german trench knife

P

phantomknives

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Mar 31, 2016
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i recently received a two pin German trench knife, i cant find anybody selling the original, as far as i can tell, the tip was snapped and re-ground, the handles were replaced though. no doubts on it being original, markings have been worn off though, just ask about specifics, i feel like i'm rambling. its been a while, i dont remember how to post a picture. any thoughts on the knife?
 
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I'm sure a mod will be by to remind you that "what is my knife worth" posts are a no-no. Regarding the rest of your questions, my impression is a lot of trench knives were not really standardized affairs. Thus, without photos any conjecture is pretty pointless.

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alright sorry
ill remove that part of the post
i've seen a few re-pros of this specific pattern of knife, as far as i know, it's the only pattern with two pins in the tang.
 
phantomknives said:
the tip was snapped and re-ground, the handles were replaced though. no doubts on it being original, markings have been worn off though
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It doesn't sound "original" anymore. Based on your description, I'd say the knife has zero collectors value. After all, it's been heavily modified, and it has no identifying markings. What I know about serious collectors of historical weapons is- they like them to be in original condition with absolutely no changes or attempts at restoration whatsoever.
 
Idk but some people collect trench art and theatre knives. One mans trash you know how it goes.
 
Sosa said:
Idk but some people collect trench art and theatre knives. One mans trash you know how it goes.
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Unless there is some kind of documentation to indicate when the handles were replaced and when the tip was re-ground, the modifications could just as easily have been done last year, ten years ago, twenty years ago, etc. None of which would make those modifications authentic "trench art" or increase the knifes value on the antique collectors market.

Kinda like if someone gave you an original KABAR with the tip broke off. It could have been broken off during hand to hand combat between a Marine and a Japanese soldier on Iwo Jima. Or it could have been bought brand new as military surplus by a civilian and had the tip broken off when the owner used it to pry open a paint can.

Collectors come in a wide variety. Some just like to collect cool looking stuff and don't care about authenticity or provenance, some will only buy items in there original, un-modified and un-restored condition, and some will pay big bucks if an antique weapon comes with proof and documentation. Serious collectors are very demanding when it comes to proof and documentation because there are a lot of fakes out there.
 
killgar said:
Unless there is some kind of documentation to indicate when the handles were replaced and when the tip was re-ground, the modifications could just as easily have been done last year, ten years ago, twenty years ago, etc. None of which would make those modifications authentic "trench art" or increase the knifes value on the antique collectors market.

Kinda like if someone gave you an original KABAR with the tip broke off. It could have been broken off during hand to hand combat between a Marine and a Japanese soldier on Iwo Jima. Or it could have been bought brand new as military surplus by a civilian and had the tip broken off when the owner used it to pry open a paint can.

Collectors come in a wide variety. Some just like to collect cool looking stuff and don't care about authenticity or provenance, some will only buy items in there original, un-modified and un-restored condition, and some will pay big bucks if an antique weapon comes with proof and documentation. Serious collectors are very demanding when it comes to proof and documentation because there are a lot of fakes out there.
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There's a lot of everything out there. and serious collectors aren't immune to being bamboozled.
 
i got it at yard sale for 25 cents, i replaced the grip scales and the blade is the right shape, mostly. its a quarter inch shorter then where it should be but it still has a recognizable shape
 
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