UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons The BCN Bayonet Forum Klaas Made Etches

Klaas sold etches to many other blade makers.

I will start a thread on Klaas made etches and slowly add to it as time passes.

The first etch that I have to show you is a very recent arrival and is a long, double etched blade. Double etches are not common with Klaas and neither is the TM used on this particular bayonet.

The obverse consists of the standard Klaas dedication to service with its Celtic looking bookends and the words 'Ges Gesch' inscribed in the bottom right corner of the etch.

The Reverse has the same Celtic, intertwined bookends and a dedication to 14 Company, Infantry Regiment 106.

The interesting thing about this bayo is that it has a very hard to find Klaas mark, the kissing cranes alone, plus the name (I think) of a distributor, Hommel.

There is a little plating loss on the obverse tip, but, other than that, a nice bayo pics of which you can see in Wayne's book on page 249.

John

As much as love etched bayonets the best thing about this bayonet (in my warped opinion)is the Trade/distributor. As I told John earlier there may be a few of these out there but I've only seen two in the 20+ years of collecting. The one I seen was a long blade non-etched version about 22-23 years ago.

Just how many dual marked bayonet has the TM symbol and distributor on the same side of the blade.

Terry,

That's a first for me, very cool to see the 2 marks integrated. Beautiful bayonet as well John (as usual).

Thanks, guys.

Here is another long etched bayonet by Klaas. This one has the same Celtic looking bookends, it has the 'Ges Gesch' in the lower right corner and it exhibits the more common Klaas TM, the words in a circle around the kissing cranes.

Best of all, it is dedicated to Panzer Regiment 1, out of Erfurt.

It looks a lot like the one pictured in Wayne's book on page 227, but has the TM on the reverse and has a slightly different font .. compare the word 'Panzer' here to the one in the book.

And, here is a version of Klaas catalogue pattern 1264 on a long blade.

The short blade version of this etch is the same except that the oak leaves at the beginning and the end of the dedication are omitted on the short version.

John

Very Klaasy John.

Good stuff here so far I havn't come across a Hommel maybe someday.

Very nice John,and the last one has super nice and interesting etch.Thanks for sharing.


Stingray

This is definitely a Klaas etch, but it is on a CJ Krebs marked blade.

It has the Klaas Celtic-type intertwined bookends and dedication.

But, it also has the front fuselage of a Stuka dive bomber. You can see this etch as well on page 133 of Wayne's book.

John,

Simply put, these etch patterns just get better and better all the time. Thanks for your tireless effort in giving us all a first-hand look at these marvelous Blanke Waffen.

Best!

W~

Well done John. I have said for years that someone ought to do a reference book on just Klaas edged weapons. They are different from other manufactures and ALL their daggers, swords and bayonets have slightly different designs and construction that separates them from the rest IMO.

Agreed Ron!
And I luv 'em!

I have two etches by the other Krebs... Peter Dan Krebs. While it is certain that Klaas made most of the etches for PDK, there is one etch pattern that is very different from anything made by Klaas or anyone else for that matter.

Wayne, on page 205, shows this etch and speculates that Krebs may have had this done as an exclusive etch pattern by someone outside of Krebs (or maybe even Klaas).

It is a plain unadorned etch on a long blade and came to me courtesy of our very own Terry K.

Now, this etch, on a Peter Dan Krebs blade, is definitely by Klaas.

It is found pictured in Wayne's book on pages 74 and 75.

It is a short blade with a double etch.

The obverse etch has the standard Klaas intertwined bookends, a dedication to Flak Barrage Battalion 88 and a flak gun with its crew.

The reverse etch has a Luftwaffe eagle and a helmet sandwiching the words for Christmas in Wartime, 1940. Of course, the Celtic looking Klaas bookends give away the manufacturer of this piece.

And, it is finished by the stamped Pet. Dan. Krebs logo with name and lobster.

John maybe this is the second HUMMEL.

HUMMEL

Another two for you forum.

WoW

Two Hommels in two days, there every where. Now I just have to have one.

You know, Terry, I am not wedded to the Klaas etch

I only pick these things up to keep me busy while I am waiting for the right Pack or Eickhorn etch to come along.

I could bring this with me to the MAX and maybe talk some kind of trade or something???? Let me know.

I really consider any non-Pack or non-Eick blade to not be in my core collecting interests.

John

Richard Abr Herder seems to have purchased all of their etched patterns from Klaas.

Klaas pattern 1252 with the so-called potted plant bookends and the Klaas Wide eagle pattern is one such.

The twist is that this etch is the so-called reverse pattern and appears on a long, stag hilted bayonet.

Pictures of this etch are on page 222 of Wayne's book.

Here is the same etch on a short bayonet... also pictured on page 222.

Here is a Klaas made etch with the Celtic type intertwined bookends, the Klaas Wide eagle and the addition of extra sprigs on either side of the eagle.

