German Boot Knife

Aurangzeb · 13th September 2006, 01:14 AM

Hello All!

I recently got this knife at a gun show. I know the knife is a German boot knife. It's blade is good quality thick steel that shows age as well as a makers mark of a compass. The Hilt is made of good silver fittings at both ends of a stag horn handle that shows a yellowish color as well as wear from age. I think it might be from the 1930s or 1940s but I am not sure. What I whould like to find out is about how old is it and especially what the maker's mark on the side is from. I think if this can be identified it might be able to shed light on how old it is.

Mark...

Rather · 13th September 2006, 08:18 AM

I don’t think that it is military or even a boot knife. There were some knives called “Graben Dolch “ (trench dagger) in first World War. (picture enclosed) Please observe the difference of the blade, which is more shaped like a dagger, not a knife.
IMHO your knife belongs to the traditional Bavarian costume, these kind of knifes are designed to be decorative, with relatively big haft (sometimes even containing a small flask for snuff tobacco. They are called “Lederhosenmesser” (leather trousers knife)
They are still produced today, but your example could date back to the 1930’s or 40’s.
A link to a producer of these knifes:
http://www.boellerkaiser.de/Bollersh...er/messer.html
or:
http://members.aon.at/hirschhornschnitzer/messer.htm

not2sharp · 13th September 2006, 10:10 AM

It is a traditional German hunting knife. It may very well have seen service in war as a privately purchased item. Can you post a clearer photo of the markings?

n2s

Aurangzeb · 17th October 2006, 03:30 AM

Hello All !

Attached is an additional picture of a close-up of the cutler's mark inscribed on the blade as requested. Thanks for the I.D. of my Bavarian Lederhosenmesser!

Mark....

Aurangzeb · 21st October 2006, 02:28 AM

Nobody knows this makers mark?

Are these knives used all through out Germany or only in Bavaria?

Mark...

Aurangzeb · 23rd October 2006, 02:19 AM

Bump!

13th September 2006, 01:14 AM	#1
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	German Boot Knife Hello All! I recently got this knife at a gun show. I know the knife is a German boot knife. It's blade is good quality thick steel that shows age as well as a makers mark of a compass. The Hilt is made of good silver fittings at both ends of a stag horn handle that shows a yellowish color as well as wear from age. I think it might be from the 1930s or 1940s but I am not sure. What I whould like to find out is about how old is it and especially what the maker's mark on the side is from. I think if this can be identified it might be able to shed light on how old it is. Mark... Attached Images

13th September 2006, 08:18 AM	#2
Rather Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Hamburg, Germany Posts: 72	I don’t think that it is military or even a boot knife. There were some knives called “Graben Dolch “ (trench dagger) in first World War. (picture enclosed) Please observe the difference of the blade, which is more shaped like a dagger, not a knife. IMHO your knife belongs to the traditional Bavarian costume, these kind of knifes are designed to be decorative, with relatively big haft (sometimes even containing a small flask for snuff tobacco. They are called “Lederhosenmesser” (leather trousers knife) They are still produced today, but your example could date back to the 1930’s or 40’s. A link to a producer of these knifes: http://www.boellerkaiser.de/Bollersh...er/messer.html or: http://members.aon.at/hirschhornschnitzer/messer.htm Attached Images Last edited by Rather; 13th September 2006 at 09:04 AM.

17th October 2006, 03:30 AM	#4
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Additional Pix Of Cutler's Mark On Boot Knife Hello All ! Attached is an additional picture of a close-up of the cutler's mark inscribed on the blade as requested. Thanks for the I.D. of my Bavarian Lederhosenmesser! Mark.... Attached Images Last edited by Aurangzeb; 17th October 2006 at 11:19 PM.

21st October 2006, 02:28 AM	#5
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Nobody knows this makers mark? Are these knives used all through out Germany or only in Bavaria? Mark... Last edited by Aurangzeb; 21st October 2006 at 02:52 AM.

13th September 2006, 10:10 AM	#3
not2sharp Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 210	It is a traditional German hunting knife. It may very well have seen service in war as a privately purchased item. Can you post a clearer photo of the markings? n2s

23rd October 2006, 02:19 AM	#6
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Bump!