UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons European Edged Weapons The unofficial swedish dressdagger

A few of you may be interested in swedish dressdaggers, so I just thought I could write what I know about them (there was a discussion in another thread). I`ll just write the basics.

There is only one maker of swedish unofficial dressdagger, and its FM Mattson in Mora. The dressdaggers were made from the 30�s to 1962. There are no models without the lions head (I think).
Sweden has no "dressdagger-tradition" what so ever, not at all like germany, but FM Mattson was inspired by the german custom, and started to make the swedish bayos (I think, but Im not sure, that FMM studied in germany before ww2).

The lions head is also a part of the swedish national symbol, and during ww2, the swedish patriotism (more a feeling for the country then anything nazi-like), was pretty well known.

The bayonets were never official, and they were only made as a decoration/collectors item. It was forbidden to wear one with a uniform.
The production stopped in 1962, only because it didnt pay. It was never forbidden to make the dressdaggers.

The early dressdaggers have the typical swedish three chrowns-symbol on the "shield", but the regular army and the government didnt allow that for long (the symbol was only for them), so if you find one, buy it! They are pretty rare.

If you want to know anything else, I`ll try to answer as good as I can.

Thank you for the specific information on these daggers. They once were quite easy to find at the shows, but they have been purchased.

Jim