UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons European Edged Weapons Bulgarian Brannik - Scout dagger

The structure has two major branches – students and not studied and boy and girls
Age 10-14, 15-17, 18-21 and reached until 30

I know that many people don’t believe that Brannik leader dagger has existed but I’ll post some very rare pictures.
General Ajrjanov was comander of Bulgarian air forces from 1943 untill 1945.Killed when communist came on power.
1st picture General Ajrjanov visits to Brannik practical training for glider pilots.
Please pay attention how the Brannik and other military salute the general.

2nd picture

Personally I’m shame from this historical period of my country Bylgaria.
Form 9th September 1944 until end of 1944 thousands piople have been killed without without charge or trial.
Many others have been arrested and disapiared on the way between their detention to the prisons.
Thousands succeed in safety living Bulgaria.
From 20 th december 1944 to 2nd 1945 have been arrested 38,630 people and than convicted by People's Court
Among those sentenced to death are three regents, 22 ministers, eight royal advisers, 67 MPs, 47 generals and colonels and many others.
Thousands of others were sent to concentration camps or repatriated to small towns and villages, and their property confiscated.
Many fearful of Communist terror Brannik members or their parents simply destroed all evidence of their belonging to Brannik.Many Royal oficers destroyed their weapons, uniforms and medals too.
I've seen, and in my hands are irretrievably lost past dozen knives, swords and dirks. Unfortunately I did not document all, but I still have many copies and if there is interest I'm ready to post some of them.

I'm ready, Fire away please. This has become one very interesting thread! Thank you.

please tell more very interesting indeed ,by the way glad you believe by knives are ok . The small klass has a stocko button
dippy

Conratulations.Whats about other three knives, are they have stocko button too please?

The first 2-3 months after the Communists came to power homes and barracks raided and confiscated firearms and edge weapons, uniforms, medals, etc.
All collected throughout the country weapons were transported to Sofia.
There is evidence that some of the weapons, including swords, dirks, knives, were melted in a military arsenal in Sofia.
Another part of swords, dirks and uniforms after they were removed all royal attributes - monograms, signs, buttons and insignia are awarded to the Communist Army officers and were used to 1949-50.
A small part of these items were kept authentic appearance and later to about 1980 were used for filming with historical themes.
There is no information on how many knives were hidden and saved from confiscation.
I have no information on how many of them are removed Brannik emblem, but I've seen Brannik knives mounted emblem of Bulgarian tourists society, with the emblem holes filled, even with botton from Soviet uniform.

Time to talk about the actual knife.
Company "Factor" is produced knives for touristics companies.
Unfortunately I have not found information about when this company was established, when and how
tourist knive have been produced. The only I know is that in 1950 this company does not exist.

If you look at the logo you see is edelweiss.This is still the logo of the Bulgarian Tourist Union today.
The knife has no badge and no inscriptions on the blade, only master’s mark.
This knife was not forbidden by the communists and therefore many people eliminate Brannik emblem and filled the hole to make it look like tourist knife.

The knife

Pesho,

I never doubted what you said about the Brannick knives (the genuine ones) being very rare in your country, or your other observations. With this latest information connecting together what I have observed with many of these 'other' knives that I have seen for sale, or that are currently in circulation, discussed in the past etc. With poorly installed emblems etc, etc, and some of the other arguments or points made not making much sense. With my own sense of these knives (with the “Factor” logo) that they were almost certainly made in Germany. With the Factor company subcontracting them to a company there. In other words, acting as a distributor of the knives in Bulgaria.

With my sincere thanks for taking the time, and making the effort to explain what happened in Bulgaria at the end and after the war (which I found very interesting). And trying to educate collectors with what some of us in the U.S. call a “reality check”.

With my Best Regards, Fred

PS: I will have to go through the images/information that I have to see if there are some good examples that show how the knives were altered. And I’m very open to seeing any additional specimens that others may have.

I'm agree that many things are unknown - when and how Brannik knives have been produced by "Factor" and Klaas, how many of them destroyed, thrown in the rivers, burying and how many survived, but one fact is well unknown by us the Bulgarian collectors.
The truth is that when Royal items began to appear on the Bulgarian market around 1985-90,most of Brannik knives were without emblems and immediately found a company that began manufacturing and assembly. Even one of my "Factor" knife is with a non-original emblem, but I know this fact, because most Bulgarian collectors we can recognize genuine and fake emblems.
Can you presume which one is fake?

To recognize fakes is very difficult , needs hand inspection and, a lot of experience, but:
1. - Most badges and emblems are glued . This is easy to identify.
But I know that there are companies using the original method of attachment.
2. - Places for emblem and Factor and Klaas equal.
Because fakes are quite a bit smaller than the original, you can see that there is a tolerance between the emblem in the nest. But you must have an original knife to compare clearance.
3. - Sometimes installation is not professional and emblem stand crooked and not perfectly aligned with the surface of the handle. I can not explain why use Brannik badges. There are uncommon and expensive than fake Brannik emblems. Moreover, their profile is such that you can’t fit well it .My supposition is that badge are fake too.

