What type of German Nazi Knife is it ?

[benchmademan1184]

I have looked high and low and can't find a thing about it. This is the only picture I have. Any details would be greatly appericated.

 

[G. Scott H.]

Here's a bit of info http://www.quanonline.com/military/military_reference/german/blades/rad.php

It's known as an RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst) dagger.

 

[John A. Larsen]

You should post it on Bernard Levine's site for an exact answer, but pretty sure it is a Nazi National Labor Service knife (RAD - Reichs Arbeitsdienst ) , note the shovel head on the scabbard. John

 

[benchmademan1184]

Awesome guys. Thanks for the reference. I picked this up at a swap meet for $30.00

 

[G. Scott H.]

Like the link says, it's sometimes very difficult to tell repros from originals. You may have something worth several hundred bucks or only worth what you paid for it. I'd follow John's advise and ask about it here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/691-Bernard-Levine-s-Knife-Collecting-amp-Identification. I'm not a fan of collecting Nazi stuff, myself (bad juju/karma if you ask me), but I'm sure there'll be a market for it if it's real. Could be a real treasure for someone.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Sure would be cool if it were real! I would give it to a museum or something though... I couldn't own something like that but that's just me.

What I could never understand is the crap Nazi knife offerings in rags like budk. They sell those then put in a "disclaimer" that they aren't sympathizers, and that they sell them only for historical blah blah blah... whatever.

Now that I've interjected my morals on the subject... Op, what are your plans for it? If it's of any quality it actually looks like it would make a fantastic chopper.

 

[tirod3]

While authentic WWII German knives aren't junk, they were meant for ceremonial use, not actual cutting. The hardest thing they cut was a dashing look for the wearer in uniform. Sharpening them will abrade the chrome plating on the edge and open it up to rusting.

The possibility of it being a fake is fairly high, many were first copied and sold in the '50s by a British firm, sold to militaria and surplus stores. Most of that production is now 50 years old and carries much the same look and patina of age. The most typical of that lot is the parallelogram "Parachutist" folding dagger - which was never actually issued. The Knife Annuals have an article on them, the comments by actual Germans who lived in the era consider them interesting - but acknowledge they never had them.

Frankly, if the previous owner had a clue about it, it wouldn't have sold for so little. Just maybe it's authentic - even the Antiques Roadshow gets a winner - but the surplus, gun show, and knife community recognize most of the authentic ones travel in very close circles among serious collectors, with a great deal of provenance. There's simply more money in it to sell to a collector who's attempting to score the real stuff.