Herder sold this etch pattern, which is not a Klaas etch at all. In fact, it looks like Herder bought at this pattern from Holler. For sake of completeness, I include it here in what is supposed to be Klaas made etches.

It is a dedication to Panzer Regt 1 out of Erfurt.

Here is a single etched bayonet with no maker mark, but definitely by Klaas.

This etch features the Klaas wide eagle, but with a unigue set of bookends.

You can find this etch pictured on Wayne's book in page 256.

John

The Klaas wide eagle with the potted plant bookends, but on a mini bayonet. No maker mark.

Here is a double etched blade by Klaas, even though it has no maker mark.

The obverse has the standard dedication with the Celtic type bookends, but with a Luft eagle.

The reverse has the Celtic type bookends with a Luft eagle and a dedication to a Flak Regiment.

And, here is an unmarked Klaas etch to the SS.

Here is a double etched shooting prize made by Klaas.

This is a single etched bayonet by Waffen Max Weyersberg (WMW) but definitely made by Klaas. It also has a unique presentation.

John,
Now you're just showing off!

beautiful stuff!

Denny, maybe???

Tiger also purchased their etches from Klaas. But, rather than posting them here, I have a link to where I have already posted them earlier:

http://phpstack-500133-1583587.cloudwaysapps.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=230474#Post230474

John

Breath-taking stuff!!!!

I picked up this crappy conditioned etch at the MAX this year.

It is a Herder blade with a Klaas etch that is pictured on page 221 of Wayne's book.

Despite the condition, I wanted this etch since it is a pretty rare etch pattern to find and it is dedicated to Anti Tank unit 37, which was attached to Panzer Brigade 1 along with Panzer Regiment 1 (also on a Herder etch) and Panzer Regiment 2.

John

One of the 'tells' when you look for fake etches is a combination of etch type and maker mark.

For example, one would not find an Eickhorn etch on a Klaas marked bayonet.

In fact, Eickhorn, Pack and Puma etches are only found on their own bayoents, or on unmarked or distributor marked bayonets.

Other makers, such as Holler and Klaas weemed to have an open door policy and one can find their etches on several different maker marred bayonets.

The only exception that I know of this for Pack is an unlisted but definitely Pack etch found on a Hack Werk, Steyr marked bayonet. Hack as an Austrian manufacturer and their logo, their name and a fish, are found on several blade types. Hack also manageged to obtain a Klaas etch on their blades.

This etch on a short bladed maker marked blade is found in Wayne's book on page 195 and is the Klaas Celtic type bookends on either side of a Luftwaffe droop tailed eagle and a helmet on the other.

John

So H&M was the distributor?

Nope, Hack-Werke was an military arms manufacturer located in Austria and established in 1875.

They obviously did not have the facilities nor the expertise to etch, so they bought their etched blades from other manufacturers, Pack and Klaas that we know of.

In the TR era, they produced SAs, Heers, HJs, Luft2s, NSKKs, dress bayonets and swords. All NS production was, of course, after the Anschluss, so no tapered tang armies or Luft1s that I know of.

John

Here is a non maker marked, but distributor marked etch that is definitely made by Klaas.

You can see this exact etch on page 250 of Wayne's book.

It is a long blade, single etch. It has the 'potted plant' bookends that you can see in the Klaas catalogue on their items 2181 and 1252. And, it has a dedication to Anti Tank Unit 42 of Bad Connstatt. The distributor is Joh Hiller of Bad Constatt.

John

Great pics and a very useful thread.

A later produced etch pattern, the 2181 in their catalogue, has the potted plant bookends and a plain dedication to time in service.

This is a long, single etched bayonet and is pictured in Wayne's book on page 253 and it has no maker mark.

BTW, I finally found a typo in Wayne's book... on page 253 it says Klaas etch pattern 1281, but in the catalogue pictured on page 224 it is definitely pattern 2181.

Here it is:

You have seen this etch pattern on a Hack marked bayonet earlier in this thread, and here it is with a Klaas TM.

A short bladed single etch with a Luftwaffe motif... the bookends (the Celtic type cross) tell us that this etch was pre-1938. In 1938, as seen in their catalogue, they switched to the 'potted plant' bookends.

You can see this etch on a long blade on page 226 of Wayne's book.

John you certainly have one if not thee finest etched bayonet collections in the world congratulations on the focus to put a collection of this caliber together.

Here is a short bladed single etch by Klaas.

It has teh slant front bookend and displays a Luftwaffe eagle closest to the crossguard.

You can see this etch on page 229 of Wayne's great book.

John

Great thread John.
Ok so here's a question that I've never got a straight answer on. Why done the tip on some bayonets come to a double edge point, like this last one, and on some blades just a normal single edge point? I hope you get my meaning. Was this an option?
Nice Bayo BTW!!

Paul:

I have no ideaas on the edges on the blade tip. Maybe someone out there in GDCland does.

Thanks for your comments, buddy.

You have helped me get many of the nicest items in my collection.

