This HJ knife came from an auction-lot of knifes confiscated at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport that were never reclaimed . Should the owner have asked it to be returned ? Opinions on originality appreciated ..

RZM 7/38 ..

Diamond ..

Complete view - there was no scabbard ..

This one looks like an often encountered reproduction to me. Another example similar to this one can be seen on the replica HJ's thread on the last page. The RZM mark looks similar to the M7/2 mark seen on the obverse ricasso of repros.

Regards
Russell

quote:

Originally posted by Ruski:
This one looks like an often encountered reproduction to me. Another example similar to this one can be seen on the replica HJ's thread on the last page. The RZM mark looks similar to the M7/2 mark seen on the obverse ricasso of repros.

Regards
Russell

I thought the same Russell, but what surprised me a bit is that the motto is so good...
The M7/38 is the marker used in many fakes around, with the same marking on the observe side, but the fakes using the M7/38 usually have a horrible motto.

The grips look plastic too, and im not sure about the diamond...

This knife shows indeed several red flags::

- gripplates don't have correct checkering and cutout seems suspicious
- diamond has strong silver edge
- Pommel is too flat.

No scabbard is often not a good sign.

Cannot judge blade from these pictures.

Best greetings

Gentlemen , thank you for your comments ! I did find the posts on fake M7/2 & M7/38's , but somehow this one looked different - especially the blade / wear . And some originals seemed to show the RZM on the obverse , though I think those were all transionals . So I gave it a shot anyway , just to be sure . The wear may indeed be artificial alltogether ..

I will try & use my camera instead of the scanner to see if I can get a better pic. of the blade . Also I would still like to know if an original of this version even exists & can I find pics of one here ? Thanks .

Blade 1

Blade 2

Blade 3 - different light ..

The motto does look good but I still think this is a repro. The type of RZM mark, the shape of the pommel, the plates and diamond don't look good to me. Sometimes there will also be a strong seam showing on the upper edge of the finger guard, and running up the hilt between the grip plates. Is there such a seam on this one? Also, as Herman says, these are usually encountered with a scabbard that has a lip, which may have been discarded. Scabbards with a lip are postwar production.

Regards
Russell

Thanks for the extra photos.
Im with the guys on this one. High chances to be a repro.
I would pass on this one.

Concerning the blade, what the new pictures reveal to me: there appear to be some grey and brown spots over a strange crossgraining... Artificially aged maybe?

Would be very interesting to have an hands-on inspection on this one.

Thanks for the posting!

Best greetings,

Herman

The knife looks quite similar to this one, also marked in the same way RZM M7/38, with crossgrain. Similar pommel shape, rivets and diamond.

Regards
Russell

Another view of the same knife.

They do like like each other.

Maybe the artificially aged theory by Herman made the motto look much better than what we usually see on those fakes.

Lip on scabbard is sign of repro?

Great job again, Russell!
Looks like you found pictures of the exact same repro knife with scabbard and "unaged" blade.

AJ,
Yes, lip on scabbard = repro.

Best greetings,

Herman

Thank you all !!

I did pass - it is definitely the one shown by Russell , but somehow it " aged " quite convincingly . Here's one last pic. ; there is no seam on the inside of fingerguard , and the grip shows wear .

It is not unthinkable the guy this was confiscated from has actually used it as an everyday knife for some time . Not something to bring with you on a plane these days ..