Original Item: Only One Available. This very good condition mid-late war period produced NSKK Dienstdolch (Service Dagger) has nickel-plated fittings throughout, and is fitted with a lovely blade. This example was made by the the desirable Solingen-based firm of Robert Klaas. It comes with a great scabbard, which looks to be a factory repainted NSKK scabbard, and a very nice brown leather belt hanger.

The guards and tang nut are nickel plated alloy, probably zinc or some other "pot metal", and have most of the plating intact, showing overall light peppered oxidation, particularly on the pommel guard. There is however no major lifting or areas of missing plating. As we often see, there is oxidation where the guards contact the grip, due to reacting with the stain in the grip. The pommel nut is alloy, and is still bright and shiny with no signs of turning.

The grip is in very good condition, having a fine brown colored chestnut tone in the surfaces and having medium center ridge construction. It shows some lovely grain, and fits the crossguards well. It shows some small pressure dents and scratches, as well as a bit of cracking right against the guards, caused by the pressure used to secure them, and also the oxidation to the metal. The SA symbol button is nicely, with intact enamel, and the plating intact with a bit of verdigris around the edge. The details are still there to the inlaid aluminum eagle, including the beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swas (hook cross).

The blade of this example is in very good condition, showing the factory final polish grind cross grain throughout. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. There is some scattered staining in areas, which has not been cleaned away, and there is also the usual runner wear and light scratching from use and cleaning. It still has the factory blunt edge, with no sharpening, nicks. or other damage. Really a nice blade with no signs of having been messed with. The acid-etched Alles für Deutschland (Everything for Germany) SA motto is still quite crisp, with the factory darkening well retained.

The rear is etched with the RZM contract information:

((RZM))
M7 / 37

This marking indicates the dagger was made by RZM Dagger contractor "37", which records show is Robert Klaas, Feine Solinger Stahlwaren (Fine Solingen Steelwares), a well-known maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" in Western Germany. This city was and still is the blade-making capital of Germany, with a centuries long history of edged weapon manufacture. The firm was originally founded in 1834 by Peter Daniels Pauls, whose daughter married scissor maker Friedrich Robert Klaas. After his father-in-law passed away, all was left to Klaas and his wife, so he merged his scissor business with the knife business, and registered with Solingen authorities in 1869. The company passed to his sons, and then his son-in-law. During the war it produced edged weapons for the Third Reich, and was probably one of the first firms to get orders for SS, SA, and NSKK daggers, which were marked with its trademark "Kissing Storks" emblem. Later examples would be made featuring their RZM code M7/37. It survived WWI, WWII, and still exists today, per J. Anthony Carter's fine work GERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS.

The Reichszeugmeisterei (National Quartermaster's Office), or RZM, was was based at the Brown house in Munich and NSDAP party headquarters in Berlin. The RZM ensured that the manufacturers of military items were consistent in design, quality of materials and other characteristics of the items. It also defined standards of design, manufacturing and quality and published an authoritative color chart for textiles. The M7 in the code stands for knives/daggers, with Robert Klaas being contractor number 37.

The scabbard shell is straight throughout and has very good original brown enamel paint. It has just a bit of scuffing and the usual crazing and checking in the finish, with only small areas of finish damage. It does look to have originally been a black NSKK scabbard, probably repainted at the factory before issue, as we can see black in the chips and scratches. The scabbard shell is equipped with fine matching plated steel mounts, which show only light wear and oxidation, and the bottom ball shows no real denting. They nicely match the crossguards and are complete with all four dome head screws.

The attached later war style belt hanger is in very good condition, with only light wear to the brown leather, which is (RZM) L2 / 5 39 marked. This indicates 1939 manufacture, however we unfortunately do not have any information regarding the RZM codes for leather suppliers. The plated steel belt clip is marked with M5/25 ((RZM)), indicating manufacture by Christian Theodor Dicke of Lüdenscheid.

A lovely example of a mid to late war pattern SA dagger from a desirable maker, complete with a great scabbard and hanger. Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 8 3/4"
Overall length: 13 3/4”
Crossguard: 3”
Scabbard Length: 10”

History of the SA-

The SA or Brown Shirts, were a private political formation which Adolf AH and the NSDAP used to maintain order at organized Party meetings and demonstrations. The group was formed in 1921, and grew to a huge force of nearly 3,000,000 men by the later 1930's. To instill esprit de corps, as well as create employment for the Blade City of Solingen, it was decided each SA man would carry a dagger with his Brown Shirt uniform. Huge quantities needed to be produced to accommodate the demand. The dagger initially was produced of hand-fitted nickel mounts with attractive finished wood grip and brown anodized (a bluing process) finished scabbard.

The blade was etched with the SA motto, Alles für Deutschland. Examples produced prior to 1935 were stamped with the German sector of the SA group on reverse lower crossguard. Later examples underwent standardization through the RZM ministry. These pieces were produced of cheaper plated zinc-base fittings and scabbards were simply painted brown.

Prior to his "unmasking" as a traitor, Ernst Röhm was the leader of the SA. In 1934, he distributed approximately 100,000 SA daggers with his personal inscription on the reverse blade. These daggers were to honor individuals who had served with the SA prior to December, 1931. Other than the inscription, these pieces were identical to the standard M1933 SA dagger. After the Röhm purge, the inscription was ordered to be removed. Many examples were returned to the factory for grinding. Others were simply ground in the field by whatever means were available. Examples will occasionally be encountered with remnants of the original inscription remaining on the blade, but mostly none will remain. Some blades exist with an intact inscription, reflecting only the removal of the Röhm signature. Very very rarely is an example seen with a full, untouched inscription, as the holder would have surely risked a charge of treason.