Lets Discuss Troddels

[Eric Von Rader]

Hello Everyone, I have recently came to appreciate WW1 Troddels. I love the many variations and quality.

However they seem to be a bit hard to locate to purchase. Please share your photos!

If you have any for sale please PM me.

[Eric Von Rader]

From the Bob Long collection

[pzrwest]

Very nice. The original purpose of the troddles and portapee's was for going around the wrist so if the sword etc was to get knocked or dropped from the hand it wouldn't be lost. This would be advantageous especially on horse back. When sword fighting etc. was replaced with firearms they became a decorative item, also for showing unit designation

[Eric Von Rader]

Interesting did not know that! Thanks for posting.

[SCHUPO]

Two very nice Bavarian and Saxon Seitengewehre knots. The Troddel will be found as an item of issue and in a better quality private purchase style. I like them too but like you, find them difficult to buy nowadays. They have also been reproduced for many years so one must be careful when examining them. It seems that the Unteroffizier (NCO) knots and the Kapitulanten (re-enlistment) knots are the most colorful and interesting. The first Bavarian NCO Troddel that you show is quite scarce in this form, and is very similar to the Kapitulanten Troddel, IMHO.

[Chip M]

I collect these as well and can say that it can take a long time to put together a comprehensive collection. If that Bavarian NCO is yours, you are off to a good start. Personally, I only collect the issue examples, which are a bit harder to find than private purchase pieces.

I have some extras, if you get to the point where you would like to do some trading. I also have issue Faustriemen as well.

Chip

[Chip M]

Just a note regarding that second photo. The Niedersächsisches Feldart.Rgt.Nr.46 is Prussian, not Saxon, so if that is a Saxon NCO Troddel (I'm not positive, but it looks green), then it is an incorrect match for this blade.

Chip

[SCHUPO]

Just a note regarding that second photo. The Niedersächsisches Feldart.Rgt.Nr.46 is Prussian, not Saxon, so if that is a Saxon NCO Troddel (I'm not positive, but it looks green), then it is an incorrect match for this blade.

Chip

Yes, the green on white Troddel is for a Saxon NCO. These are often confused with the very similar Saxon Jaeger and MG Unit Troddel as well as the Kapitulanten Troddel. Put it on a Saxon Extra-Seitengewehr and you are good to go.

A word about the regulations for wearing these knots may be in order. Veterans could typically continue to wear their old edged weapons and knots that they wore in wartime. For instance, it was permissible for many Policemen to wear their old sidearms and old knots they wore in the Army. You will often see photographs of NS Zeit Army Officers still wearing their Imperial swords and Portepee in an unaltered form. So, sometimes the knot did not strictly conform to then current regulations. While we, as collectors, strive to find the matching knot for a particular sidearm there were exceptions to the rule.

[Eric Von Rader]

Thanks, I guess I will take the knot off and sell it.

[pzrwest]

In B.L. Davis's book on ww2 uniforms etc there is a 2 page color section of the different color coding used on troddels etc. denoting the units that used them. Not sure if this list of troddels etc. was carried over from earlier eras

[Chip M]

Not sure if this list of troddels etc. was carried over from earlier eras

Some of it was, but I wouldn't use a WWII chart to identify WWI Troddel. There are charts available for WWI examples.

[Eric Von Rader]

looks like most people are not "excited" about this post. I think I will focuse my future collecting interest on TR items.

[pzrwest]

On my friend's father's display he gave has a sword knot on the display. but just a plain ending no colored bands or insers

[SCHUPO]

looks like most people are not "excited" about this post. I think I will focuse my future collecting interest on TR items.

Some of us are accouterment bugs while some collectors could not care less. Knots interest me and I have hundreds of them. So, if they interest you that is all that matters.

I do agree with Chip that identifying an Imperial Troddel from NS Zeit charts is problematic. Troddel colors changed with the change in unit configuration over time. For instance, the change from three Battalions to four necessitated color changes in the various Infantry Troddel. As did the addition of training units in the 1930s. So, it depends upon the time the knot was worn. Also, the old style Troddel with open tassels in the ball continued to be worn well after the closed ball style came into use. Regulations also allowed a wear out period for all of these uniform changes.

All fascinating variations for us accouterment weenies.

[Chip M]

looks like most people are not "excited" about this post. I think I will focuse my future collecting interest on TR items.

Although nearly all imperial German militaria collectors have bayonet Troddeln, there are very few of us interested enough to try to put a collection of them together. My goal has been to get a nice example from each company, one of each with the pre-and early-war long white strap, the wartime short white strap and then finally, the short gray strap. I also look to complete a set of NCO pieces. It's a daunting and expensive task. Ask anyone that is looking for the NCO Troddeln from Hessen, or Mecklenburg. There are additional sets that are nearly impossible to complete, for instance, the run of Kapitulanten company color examples.

I only seek issue pieces, which makes things even a little harder to find.

Even more difficult are the Faustriemen that were worn on swords and later, on bladed sidearms. I only have a handful of those after 50 years of collecting.

I'm sorry that you are so easily discouraged, but collecting things that not everyone is interested in is part of the fun of collecting. On the other hand, starting up a new collection of items that take time to accumulate and are expensive, is not for everyone.