Original Item: Only One Available. We just purchased this lovely dagger at a military trade show. It is a fine Solingen-Produced totally original WWII German 2nd Model Naval Dagger by legendary maker W.K.C. Waffenfabrik, complete with the original plated "lightning bolt" style brass scabbard. It definitely looks to have seen only light service during the war, and the blade is more simple than we are used to seeing, made from unplated carbon steel without any etching present. It also still retains a lot of the gilt finish on the fittings and scabbard, giving it a fantastic aged look.

This example was almost certainly purchased by an officer when the war was in full swing, as the pommel is the later post 1940 pattern, with less "vaulting" around the wreath. There is also not as much of an inset on the wings, giving it a more streamlined look than the earlier pattern. The details in the bird are still fully visible, and the cross guard is the crossguard is the standard WKC type, with very crisp execution. The grip is in very condition, with a lovely ivory color celluloid covering, which has not faded to orange as so many have. It shows a bit of staining, but no cracking, and the twisted brass wire wrapping is in good condition, showing a lovely oxidized patina with no missing sections. The scabbard locking button is fully functional, and shows wear and patination.

The blade is a nice example, and unlike most does not look to have been etched, so this was probably purchased by a lower ranking officer. The blade is unplated carbon steel, and thankfully has only suffered minor oxidation staining over the many years of its life. The tip is still intact without any bends, and the edge is correctly unsharpened. Really a great example of this type of blade.

The reverse ricasso is stamped with the trademark "Knights-Head" (Ritter-helm) logo of legendary maker Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie of Solingen, over the firms initials of WKC. This company is a famous manufacturer of military swords and cutlery in Solingen, Germany - a city famous since the middle ages for its metal-working and craftsmanship in sword making. Per J. Anthony Carter's fine work GERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS, the traditional manufacturing of swords at WKC dates back to the year 1774 when the Weyersberg first registered the ''Kings head'' as their trademark. Later in 1883 the company merged with the Kirschbaums and the company Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie was formed, which continued into the Weimar Period. It then rebranded as W.K.C. Waffenfabrik GmbH, and produced many edged weapons during the NSDAP Period. The company is still in operation today. The original red felt blade buffer is still present at the base of the blade, however it is discolored due to age and exposure to the scabbard.

The lightning bolt scabbard is in very good condition, without any dents or bends that we can see, definitely a rarity how soft a metal brass is. A good amount of the original gold wash is still present, and it is also retained in the recesses of the engraved designs on the scabbard. The rest of the scabbard shows a lovely "mustard" brass patina. The scabbard is stamped with well-defined palmettes around the bands and lightning bolts, ermine feet and acanthus leaves down to the chape. The bands feature overlapping oak leaves and acorns. The ring ferrules are the triple serrated type, and the rings are still present. The throat is retained by two dome headed screws on the narrow sides, which do not appear to have been removed. The finish overall is still very nice, with a lovely patina.

Overall a lovely example of a hard to find German naval dagger by a legendary Solingen maker. A worthy addition to any knife collection. Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 9 7/8"
Overall length: 15 1/8”
Crossguard: 3”
Scabbard Length: 11 1/4”