Red Baron, I�m a little jealous. I don�t like fakes in my collection. (I got very seriously burned early in my marriage in a purchase from a large collection. Of three swords and one dagger, the two dismountable swords had been doctored. I was very fortunate in that my wife was very understanding, and I got my money back). The reason I'm having feelings of jealousy is because of the really high quality 98K bayonet that you describe. While like the more common garden variety etched combat bayonet it would not have any historical relevancy. I think it could possibly be an interesting contrast to legitimate specimens I have. (That does not mean that I�ve changed my mind about fakes in general.)
I appreciate your input on the topic. While anybody and everybody can have an �opinion�. Generally speaking the best input is usually from those who actually have some professional knowledge of a subject. I think we all know of examples in various areas where somebody has made an assumption which has no connection to the real world.
Gustavo, I�m in agreement with you, Craig, Houston, and others who point out that not everything done during the time of the Third Reich was perfect. Even in the early 1930�s blade makers for the Wehrmacht (that were 'milspec') manufactured substandard items. And by the end of the war the quality was significantly worse.
I also admire your interest in etching. While I have some knowledge of early etching, my knowledge of what was done during the Third Reich is more limited. I like a lot of others had really hoped that I would learn something when Craig started the topic. Especially on how to tell fakes from legitimate period items. That we no longer have his contributions is regrettable, but certainly is a personal prerogative that we have to respect.
Jagdtiger74, Thank You for explaining the meaning of the word. It does make sense to me. We have the word idiom, or idiomatic. Which means that although a word actually means one thing - the way it is used can mean something else.
I also very much liked your description of early blade making in Solingen. Which is a topic that I have appreciated for a long time. I have taken the liberty of posting below a hand engraved Solingen made blade from the late 19th century. I know that It has nothing at all to do with this topic. But think that it clearly illustrates some of what you were making reference to.
So please forgive me if I take a minor exception as to the resource requirement for Third Reich blades. As you describe an early blade could be made using hands and relatively minimal equipment. For a more modern blade it is significantly different and could include: drop forging, etching, multiple types of electroplating, machine and hand castings, sometimes anodizing (for aluminum not steel), finishing, threading, and all the other things that went into producing it, with the amount of equipment involved going well beyond the level of early blade making. I�m not at all trying to be critical. Just illustrate that considerable physical resources (in addition to the labor) were required to create the high quality daggers, swords, and bayonets that were made in Solingen during the Third Reich and afterwards.
