UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Army, Navy, and Luftwaffe Forum Luft mod II ,Spesial silver finish scabbard

Especially the Luftwaffe 2nd model daggers (IMO) show some of the changes that were forced upon Solingen makers as certain materials became scarcer.

I don�t know who it was in the collecting world who first originated the phrase �airplane gray� to describe the use of gray phosphate as a type of metal finish. And although I remember seeing �airplane gray� in some sales catalogs - I�m also reasonably certain that that Germans never used that phrase.

With nickel, silver, zinc and zinc phosphate (matt finish) all being used depending on the item, time period, and maker involved. With, as they age, nickel plating (and nickel silver) having no significant color changes. Silver exposed to the atmosphere turning black. And zinc which tends to be a more muted silver color, becoming more gray. And zinc phosphate (as the matt layer wears away) exposing the zinc base layer.

That said, my compliments for some very nice examples of Luftwaffe daggers!! FP