Hi , I have land Customs dagger in very bad condition. As you can see from the photos attached the dagger is almost ruin. In this respect I have several opportunities: 1.-To throw the dagger in the basket. My our opinion is that it’s pity to destroy one piece from the history. 2,.- To dismantle the dagger and to sell the pommel ,the grip and the ferrule – there are in perfect condition. 3.-To tray to find new cross guard and blade and to replace the old ones and to repair the scabbard – to change the fittings, / I found the new fittings in a dealer site / to replace the leather etc. The problem is that I don’t like part daggers. 4.-To try, as much as possible to restore the dagger – to clean a little bit the blade, to repair the scabbard and the hardest to find some way to restore the cross guard. In order to take my decision I need your opinions.
It can be restored, I am guessing someone allready releathered the grip. The Crossguard is the challenge but then again denazified it speaks to the period.
I do believe this is an original dagger, however I am surprised people have not jumped on it. Many people feel, unjustly, when the lines go all the way around the scabbard fittings as they do here it is a sign of a fake. I know this is not true but it is accepted as law from my experience. Best Wishes, Bob
It is the scabbard´s obverse, exactly like in the second pic. Due to a ot of features seen in these only two pics (form of fittings, material, leather graining and and) I had no doubt about originallity concerning the dagger. Regards,
wotan, gd.c-b#105
"Never look for sqare eggs" as an owner of an original FHH-dagger uses to say.
Wotan, I’m afraid that regarding the scabbard I haven’t any choice due to the fact that if I want to safe the original remained leather I have to stop the rust. As you can see from the picture the due to the rust the leather is detached from the scabbard. I think the best way is to remove carefully the original leather ,to clean the steel scabbard and than to replace the leather
pesho, you are right, the scabbard isn´t in the best shape. Nevertheless, after perhaps clening the scabbard carefully I would think about putting the remaining pieces of leather and not releathering it. I am a dagger-purist concerning restoration. BUT the dagger never will come into it´s original factory left condition and also will not change it´s worth remarkably. Why simply let it be? It is what it is and this is a TRUE piece of history. Any substancial change throws away decades.It will be just one of the thousands of edged wapons which have been messed with which do lay around at each show and nobody cares. Just my personal thoughts. Regards,
wotan, gd.c-b#105
"Never look for sqare eggs" as an owner of an original FHH-dagger uses to say.
Hi Wotan, I’m fully agree with you and I have an idea after cleaning the scabbard to put back the original remained leather .I haven’t any clear idea what to do next: - to leave these empty spaces with missing leather and visible steel on the scabbard? - to paint these visible steel spaces with similar green color? - to try to cover very carefully and precision these empty spaces with similar green leather. - Comments and advises will be highly appreciated
Hi friends, Thank very mush to all of your. Your advises were highly appreciated. I had thought a couple of weeks before I took my final decision. Just today I have finished the restoration of the scabbard / I have some small things to do later / and I’m in a hurry to share with you the result of my efforts.
concerning restoration.