John

John, it's been kind of nice to sit today and look at some of these threads that I've seen and haven't had a chance to post on. Very outstanding etches. I only have a few factory etches. I wish I had an interest in them back in the '70's when they were resonable and I had no overhead living at home as a kid. It was the fourth page where I saw that you had posted your Hack-Werk.

Here's my only example of Hack-Werk/Klaas Number 1252 pg. 232 Techet. One thing I notice in this type of etch, you will see the "an" before the swaz and after. This one is after.

Regards, Steve.

JOHN Z , I HAVE A SHORT VERSION OF THE 1264 KLASS PATTERN , I AM WORKING ON PHOTOS . DO YOU HAVE ANY PHOTOS OF THIS PATTERN AND IS THIS A COMMON PATTERN.

Steve:

That is one nice and rare Hack etch. I have two Hack etches, one made by Pack, the long Japanese style sunray one. The other is a Klaas made Luft etch with the Celtic type bookends and as found on page 195. Yours is the slant edge Luft etch found on page 229.

Bill:

See page one of this thread for pics of my long 1264 model. This etch apttern is rated 'scarce' adn the shorter one would be the harder one to find (IMHO).

John

I think you are asking about the different blade grinds with one having a false edge on the back and one not. The tips are ground differently by different makers according to their own whims. Generally speaking, the blades with a false edge (double edge at the tip) and a narrow fuller are found on the short KS98 bayonets. The longer KS98 blades were generally made without the false back, that were ground with a sharp angle, and a wide fuller. Having said that, you will find short blades ground without the false edge on some bayonets.

Now, you have seen this etch on a Herder blade in this thread.

Here is a version of the Klaas etch No. 1252, the so-called Klaas Wide Eagle. This etch, as shown on page 225 of Wayne's book, is listed as common. However, the etch I am showing has extra oak leaves beside each wing, making the etch longer... I guess to fit better on a long blade.

John

A short blade, single etch, no maker, but definitely by Klaas.

This etch has the Nr 2181 styling, but it has a unique right angle slant border at the front of the etch.

This exact etch is pictured in Wayne's book on page 257.

John

Really incredible pieces...i saw for sale on klaas etched bayonet with erfurt panzer dedication very similar to the second on this thread but the dedication was written on 3 lines and there wasn t etched Ges Gesch. .it s possible or are red flags? Thanks a lot

Luca:

An interesting variation indeed.

The top borders fo the etch bothe me a bit. Can we see better pcitures of the top and bottom borders as well as both front and back bookends?

John

Unfortunately i have only a second pic that will. Not help so much...i ll post all the same
Thanks so much

John

Just picked this one up. It was on an Auction site and I was the only bidder.

Nice pick up Terry, I hope you got it for a song.

Steve

Terry:

It is the same etch as the one in the previous page of this thread.

Nice catch at what I assume to be a bqargain price.

John

Pattern 1264 in the Klaas catalogue was a unique etch that is both simple and elegant. The difference between the short and the long versions of this etch lies in the addition of extra oak leaves to lengthen the etch pattern.

Here is the short one.

Here are the two 1264 patterns on a short and a long blade each.

Klaas pattern 2181 typically shows potted plant bookends along with an army helmet with oak leaves and a Heer eagle, with the eagle being closest to the crossguard.

This is the Luftwaffe version of that etch. The difference is that there is a Luftwaffe eagle closest to the crossguard.

It is of interest to note that Klaas later made this etch with their Celtic style bookends, but that the order of the eagle and helmet was reversed so that the helmet was closest to the crossguard (you can see a version of this on a Hack marked bayonet in Wayneès book on page 195).

There were two etch patterns that used Celtic type bookends with the 2181 helmet and stubby eagle interior pattern.

This one is a long bladed single etch dedication to Inf Regt 71. You can find this exact etch on page 228 of Wayne's book. It differs from the other version of this etch (on page 227B) by the addition of some flourishes underneath the helmet and the eagle.

Here it is and a picture of the pg 227 etch to Panzer Regt 1 for comparison.

John

Here is an item that I believe is the rarest of etch dedications.

It is a short, single etch found on a RA Herder marked blade. With the typical Klaas Celtic type bookends and a Luftwaffe droop tailed eagle, the dedication is to the 2nd Fallschirmjagerdivsion. Now, who has heard of an etch to the parachute regiment?

Definitely one of a kind and thanks to Wayne Techet, it is now residing in the Great White North.

And, as an added bonus, the frog is marked as well.

John

John,

Just plain amazing!! Just when I think you've acquired "thee" crown jewel of your collection, well, along comes another knockout!! It's one looker in pristine condition. And yes, the frog is the icing on the cake. As always, thanks for sharing.

Mat J

Klaas made two versions of slant front bookends, the difference is in the direction of the slant.

Here is one on a Wingen marked blade with the slant direction from bottom of etch to top. You can see this version in Wayne's great book on pg 232B.

I also show you the other version of the slant direction.

John