Jump to content
News Ticker
  • I am now accepting the following payment methods: Card Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal
  • Latest News

    Recommended Posts

    • Replies 58
    • Created
    • Last Reply

    Top Posters In This Topic

    Top Posters In This Topic

    Posted Images

    Hi Dan, thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately this is the limit to my collection in the daggers area. Cheers, Scott

    Hi Scott,

    Not a bad limit... but one thing I've learned in this hobby throughout the years... there really is no limit. A collection is a living, breathing entity. It grows, changes and even matures over time. Tastes change as do attitudes. I started out primiarly with TR and really loved and enjoyed it. I didn't limit myself to TR as I wanted to learn alot about everything I could get my hands on. But TR was the main focus. But over time with so many fakes, dishonest dealers and even collectors entering the hobby, not to mention the bad connotations of it all (I've yet to have someone, even conversationally accuse me of being a communist because I collect Soviet stuff.) just all conspired to make it not as much fun anymore. I more of less dropped out of TR many years ago... simply hanging on to what I had. Then over the years keeping the wolves at bay at times necessitated letting pieces go. So over time my TR collection kept growing ever smaller.

    But I was lucky and after a lifetime of studying Russian and Soviet history and growing up during the Space Race and times when the Soviet Union and it's allies were constantly in the news and such it was hard not to be attracted to that area of militaria. Of course until the wall fell I was pretty much only able to read about such things and watch documentaries. There were a few books which had a couple of uniforms and such here and there but that was about it. But when the wall fell, I tested the waters. Then shortly thereafter I fell into a few large deals which netted me the bulk of all the basic pieces I'd need. So since then I've been adding pieces, more high end of late. I also feel I've matured a great deal as a collector, especially since joing the Club. I'm now much more focused and am seeing things in a new light. This place is probably the equivalent of a university education in militaria... I kid you not!

    So, what are your other interests in the hobby? Any chance you could be lured to the red side? :cheeky::jumping:

    And thanks again for sharing. I for one am looking forward to seeing more of your posts.

    Thanks, :cheers:

    Dan

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    And my HJ dagger.

    [attachmentid=46174]

    Dan,

    Just as an interesting aside, when I lived in West Berlin 1964-1965 with my brother this friend of mine and I would go on adventures where we'd get on a bus and just ride to the end of the line, walke around for a bit, and then ride the bus back home. I'd seen a HJ knife before because a friend of my brother's had a sizeable sword and dagger collection. We were walking around looking at shop windows. In one there was a brand new knife exactly like the HJ knife for sale..................except it had the Boy Scout emblem on the handle! :P

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Dan,

    Just as an interesting aside, when I lived in West Berlin 1964-1965 with my brother this friend of mine and I would go on adventures where we'd get on a bus and just ride to the end of the line, walke around for a bit, and then ride the bus back home. I'd seen a HJ knife before because a friend of my brother's had a sizeable sword and dagger collection. We were walking around looking at shop windows. In one there was a brand new knife exactly like the HJ knife for sale..................except it had the Boy Scout emblem on the handle! :P

    Hi Mike,

    Yes, I've seen those! Been a long time but I clearly remember them. I think they actually pop up on Ebay on occassion. I mean the original knife was great... as I believe was pre-nazi. Just the insignia changed. So glad they kept on with the same design. Great pieces! Thanks for sharing that! :beer:

    Dan :cheers:

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    a different view

    Hi Bob,

    WOW! Terrific pieces. The Knecht is the first one I've ever seen with the full belt. The Haenel has a terrific grip color as does the "blond". That's a very beautiful grip on that one!