I'm not sure that "Factor" knife has been produced in Germany. The quality of the blades is obviously different. Blade "Factor" has poor quality and shallow master’s mark. My supposition is that “Factor” company ordered handles and sheaths from Germani, produced the blade and assembled the knives in Bulgaria.

One spesifaying - Klass knive has magnetic hilt. Factor’s knives not.

Kurt Glemser whote: “The “B” on a red background stands out considerable distance from the hilt.”
Here's the proof. What I was trying to explain to Diplomatt is that there is no way flat emblem can be mounted on Klaas knife.

That may very well be the case for the blades, but in my searching I've also seen different quality etches, and finishes with some otherwise new or near new looking blades. So it makes me wonder why? And some of especially the earlier postwar imported to the U.S. blades made in Germany were of poor quality in not just the finishing which varied. But also the quality of the steel which was sometimes lacking. So that is something else that could be looked into.

BTW: Some of the TR era political daggers were nicely made, but of a very uneven often poor quality steel (by U.S. standards).

Best Regards, Fred

All Brannik knives have been produced till 1944. No way after this period the Communists to order, paid and imported knives Brannik from Germany. This is ridiculous.

I think that there may be a misunderstanding. With some of the knives that are for sale now, or recently sold, being what I was addressing. With Bulgaria having the assistance of Germany for example in arming its soldiers, presumably because it did not have the industrial capacity to do it by themselves at the time the arms were needed.

PS: And as I stated earlier, after early in 1942 - I seriously doubt that the Germans were exporting any dress sidearms or parts of any kind. Best Regards, Fred

I was remiss by not mentioning my appreciation for the new photos. With especially the closeup of the recess in the grip for the emblem showing the relationship of it to the grip, and why there was a problem. Best Regards, Fred

Bulgaria in this period had industrial capacity and had his own production of swords,dirks,daggers,medals, decorations i.t.
All of dirks are Bulgarian production.

Bulgarian offensive sword made by Kerestedjiev one of the biggest producer of swords and daggers.
Unfortunately the sword has poor quality in comparison with the German made hilts.

Original Faktor and Klaas knives have different profile slots emblems.
Klass has a small bulge, which prevents the flat emblem to be mounted properly and to reach the bottom.

The original emblem should has such profile and than “B” will stands out considerable distance from the hilt

Once again, my thanks for the pictures and explanations. And I stand corrected - as I was assuming that what was seen with manufacturing small arms as being outsourced, had more of a correlation to capabilities with dress weapons. With the background as I understood it as follows:

Originally using early contracted Mannlichers in 8x50R, and bayonets made in Austria and Hungary (with some small numbers of an earlier type that was made in Bulgaria). I believe that it was in 1934 that Bulgaria adopted the M30 8x56R (Austrian) cartridge and began making the ammunition (domestically and CZ). And it was at German direction that Austria sent quantities of its Mannlicher rifles and carbines to Bulgaria completing the transfer I believe circa 1940. With some later weapons from Germany itself during the war, and earlier surplus Mannlichers from various European sources etc. etc.

But I can see that dress weapons of Bulgarian origin have been made, although they are outside my own areas of special interest. And if I understand it correctly for the “Factor” knives. The handle and scabbard assemblies would have come from Germany (but not later than early 1942). With the blades made to German specifications (?) so they would fit the scabbard assemblies correctly. And were they also supplied tooling earlier by Germany so that they could replicate the HJ blades and type of finish? Which may not be answerable as the company no longer exists - but perhaps the German machinery/tooling is still being used by somebody else? Which is where some of my other interests are. Being the more technical aspects of how period items were manufactured. With Best Regards, Fred

Unfortunately there is not much information on this subject.
By 1918 all the swords and dirks are German or Russian production, but after 1925 Bulgaria began manufacturing 2nd model Naval dirk and 1st model Police dagger.Naval dirk has been made from discarded blades Lebel.
For Police dagger have been ordered from Germany pomels,handles and crossguards from German fire dagger and scabbard and blade are made from discarded or captured Gras bayonets.
In 1936 Bulgaria ordered from Germany Army / Klaas/, Airforce /Eickhorn/ and Labor /Puma/ daggers.
Later most probably due to iconomical reasons Bulgaria started to import from Germany only some parts - mainly engraved blades and scabbards, while others parts are produced in Bulgaria.
The manufacture of swords, dirks and knives stopped in 1944
I do not know whether they are imported machines from Germany and will never understand.
From 1948-50, the Communist government nationalized everything - houses, cars, shops, land, factories. Therefore “Factor” and thousands of other factories cease to exist.

Hi Pesho,


Thanks for the very interesting info on these Brannik knifes, you have answered some unknown questions about these knifes,

i appreciate your info & photos on this subject


Best Regards Mac 66.