The original specification, which was for the SA dagger called for a 40mm gap between the last letter of the motto and the top of the blade. This was not followed even in the earliest daggers.
I have measured 51 SS daggers - 28 early and 22 RZM. Not counting the Eickhorn Rohm/Himmlers:
The shortest distance - a Schuttelhoffer - 23.71 mm
The greatest distance - An EP&S 26.03
Average of 48 daggers 25.31 mm
The three Eickhorn Himmler/Rohms 36.05 mm, 36.21 mm, 34.62 mm
Not that in the case of the early K&M & Jacobs, the average of 25.4 mm was from the exclamation point to the top of the blade.
