mystery 2nd luft - 12/29/2005 07:44 PM
Hello all,
I was given this 2nd luft by my father in law who purchased it from a european dealer. I checked all of the fittings and they look to be all WKC (the blade is unmarked). The handle has a wooden center w/ springy wire and looks 100% good to me. The blade and port. also look good (clamp mark, etc.) My problem is with the fittings (pommel, crossguard, and scabbard). When I first recieved the dagger I was concerned by the lack of fine detail on these fittings and feared that they were post-war cast copies. There was also a brushed look to the fittings and no apparent age. I thought perhaps it was new cast parst painted silver. But upon closer inspection I am beginning to believe, sadly, that these parts were put to a wire wheel for a good "cleaning". There is evidence that there once was extensive corrosion (especially to the crossguard swaz.) that was wire wheeled away (along with the crisp details and diving these parts a "brished" appearance. Furthermore, the scabbard is not a WKC stule, but rather a generic, does this mean that it was from another dagger or did WKC use generics as well? The scabbard lookes VERY good in most places w/ original gray rubbed off as is common on the edges, however the "ball" of the scabbard is VERY shinny, as are the rings on the scabbard bands and a few other areas, it looks as if somone again "touched up" age spots with a wire wheel. Finally I would say that the blade is personalized that name is "DEMUTI", there may be another letter but it is hard to make out. It was NOT professionally done, it looks as if some corrosive liquid was painted on the blade leaving a splotchy very light etch. Anyone seen anything like this? I am adding several pics. to show places of note. I am very interested in all opinions. Thanks in advance.
Yours,
John Van Etten
I was given this 2nd luft by my father in law who purchased it from a european dealer. I checked all of the fittings and they look to be all WKC (the blade is unmarked). The handle has a wooden center w/ springy wire and looks 100% good to me. The blade and port. also look good (clamp mark, etc.) My problem is with the fittings (pommel, crossguard, and scabbard). When I first recieved the dagger I was concerned by the lack of fine detail on these fittings and feared that they were post-war cast copies. There was also a brushed look to the fittings and no apparent age. I thought perhaps it was new cast parst painted silver. But upon closer inspection I am beginning to believe, sadly, that these parts were put to a wire wheel for a good "cleaning". There is evidence that there once was extensive corrosion (especially to the crossguard swaz.) that was wire wheeled away (along with the crisp details and diving these parts a "brished" appearance. Furthermore, the scabbard is not a WKC stule, but rather a generic, does this mean that it was from another dagger or did WKC use generics as well? The scabbard lookes VERY good in most places w/ original gray rubbed off as is common on the edges, however the "ball" of the scabbard is VERY shinny, as are the rings on the scabbard bands and a few other areas, it looks as if somone again "touched up" age spots with a wire wheel. Finally I would say that the blade is personalized that name is "DEMUTI", there may be another letter but it is hard to make out. It was NOT professionally done, it looks as if some corrosive liquid was painted on the blade leaving a splotchy very light etch. Anyone seen anything like this? I am adding several pics. to show places of note. I am very interested in all opinions. Thanks in advance.
Yours,
John Van Etten