    Thanks so much for sharing these. A fabulous collection! :beer:

    Dan :cheers:

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Hi Scott,

    Not a bad limit... but one thing I've learned in this hobby throughout the years... there really is no limit. A collection is a living, breathing entity. It grows, changes and even matures over time. Tastes change as do attitudes. I started out primiarly with TR and really loved and enjoyed it. I didn't limit myself to TR as I wanted to learn alot about everything I could get my hands on. But TR was the main focus. But over time with so many fakes, dishonest dealers and even collectors entering the hobby, not to mention the bad connotations of it all (I've yet to have someone, even conversationally accuse me of being a communist because I collect Soviet stuff.) just all conspired to make it not as much fun anymore. I more of less dropped out of TR many years ago... simply hanging on to what I had. Then over the years keeping the wolves at bay at times necessitated letting pieces go. So over time my TR collection kept growing ever smaller.

    But I was lucky and after a lifetime of studying Russian and Soviet history and growing up during the Space Race and times when the Soviet Union and it's allies were constantly in the news and such it was hard not to be attracted to that area of militaria. Of course until the wall fell I was pretty much only able to read about such things and watch documentaries. There were a few books which had a couple of uniforms and such here and there but that was about it. But when the wall fell, I tested the waters. Then shortly thereafter I fell into a few large deals which netted me the bulk of all the basic pieces I'd need. So since then I've been adding pieces, more high end of late. I also feel I've matured a great deal as a collector, especially since joing the Club. I'm now much more focused and am seeing things in a new light. This place is probably the equivalent of a university education in militaria... I kid you not!

    So, what are your other interests in the hobby? Any chance you could be lured to the red side? :cheeky::jumping:

    And thanks again for sharing. I for one am looking forward to seeing more of your posts.

    Thanks, :cheers:

    Dan

    Hi Dan, as far as the daggers go, I'm really only interested in SA, NSKK and SS. I don't mind the 1st Luft's, RLB and RAD but my primary focuss is the former. I do love SS swords, although I have never owned one to date. I don't know what it is that draws me so much to these particulars daggers, I assume it's the craftsmanship.

    There is an awful lot of dishonest people out there and there is definitely some dark connotations that go with collecting TR daggers. I like the fact that I can dodge the dishonest sellers and can spot fakes, it makes me feel that I am becoming more experienced in the field and it just confirms things where once I would doubt myself. As far as the dark connotations go, yes I admit that I don't freely and openly tell non collectors about my hobby but the ones that I do tell know me as a person and know that I place no value whatsoever into the political side of things. I remember reading on another forum that a guy said, "just because I have the equipment of a male, does that make me a rapist" :lol: Same thing with collecting TR daggers, it doesn't make me a Nazi. Only ignorant people see it differently.

    Can't say I've really seen much of the Soviet daggers, so not sure if I can be swayed into that area... :unsure: On the occassions where I have some spare cash to buy daggers, I'm straight off to the German ones. :cheeky: The black ones I love the most, no red as yet. :lol:

    Before I did start collecting daggers, I used to collect flags and you can already guess it... SS. The thing I found here though, was that these are so expensive and very few and far between. I sold my last SS flag a few years ago to enhance my dagger collection and to pay off a few debts. I haven't been around long enough like some of my fellow collectors, to have accumulated enough wealth to keep buying such expensive items.

    I look forward to being a member here and seeing other enthusiasts collections.

    Cheers, Scott

    P.S. - Nearly forgot to mention, I also love the Railroad Eagles but unfortunately don't own one, (yet).

    Edited by sdp
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Bob... that Knecht :love::love::love: I too have never seen a complete one either and to have it with such a rare maker :jumping:

    I have to say that I do prefer the earlier daggers but your RZM looks stone cold mint! Is there any lifting to the plating at all or is it really as good as the pictures suggest?

    The rest of your daggers are absolutely stunning... to say the least. Love thar Klaas... :beer:

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Hi Dan, as far as the daggers go, I'm really only interested in SA, NSKK and SS. I don't mind the 1st Luft's, RLB and RAD but my primary focuss is the former. I do love SS swords, although I have never owned one to date. I don't know what it is that draws me so much to these particulars daggers, I assume it's the craftsmanship.

