UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Miscellaneous Dagger Forum NSFK Krinkle painted grip & w/gold anodized swaz?

Just got this one. Blade FUBAR. Either reworked beyond understanding or replaced. Got a clue if the blade or scabbard could be found? Is the gold anodized swaz special? What maker blade would be correct for this one? So many questions and no experience with these. I am so stupid I can't figure out how to post pictures here. I posted pictures here. http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/daggers-sw...ed-swaz-160013/ Doug

Doug,

This configuration might be correct for a late production Helbig, they made an aluminum crinkle finished grip. I believe the gold swazs was a feature of some of these later production pieces as I remember seeing this once or twice before. An orphan scabbard is a tough find but still possible, probably on Eban. The same goes for a blade & I would stick for either a Helbig marked example or one that is unmarked. Johnny V. would be your man to comment on this grip for sure.

Never seen an unmarked blade on one of these. Something to look for. Doug

The Helbig mark is known for being very lightly applied. Many times it's removed by a quick polish either by the returning vet or a zealous collector. Very possibly the blade was originally Helbig marked, especially based on the hilt configuration.

Tom Whittman needs mine for a denazified dagger. Aparently he doesn't look here. Doug

Nothing wrong with this knife.
The "crackle" finish daggers by Helbig actually had the leather pattern ("crackle") in the aluminum pattern itself, which was then painted blue.
A lot of people seem to think that it was the paint which crackled, but this is not the case, and you can see it nicely in the picture that you linked.

The "gold" swaz. thing on only appears on these aluminum Helbigs.
On all other knives these were of course enamel swazes.

I have looked at many examples very closely and it appears that on these aluminum Helbig pieces the swaz was painted using 2 coats.
The first coat was this gold finish, the second coat was a semi-transparent green coating.

I think that the purpose of this was to give a "deep" translucent look to the paint in an effort to mimic the "deep" appearance of enamel with paint.

In any case, oftentimes the upper layer flakes or is cleaned off, leaving the lower gold layer.
I do not think that these daggers left the factory with gold swazes showing.

Anyway, thanks for showing this.

Good hunting,
Johnny

PS: If you want to replace the blade you will need to find one with the Helbig mark.
All if the aluminum crackle finished daggers that I have seen had M.Marked blades by Helbig.