Does this look to be done professionaly? It looks a bit rough to me. I would have thought that a factory would have polished it up a bit.
http://www.speedbid.com/lot.cfm?lotID=391626

Agreed Terry, looks like a backyard job to me.

The factory ground one I just got from Andrew Gates for not a lot more has full crossgrain on the Rohm side of the blade not the badger's a r s e that that one has

That is definitely an "in the field with a bastard file " job if ever I saw one. I have a name only ground with a similar rough cut but at least the guy left the MM intact.

BTW, in my opinion the vast majority of factory ground Rohms were done in the factory before being issued. I know that there is opinion out there that these were issued as full Rohms then returned by the guys to have the dedication removed. In some cases, perhaps. But if you look at the troubles SA units had getting there dagger I really doubt that factories wanted to deal with hundreds and hundreds of guys returning their daggers to be reground. They just did not want to deal with the logistics.

Here is the order I posted sometime ago in regards to the removal of the Röhm inscription sent out to SS-Standartes from 4 July 1934.

Kreta1961 was very kind to provide us a translation:

SS-Honor Daggers

At the previously issued SS-Honor Daggers, wearing the dedication of the former chief of staff Röhm "In cordial companionship", the dedication has got to be removed by grinding. To avoid higher costs, this grinding should be done locally, as possible. After removal of the dedication the dagger can be worn further."

Since Röhm SS daggers were still being distributed immediately after this order, it makes sense that many of those that were "factory ground" were done before they left the manufacturer.

Enjoy!

Ross Kelbaugh
www.ssdaggers.com
www.HistoricGraphics.com