Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very good original Imperial German WWI trench fighting knife complete with its rolled steel scabbard. The knife has a full tang construction, ribbed wooden grip scales secured by two pins, and a single edge blade with an unsharpened drop point false edge. The scabbard retains a very small remnant of its original Ersatz papercloth belt loop beneath the rear rivets.

The knife measures approximately 10 3/4” overall. The blade measures approximately 5 7/8”. The blade is single edged and has an unsharpened false edge along the upper portion near the point.

The full tang extends through the wooden grip. Two ribbed wooden scales are secured directly to the tang by two transverse pins.

The grip remains solid overall, although one scale has minor cracking. This area should be handled carefully to prevent the crack from spreading.

The blade remains in very good used condition. It exhibits scattered oxidation staining and an aged surface that has not been heavily cleaned.

The cutting edge remains free of major nicks.

No leather blade washer is present. It is not known whether this knife was originally fitted with one.

The knife is complete with a genuine rolled steel scabbard. The scabbard remains intact and has the simple, practical construction associated with German trench knives of the WWI period.

Remnants of an original Ersatz papercloth belt loop remain trapped beneath the two rear attachment rivets.

Ersatz papercloth and composition materials were used increasingly during WWI as shortages reduced the availability of leather and other traditional materials. These substitutes were often less durable, particularly when exposed to moisture and hard field use.

The majority of the belt loop has broken away, leaving only the material retained beneath the rivets. The surviving remnants provide useful evidence of the scabbard’s original suspension arrangement.

Trench knives were carried as compact utility and close combat weapons by German soldiers during WWI. Their short blades and simple grips made them easier to use in confined trenches, dugouts, and shelters than long bayonets or swords.

Numerous patterns were produced by military contractors and commercial manufacturers, resulting in considerable variation in blade profiles, grip construction, guards, and scabbards. This example follows a straightforward full tang form with pinned wooden scales and a compact single edge blade.

The ribbed wooden grip, intact pins, unsharpened false edge, naturally aged blade, rolled steel scabbard, and surviving Ersatz papercloth remnants preserve the principal features of this Imperial German trench knife. The missing belt loop, absent blade washer, minor grip crack, and oxidation staining are important condition factors, but the knife remains a well preserved and representative example of German WWI fighting and utility equipment.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 6"
Blade Style: Single Edged Knife with Drop Point False Edge
Overall length: 10 3/4“
Crossguard: 2”
Scabbard Length: 6 3/8" + Belt Loop