UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Miscellaneous Dagger Forum My NEW DLV Leader

For years I have been looking for a NICE DLV Leader's Dagger for my collection and this weekend I finally found one. A WWII veteran brought his daggers in for me and I bought the grouping and the DLV Leader was in the lot. Double beer bottle (Heidelburg Maker) TM and nice, excellent plus condition, its a beauty.

Hilt view:

Here is the whole veteran's buy:

Nice purchase at all! congratulations.
The DLV-Dagger is so seldom to see...
So I`m happy about every Picture i can see.
And this one is in superb condition.
Because I see a Grip-wire...is the blade also cuttet?

But what about "Leaders-Dagger"?
I´ts not in my aknowledge that only DLV-Leaders
are allowed to wear this one?
What is the minor rank for this dagger in Your oppinion?

regards
Medes

The blade shape is the same style as the early Eickhorn 55 cm type with the large ricasso with the double edged coming off a curved ramp at the sides with the stamped double beer bottle TM.
The minor dagger for this organization is the DLV Knife that is rather common compared to the long 55cm Leader.
Ron Weinand

..but thats not what I used to ask.

Did anyone know which rank an DLV-member must have to wear the DLV-Dagger?

Another question to Your dagger.:
which material is the scabbard made off?

regards
Medes

quote:

Originally posted by Ronald Weinand:
Here is the whole veteran's buy:

Very nice lot of daggers and knifes Ronald
The FKm`s looks great too

regards Lh 600

Ron,

Great looking piece. Just curious, how many DLV leaders would you say you've picked up from vets over the years? It's got to be a low number, like under 5?

This is my third DLV Leader and by far the best conditioned one (that's why I didn't keep the Weyersburg and the Adolf Braunn-too bad condition for me).
The scabbard leather is soft and the bottom fitting has a kink in the leather just above the fitting (no breakage, but has weakened the leather and the fitting is a little floppy when the blade is withdrawn, but I can live with that in this case-leather finish is still super and finish is not damaged)
The three Gravity Knives are very nice with good springs one SMF and two Weyersburgs.
Ron Weinand

Thanks Ron. I figured even you wouldn't have seen too many of these.

wow nice one Ron.

A rare dagger! Great score Ron

Woaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah ! What a beauty !

Super quality, condition and scarcity. Congrats Ron! Nice score.

-serge-

What I have found interesting about these 55 cm DLV Daggers is that there appears to be no standardization among the different makers.
The Weyersberg and the Adolf Braun that I had had pommels that were peaned on and did not take down. The Heidelberg pictured here has a screw off pommel like the 1st Luft.
Also, the Weyersberg and the Braun did not have wire grip wrap whereas the Heidelberg does.
The blade shape on the Heidelberg is like the DLV Leader from Eickhorn and the Braun and the Weyersberg had a shape similar to the 1st Luft.
So, no rules on these long pieces except for the four segmented lower scabbard fitting, which was the same on all manufacturers that I have examined so far.
JMO,
Ron Weinand

...also the crossguard from the Eickhorn-55cm DLV`s is very different with the square-shaped
background of the swastika.

But I think the "textbook-DLV" should have:

-no grip wire
-peaned pommels

regards
Medes

After looking at several DLV Daggers by different manufacturers over my years in this hobby, I can definately say that there is NO textbook DLV Leader.
Differences in size, fittings, blades, grips and trademarks show that there was no standardization among the different early DLVs.
The ONLY trait that seems to be standard is the four segments in the bottom scabbard fitting.
Ron Weinand