    There is an awful lot of dishonest people out there and there is definitely some dark connotations that go with collecting TR daggers. I like the fact that I can dodge the dishonest sellers and can spot fakes, it makes me feel that I am becoming more experienced in the field and it just confirms things where once I would doubt myself. As far as the dark connotations go, yes I admit that I don't freely and openly tell non collectors about my hobby but the ones that I do tell know me as a person and know that I place no value whatsoever into the political side of things. I remember reading on another forum that a guy said, "just because I have the equipment of a male, does that make me a rapist" :lol: Same thing with collecting TR daggers, it doesn't make me a Nazi. Only ignorant people see it differently.

    Can't say I've really seen much of the Soviet daggers, so not sure if I can be swayed into that area... :unsure: On the occassions where I have some spare cash to buy daggers, I'm straight off to the German ones. The black ones I love the most, no red as yet. :lol:

    Before I did start collecting daggers, I used to collect flags and you can already guess it... SS. The thing I found here though, was that these are so expensive and very few and far between. I sold my last SS flag a few years ago to enhance my dagger collection and to pay off a few debts. I haven't been around long enough like some of my fellow collectors, to have accumulated enough wealth to keep buying such expensive items.

    I look forward to being a member here and seeing other enthusiasts collections.

    Cheers, Scott

    P.S. - Nearly forgot to mention, I also love the Railroad Eagles but unfortunately don't own one, (yet).

    Hi Scott,

    I also tend to love the SA/SS/NSKK patter daggers. I think with me it's the fact that I'm into blades in general and know that that was a very old Swiss pattern that was copied by the nazi's for their use. Just has a great design. But Navy's are still my favorites. :P

    On Soviet and Warsaw Pact daggers... you'll find the workmanship is light years from what the Germans have always done. Very cheaply made by comparison. Although I have seen some stunning presentation examples... cased with inscriptions, etc. Same with DDR daggers. I only wish I'd picked up some of those, especially the higher General/Admiral level ones back when they were going for $50 to $100 each! Boy are those days gone forever. :speechless:

    I have two Soviet navals... one in the 50's and one the 70's. I'll have to post them at some point when I can get some decent pics. I also have a Bulgarian Army with full hanging chain. Nice thing is that these are all still fairly inexpensive. When I got my Bulgarian I think it was $35 complete! Bit more now but not by much. The Soviet's I got in a trade for an original screen used jacket from the show Seaquest DSV. That's "one" of my other hobbies... movie and TV props. But the trade was great as it was actually for the one dagger, the other being a throw in. The way the fellow described it it looked like someone had used it as a gardening tool. When I got it the guard was a bit bend so I carefully straightened it. It needed to be cleaned and polished and oiled down. Other than that I thought it was fine. That's the 50's version. The 70's version was mint by comparison.

    One thing I missed out on many moons ago was a Bundesmarine dagger from West Germany. Only $100 and in mint condition. Can't find them now as they've been "converted" by changing the pommels to the nazi version in past years. :angry: I should have jumped on it when I had the chance. :speechless:

    I'm currently into flags. Originally it was to put as backdrops for the rest of my collection. But they're big so space becomes and issue... and again most were TR so the whole bad vibes bit enters in again. Some follks see a room full of TR flags and again it's that automatic assumption. Small minded folks I know, but we have to live amongst them.

    But got into Soviet flags and am now friends with one of the foremost collectors of flags in the world who has been helping to guide me along in all this. I've gotten some very nice deals and have a few that I consider very beautiful as well as a nice finial collection. Hoping to get a DDR finial before too long. My goal is to do a large display of Cold War memorabilia at our local museum and find a way to do up some poles and stands to mount the finials and the flags as part of the display.

    I've posted what I have so far at:

    http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=7840

    I just let go of my railway eagle this past fall to a collector down in Florida. I loved it but again space and the vibes plus the fact that my focus has changed and my TR collection is a shadow of it's former self all conspired to push me into letting it go. That and I got a good price which I was able to put into more Soviet pieces.

    Great to have you as a member and hope we'll be seeing many posts from you in future.

    Many thanks,

    Dan :cheers:

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now



    ×
    ×
    • Create New...

    Important Information

    We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.