Gravity Fliegerkappmesser, collector tread.

[LH 600]

COLLECTOR TREAD OF GRAVITY KNIFES AND VARIANTS





They are handsome knifes to collect. I have some of them into my collection. I will put out some pics later from my personal collection with discriptions and more info.
If other members have such knifes , there is room for them in this tread






Paratroopers Utility Knife ,-Fliegerkappmesser model 1

Here some info about German paratrooper gravity knife .
The handle is constructed of wood with a metal frame. The blade is usually labeled with the manufacturer's emblem. Known as the "gravity" knife because the blade is kept hidden until the knife is pointed downward and a lever is pressed, causing the blade to slide down and become exposed for use. The blade is kept secured in place by a spring lever.
A big ring is mounted at the butt end so that the paratrooper could attach a rope and kept it within reach during action.

This is a type 1 model which came out in the early part of the war and was used during the war and out.
Blade is marked with the maker Paul Weiersberg ROSTFREI. The spike is Luftwaffe waffenamped. remember the spikes have 2 types of markings. Early Luftwaffe stamps . One type from 1937 to about 1938 and the other more common type Eagle with "5" used from about 1938/39 to the end of 45. Some knifes can also be marked with an "S" ( Luftamp)
Some Helbig makes have engraved numbers as well .

The Gravity have many makers and here a some of them listed below.


SMF SOLINGEN
PAUL WEIERSBERG SOLINGEN
ANTON WINGEN Jr Solingen /gyq
Alcoso fnj
WKC
F&A helbig
Malch & Ambron
Paul Seilheimer.
The rares of all the paratroopers knife :Gebr Weyersberg. extremly rare knife / 2 variations exist . Blued and stainless Takedown gravity made early 41 and up.


Pics of one of my Gravity knifes. A Paul Weyersberg no takedown. Early type.
The Eagle is a KM .



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Here is a NM Early HELBIG Gravity knife. The knife have also Engraved number back inside with the spike.

Its a very rare Gravity and hard to find in such conditions.
.





Further info follow ....HELBIG

Note : the spike is blued half of the length ? May this is a type of flamehardening or something ? or the owner use this in flames when he put some meat in the grill ? Who knows.


Here is the engraved number electro-pencilled on that Helbig.
Hard too see , but its visible



Here is a picture of the NM Helbig logo etching on blade.
Helbig use ligth etch and thay are hard to take pics of





The other Helbig i have have with Norway provience have no engraved numbers back. Its some small variations of this maker .Some are marked some not.



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Here is a Helbig i have have with Norway provience . Nice shape and found in norway in the area near Dombås after the war.
I go this from a collector who have the full history of this.

The blade have some minor using, but the blade Helbig logo is still visible.
the landyard is a repro for picture show.

hope you like it.




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Here is a so MINT you can find of a takedown Gravity knife.
Spike numbered with Eagle "5" and Rbn Number on blade.
This knife is also all numbermatched on all parts. The crossgaining on blade is 100%.
Came from an advanced collection many years ago.








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Here is some more FKM`s
The knife up in picture is a very Unique and extreemly rare variant of a Gebryder Weyersberg Takedown. Late period with all fittings in stainless steel.
Early numbered and all parts number matched. I only know for sure 3 of them.
The ones i have seen is one with black finish blued type. Only a few numbers from mine.
The other have a light blued finish and the blade has slightly different point cut upper side of the blade.

In the picture of the 4 Knifes.
There is from top : Gebr Wyersberg takedown
RBn .Nr Takedown
Early SMF
Helbig early.




Blade of Gebr Weyersberg









Closer image of the Early SMF.




Closer image of the Gebryder Weyersberg takedown







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Here German Paratroopers lands in Norway






Here is a orginal SMF logo / collection of a WAF member




Early Weyersberg / Helbig / Early SMF





Close image of a Weyersberg

[carlos1]

Great tread my friend

I do not have one in my collection,but there will be.

i see this knives "live"when i was in budapest.I had the pickture that it was like a "normal"pocket knife.
THERE i was wrong,this is a bigger and a great loocking knife.

[AndyC]

Nice photos!

I have only two Paul Weyersberg first model.
I could think of trade one of these.

Andy

[LH 600]

Thanks carlos.


Andy ? Do you have any pics of your knifes to share us ? Markings ?

Regards LH

[LH 600]

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=342930

A tread of sorting out the fakes .

[LH 600]

Hi collectors.
I got many PM`s from members asking for help with theyr Gravitys.

If we should built up this tread ,we need more pics of YOUR knife here so we all can help you out.

Dont be shye

All the best LH

[Pas de croix]

Hi LH600

Here is one of my knives with a bird.
It's an early Juncker badge. (The badge is far better than the knife.)
Talking about badges I have never heard any reports about a civilian (or other non-military) and KVK merited person carry such a knife during the time of the 3rd Reich.

[LH 600]

Nice one Pas de Croix Thanks for sharing pics of it.


LH

[cogwheel]

My pictures are not as good as those of LH600 but they show my two gravity knives. One of them is the takedaown model by SMF, the other is a Malsch and Ambron non-takedown.

[Pas de croix]

Still very nice! What about the chains? Originals? I have not seen those hooks before.

[cogwheel]

The Malsch and Ambron is quite different from all the other gravity knives. It has one single spring that controls both the release lever and the spike. There are no visible rivets that hold the spring to the 'case' that holds the blade. In addition, the 'head' is shaped more triangular than the ones found on those made by other makers.

[cogwheel]

Picture of the one-piece spring

[cogwheel]

The chains are not original. I saw a picture in Johnson's dagger books showing the chain. I had all the hardware so I made them.

[LH 600]

Very interesting knife that Malch & Ambron you show pics of & the takedown
Thanks for sharing great pics.

Do you have any closer pics of the markings of the M& A ?

Have the spike some markings ?

LH

[cogwheel]

I had bought the M&A about 18 years ago. For many years no one could tell me who the maker was. Matter of fact, even some of the gravity knife 'experts' had told me that it would most likely be a reproduction as they had never seen anything like that before. Then about 5 years ago someone on GDC (I believe) posted a picture of an M&A which showed a very faint remnant of the M&A TM. The blade on mine has no TM. There are no markings on the spike or anywhere else on that knife.
I want to add here that this knife is actually of superior quality from an engineering point of view. The single spring is designed to prevent the type of spring failures experienced with the knives of the other makers.