Generally speaking Luftwaffe FliegerKappmesser that show wear/use have blades that show commensurate use. With age/corrosion a separate issue because poor storage is separate and apart from use/wear/sharpening etc.
For myself perhaps the larger issue is an �R.B. Nr.� marked spike along with a trademarked blade. Usually the blades on the R.B. Nr. marked paratrooper knives are blank. Circa November 1940 under the auspices of the Oberkommando des Heeres, the Heereswaffenamt began to adopt letter codes to conceal the makers of various arms which included combat (service) edged weapons for the military with Mundlos, Berg, and E.u.F. H�rster being some of the first. The codes were not adopted overnight and were in the process of being changed over again in 1944 presumably because the Germans believed that the secret manufacturer�s codes had fallen into the hands of Allied intelligence. Which brings us to the �Reichsbetriebsnummer� (R.B. Nr.) which were adopted for the same reason sometime later in 1943.
A 1943 (or later) R.B. Nr. marked military issue (Luftwaffe) knife that also has a trademark??? From my perspective there is no question in my mind that the blade is a replacement. With the question of it being a period or postwar manufactured blade open to discussion - although IMHO there is nothing that precludes anyone from replicating a legitimate period marking on an unmarked blade from any era. And age (corrosion etc.) does not guarantee originality. Having seen some examples of aged/corroded �Olympic� knives with the �Olympic� etching done right over (on top of) the corrosion/wear.
I wish that I could be more positive. But that is my honest assessment of the situation at the moment having very serious doubts about the blade being original to the knife. FP
