UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Army, Navy, and Luftwaffe Forum German Kriegsmarine Dagger

Im really not happy, the photos I was provided did not show the amount of wear on the dagger. I purchased this from an auction house and I will be talking to them.

In addition I wanted to double check with you guys to see if there was anything you could point out that may be wrong with it.

The metal is very worn and does not look crisp at all.

I have no experience with these daggers, I am curious as a dress dagger, does it have an edge on the blade or should it(like my photos show) have a very thick unsharpened edge?

in addition, is the blade supposed to be off kilter in relation to the guard? they are not even horizontally, and neither is the felt pad, they are all on angles

















Thanks for any help, Im starting to think this war stuff should be left for the guys who were around to see it or at least when this stuff was more commonly around....

Noble
Pommel and cross guard were made by WKC. The grip is on backwards. Someone has taken it apart but that is not unusual. The fit of the blade should be tight and in the same plane as the grip and 90 degrees to the crossguard centerline as you pointed out. I would reassemble it turning the grip around and see if the parts fitting is improved. Careful with the delicate grip. Dont overtighten it. The blade does not look sharpened to me and looks like a typical unmarked plain blade. It just did not age well unfortunately.

Well, it looks as though it probably is genuine but a very worn & badly cared for piece.
Buying from auction can be risky if you rely on poor images over the internet and you are not likely to have any success getting a refund. novice collectors should always buy from a reputable source before they are confident in their own judgement. Yes it may be more expensive but a couple of losses like that and the disappointment soon add up to a greater financial loss and the end of what can be a very rewarding hobby.

Noble,

As has already been mentioned, the dagger is not in a nice condition, but that being said, if you are starting out and dont have the financial means to purchase MINT examples, then one can always upgrade at a later stage. I hope you didnt pay all too much for the Navy dagger you show in the pics?
When I started many moons ago, I was doing an appreticeship and was not earning that much, however, I wanted original examples in my collection. So i bought the types of militaria that wasn`t in demand by the more serious collectors, and just upgraded through the years. I never lost in my investment, as I never really paid much in the first place.
However, what does bug me a little about your one pic, is that I see an army dagger scabbard? Was that purchased with the Navy example you are showing, or is it just by chance in the pic?
You should have a brass scabbard with that navy dagger.

Dion

@strato, I thought something looked strange, that explains it! I also found it odd the blade was never sharpened at any point.

@landser, Im dissapointed with this auction in particular because I believe I may of been sold a knock off badge(with a mark!) and the condition of the items is much worse than their photos indicated. I will be having a word with them. I will certainly be paying far more attention, and dealing in person in the future!

@Dion, I only paid $226cad, Its still high for a poorer condition piece, but there are not many other options in that range out there. The blade was the only thing that was debatable, everything else looked to be in good condition in their photos. Also yes, they sold it with an army scabbard, this is something that made me curious, perhaps in the wrong direction. I found it very strange to have an army scabbard and a navy dagger. IN addition the auctioneer stuck their ID stickers on the scabbard, so its peeling off some of the surface layers when I remove them, and also leaving some crap on it. I am pretty unimpressed by this.

As this dagger holds little value, even in its components, assuming I have no option to return it being an auction, would you advise against having the blade re-done by a professional?

Im debating as to what to do with the scabbard, Id like to cover some of my cost with it, but then again I debate its condition, its tarnished on the outside, and there is some rust around the screws on the inside, which means it would neede to be cleaned, something Im uncertain of.

Noble,

I wouldn`t pay any more money into this dagger. Asuming you cant return the dagger, the best thing to do, to recuperate your costs, would be to list the seperate dagger parts on eBay. I can tell you now, you`d recuperate the money and maybe even make some. Next time you purchase, look right here on the "for sale" section as you do get some good deals here. But purchase from the right source and you wont get stung! Also, you could paste pics here before purchasing, and get some advice. The guys here are always willing to help out. Like it was mentioned before, when you get to that stage in collecting, where you can decide yourself whether or not to buy, things become easier, especially with experience!
I think EVERY collector has paid school money before and got themselves burnt, I know I have!!! But, thats all the learning curve. No reason NOT to collect!

Just my honest opinion:)

Dion

So by separate parts you mean the grip, pommel, guard, scabbard and blade as separate pieces?

Or just the dagger and scabbard separate?

I will definitely be going the route you mention in the future!!

I have already contacted about the badge, I am awaiting response at which point I will mention the rest of the items quality. Im expecting to be refunded for the badge but the rest because they are not repros, probably not.

Like Dion said, the grip, pommel & x guard are worth the money you paid. Someone needs an army scabbard and you are in profit! I had a couple of harsh lessons that cost a darn site more than that. Like said, it`s a learning curve. In time with careful study you`ll get to know what is good or bad and how much is a fair price. Don`t give up!