Original Item: Only One Available: This German Enlisted Man's RAD Hewer is in very nice condition, with its plated steel-based mounts showing minimal oxidation. The crossguard has a fine, curled quillon, and it appears as though the original darkening is in the grooves of the quillon. There definitely is some denting to the metal of the grip, but it presents very nicely.

The grip plates on this example are genuine stag, and look to be the larger earlier type. The stag shows only minor wear from its years of usage and gives this antler a great, attractive appearance. Both plates are fully intact and have a great color and texture. The stag plates are retained by plated screws and spanner nuts, which are in very good shape, showing only a bit of oxidation. They do not appear to have been turned in decades, if ever since production.

The blade is the heavy bolo style, originally being produced in a matte finish, with single fuller on both sides. It has runner wear, and has been cleaned and polished over the years, which has made the original "matte" finish hard to see. There also looks to be some type of plating or paint on the blade near the guard, possibly used to touch up the crossguard. There is only some very light oxidation, and the original factory edge is still present, showing almost no wear.

The Arbeit adelt (Work Ennobles) motto on the obverse is quite deeply etched, and still crisp. Polishing and cleaning has however removed almost all of the factory darkening. The reverse ricasso is matching etched with the RAD triangle positioned above the abbreviation, GES. GESCH., for Gesetzlich Geschützt (Protected By Law), indicating that the hewer is a trademarked design.

Below this the blade is marked with the makers "double oval" trademark logo:

GOTTLIEB HAMMESFAHR
(CROSS ON PYRAMID LOGO)
SOLINGEN FOCHE

This example was produced by a rare maker: Gottlieb Hammesfahr & Co. AG, Nirosta-Werk, Stahlwarenfabrik und Gesenkschmiederei (Stainless Steel Factory, Steel goods factory and drop forge), in the Foche area of Solingen. Founded in 1804 and registered with the Solingen chamber of commerce in 1875, this company is one of the largest and longest-established edged weapon producers in Solingen. While this company was known primarily as a drop forge, it also made knives and tools during the WWII period. They had several brand names, including PYRAMIDE, which had a logo of a Pyramid with a cross on it. The "oval" style trademark was specifically used on the blades of the earliest SS and SA daggers made during the Third Reich, per J. Anthony Carter's work GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS.

The scabbard shell is straight throughout, with no dents we can see. This shell has its original, black enamel paint which is showing some age. The paint still has gloss to its surfaces, with a few small chips and scrapes showing the base metal.

The scabbard mounts are nickel plated with a copper "flash coat" over a steel base and there is no denting, however minor areas of the plating have worn off, showing the flash coat. This lower mount has has a good amount of the nickel plating worn away, and depicts an RAD shovel, with lined surfaces, having a contrasting, smooth mobile swas in the center of the spade. This spade rests between two wheat shafts. The mount is decorated along the borders with beaded circles. The same beaded circles appear on the border of the upper mount, and above these are the RAD curls. These curls are deeply stamped, having good lined backgrounds. The throat is retained by two side screws, which are still present.

A very good example of a RAD EM/NCO Hewer by a rare maker, complete with scabbard. Very attractive and ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 9 5/8"
Blade Style: Single Edged Clip Point Hewer
Overall length: 14 3/4“
Crossguard: 2 7/8”
Scabbard Length: 10 3/8"

The basis of the RAD, Reichsarbeitsdienst, (National Labor Service), dates back, at least, to 1929 with the formation of the AAD (Anhalt Arbeitsdienst) and the FAD-B (Freiwillingen Arbeitsdienst-Bayern). Shortly after AH’s appointment as Chancellor in Jan 1933, the NSDAP consolidated all labor organizations into the NSAD (Nationalsozialist Arbeitsdienst), a national labor service. It served as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarize the workforce and indoctrinate it with NSDAP ideology. It was the official state labor service, divided into separate sections for men and women.

On June 26 1935 the NSAD was officially re-designated RAD. Originally personnel serving with RAD wore a variety of earlier FAD/NSAD belt buckles until February 15TH 1936 when new pattern belt buckles for Officer’s and EM/NCO’s were introduced to provided uniformity in dress.