UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Army, Navy, and Luftwaffe Forum The Anatomy of an Eickhorn KM dagger

You are quite right Wotan. We collectors tend to use term "fire gilding" rather loosely. The process of using a mercury and gold amalgam paste, applying it to the dagger surfaces and then heating it to vaporize the mercury leaving the saturated frosted gold finish was largely phased out for standard production weapons after 1918. By the end of the 19th century, neurological damage from mercury vapor inhalation was well documented and laws were passed to protect workers. Recall "mad as a hatter" came from the neurotoxic effects caused by mercury poisoning. Mercury was used in the treatment of furs in the felting process for hats. Fire gilding is a time consuming and labor intensive process. Processes such as electroplating lend themselves better to mass production techniques and are safer. I have had one TR navy dagger that had a true fire gilded finish. It was a 1938 pattern by Eickhorn. It was clearly a different finish than the ones we almost always observe. It had a soft matte finish gold with polished highlights in the pommel, cross guard and scabbard bands. It did not have that shiny finish we see on a typical mint dagger. It felt luxurious.