UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons SS Dagger Forum SS dagger swap?

I was just going through one of my old books "The SS Family" by Ulric.
There is shown on page 66 a SS dagger pictured with text under it stating:
"If an SS man was to die his dagger was to be swapped with the dagger of a close comrade or relative ,symbolizing the continuation of the SS through stuggle and duty"
If I understand correctly the book for most part is a translation of one that SS Obergruppenfuhrer Fritz Weitzel put together.
I was wondering if anyone else heard of this statement and if so how often do you feel this tradition was adhered to.
May this account for some original daggers showing up with unproper scabbards as seen now and then in this hobby?

I've often wondered if there was another explanation for Maker's Mark daggers that accompany early nickle chained scabbards, aside from the comment in the Wittmann book. I bought this one from Tom Johnson several years ago, and the dagger has the R. Klaas logo along with an early scabbard with nickle fittings.

That is one nice dagger. The scabbard center ramp and chain look brand new with all of their burnishing.

That was one of Mr. Johnson's selling points when he listed it in his catalogue.

quote:

Originally posted by Knucklehead:
I've often wondered if there was another explanation for Maker's Mark daggers that accompany early nickle chained scabbards, aside from the comment in the Wittmann book. I bought this one from Tom Johnson several years ago, and the dagger has the R. Klaas logo along with an early scabbard with nickle fittings.

I think it might be possible that if an SS mann qualified for the '36 chained scabbard and originally had an M33 which he had sentimental attachment for, he'd simply put his first dagger into the new scabbard.

Most of these guys were not of great means. In the period qualified SS guys could be purchase scabbards alone saving a few RM's. I believe most of these are the result of a period "upgrade".
Recently had one that was a partial Rohm in a '36 scabbard.
Personally, I prefer a dagger that tells a story....
Man that is a sweet dagger Knuckle, examples liuke that are few and far between.

That is a beauty of a chained SS dagger.

Hard to find in that condition Paul ought to know.

-serge-

[quote]Most of these guys were not of great means. In the period qualified SS guys could be purchase scabbards alone saving a few RM's. /quote]

I agree that the Germans are a frugal people and many of the SS enlisted were of a modest means as well. It's just as reasonable that many of these were returned to the factory and the factory placed (added) the '36 center fitting and changed out the ring on the top fitting with the ramp as well. It's not really any different than taking your car to a repair place and they put a rebuilt waterpump on it instead of an OEM.

I remember a long time collector told me that years ago at the shows they would change the scabbards around on their ss daggers.First,you had the germans changing them,Second,you had the old time collectors changing them around.third.the american gi's where changing them around.Here is a good example,I just got a first class spange that came back in a 2th class issue envelope.The vet most likly just grabbed a bunch of stuff.I remember in 1967 a nazi guy that would come to the shows from Illinois.We called him the butcher.He would alter any nazi item to make $5.00 more on a item.Then now days we rack our brains on what all these guys did.I have stopped doing the brain racking,an item is what it is.