WWII GERMAN DAGGER - SA - E P & S MAKER - The SA dagger represents one of the most affordable blades to collect. This is due to the fact that the daggers were produced in the millions since 1933 to the end of the war. During its life span, more than 100 manufacturers were known to produce the dagger. In addition, not all manufacturer's produced the entire dagger, some simply bought parts from other factories and followed through the steps of assembly. The assembling company would obtain plain blades and place their logo on them.

In the early days of production there was virtually no quality control except for the standards set by each independent manufacturer. It was not until 1934 when the RZM establishes some means of control. As a result, differences in the sizes of the handles, scabbards and blades can be found in the earlier samples. Making it sometimes impossible to interchange parts between daggers.

The design of the dagger is simple and elegant. The wooden handle has a pronounced "Coke" botlte shape. The pommel is of metal construction. It is cut to fit the contour of the handle. A round nut is placed at the very top. This piece holds the dagger together. Removing the nut reveals the tang of the dagger. Additional markings may be found there. Note that removing the nut requires a special tool. If it is not used it is possible to inflict some dents on the faces of the nut. The SA logo is placed inside

a circle just below the pommel. The handguard is made of the same material as the pommel. Both ends point slightly upwards. The top surface shows some ribbings. The throat and tip of the scabbard come with metal fittings attached by two screws. The throat section has a single suspension ring. This is where the leather hanger is attached when the dagger is worn with the dress uniform. The tip is capped with a small ball. This part is frequently dented as the result of normal wear. The body of the scabbard is painted brown to match the color of the handle. The blade is stiletto type with a double edge ending in a sharp point. The manufacturer's logo has been placed at the base of one side of the blade. The logo consists of the initials E.P. & S. followed by the image

of a man striking down with a blade. The name "Solingen" is found just below the image. Solingen was a well renown town for that manufactured a large number of the blades of the Third Reich. The blade featured here shows some pitting.

All blades are inscribed with the phrase "Alles Fur Deutschland" which translates to "All for Germany". The dagger feature here is an early war SA dagger.

The handle is made from dark wood. The center of the handle has a silver SA eagle inserted. With wings fully extended and the head facing to the right. The detail of the plumeage of the wings is exquisite. The claws are clutching a wreath surrounding a swastika. The inside of the wreath has some pebbling.

Many German edge weapons are currently 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 item. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the collectible.