwaffe dagger. It was of bulbous shape, with oak leaves covering a large percentage of its body. A Swastika was present in the front and back of the pommel.

In general, the oakleaf construction of the pommel will match that found in the handguard. That is if the entire dagger was manufactured by one factory. The construction techniques between the different manufacturers tend to be different.

In the samples shown here, the pommel on the right is guilded while the pommel on the left is plain. It is unclear if the guilding wore off or it it was never applied.
HANDLE
The handles for the Second model Luftwaffe dagger came in three basic colors; white, orange and yellow. The differences in color do not denote rank or status. The soldier had a choice in which color to pick. The color depended on the taste of the person paying for the dagger.

The handle was constructed of Celluloid, which is one of the earliest plastics, it was built in the shape of a spiral. Wire wrapping was added to the folds in order to enhance its appearance. The handle has a wooden center insert which slides into the tang of the blade. The pommel is screwed in as an end cap to secure the handle in place.

HAND GUARD
The top of the handguard was complimented with an oakleaf pattern. As it can be seen from these pictures, the way in which the adornation was applied can vary from dagger to dagger. The hand guard on the left has alot more definition to the leaves. This was likely a more expensive option. The sample on the right seems to be less three dimensional with more of an engraved feeling.

Some of the differences in patterns for the same dagger could be attributed to the practices of the manufacturer rather than the amount of money spent on the dagger.

The same type of oakleaf applique was built into the pommel. in general, daggers made by one manufacturer would have a matching oakleaf pattern between the pommel and the handguard.

BODY
The body of the scabbard for the 2nd model Luftwaffe dagger had a pebbling finish on both sides. The definition and depth of the finish would vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. The picture on the left shows a less deep variation. The picture on the right has a lot more definition to the pebbling.

Scabbards would bear differences in coloration as well. Some were darker than others. one darker color is known as the aircraft finish.

SCABBARD BACK
The back of the scabbard shows a screw which secures the blade runners to the scabbard itself.

SCABBARD TIP
The lower section of the scabbard is also complemented with an oakleaf pattern. The tip has a 3-levels culminating on a round section.

Once again, the oakleafing may vary depending on the manufacturer. The examples shown here appear to be very similar to one another.


INTERESTED IN BUYING OR SELLING A LUFTWAFFE DAGGER?
Visit the "German WWII -> Daggers and Parts" section of our store to see the available inventory. All items there have a money-back guarantee to be original, unless otherwise stated. You can buy from us with confidence.

Fell free to contact us. We will make you an offer for a single item or an entire collection.



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Continued - The history of the 2nd Model Luftwaffe dagger

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