The second pattern Luftwaffe dagger was introduced in 1937. Various officer ranks wore the dagger and there was no visible difference between them.

The biggest changes between the first model and the second model were the pommel and the hand guard. A detailed account of the construction of the dagger follows:

The blade was of type stiletto with the main features being a double edge and a flat plain in its center. The brand of the manufacturer would normally be placed on the blade. The example shown in this page has no manufacturer's markings. The grip was manufactured from celluloid and consisted of a grooved spiral design. A wire composed of three strands was placed in the groove. The wire was aluminum and silver in appearance. The grip was available in white, yellow or orange. If the buyer had the necessary finances, it was possible to purchase ivory grips. The various types of grips available were strictly a matter of purchaser preference and not a symbol of rank or status within the Luftwaffe. This dagger was produced by a very large number of manufacturers.

All the metal fittings on the second model Luftwaffe dagger were manufactured from cast aluminum. The scabbard had smooth sides with a oakleaf design near its tip end and pebbled finish throught most of its body. The sample shown below has some of its plating missing exposing the bare metal. The pommel was rounded and featured a swatika. When the dagger was originally manufactured, the pommel was gold. However, with the passing of time this color has dissappeared from most of the examples available in the market.

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The top of the scabbard reflects both light and dark areas. The light area indicates a section where the eagle on the handguard prevented the change in color.

Notice the granular design applied to the back of the hand guard. This design could vary considerably depending on the manufacturer.

This edge weapon is currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this edge weapon. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the edge weapon.

If you have an interest is seeing other edge weapons of the Third Reich, you can do so by going to our WWII German Edge Weapons identification guide. Where we cover blades from the Heer (Army), Navy (Kriegsmarine), Air Force (Luftwaffe), political and other organizations.