Luftwaffe Boot Fighting Knife

[WW2-Collector]

Picked this up today an estate sale. Like to know a bit more about it before it goes up for sale. In my limited research it seems these numbered examples are much scarce then the non numbered in fact I couldn't find a numbered example offered for sale. Wood handle and scabbard are in beautiful shape unfortunately the blade tip is snapped off and has some heavy grime on it. Has this number been attributed to a specific maker?

[WW2-Collector]

Handle

[WW2-Collector]

Waffen Ampt & Number

[Serge M.]

Tom,
The 0020 is the designation RBNr. code for Paul Weyersberg (according to Witty).

[Fanejunker]

Hmm. Never seen a RB.nr on a LW boot knife before. Could have been stamped postwar too increase walue to a broken piece.

[Alan Smith]

The broken tip reminds me of a story told to me many times by a now-deceased family friend who was about 10 years old during WWII. Story goes that one of the kids he went to school with showed up one day with a Hitler Youth knife that his father had mailed home to him from the ETO. The kid proudly showed off the knife, telling his buddies about the "indestructible" German steel that the knife was made out of. Of course, the kid had to prove the validity of his boasts, so he dropped the HJ knife point down directly onto a concrete slab on the playground. You guessed it . . . the tip broke off . . . to the total disgust of the young man who had just ruined the nice mail-home souvenir from his father!

One wonders if some similar silly act is what caused the LW boot knife in question to loose its tip.

[ivanjoaquin]

Hmm. Never seen a RB.nr on a LW boot knife before. Could have been stamped postwar too increase walue to a broken piece.

I agree, IMO it is a original 5 over eagle marked knife with bogus Rbnr markings

[WW2-Collector]

Thanks guys just found another identical to it that had been sold by a dealer ..... as original would post a link but think that is not allowed.

[WW2-Collector]

Seems some collectors believe these RBNr numbers are period produced ? or I am missing something ?
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...luftwaffe+rbnr

[sb98]

Have a look at the last post in this thread, it looks like this knife is in a book as an example of copy made the East http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/dagger...ase-113241-3/?

[Serge M.]

Have a look at the last post in this thread, it looks like this knife is in a book as an example of copy made the East http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/dagger...ase-113241-3/?

Interesting to see.
Looks like the East Bloc fakers even put them out on two grip variants, for the 'Type Collector'.

However, first they need to due some damage to the repro.
Reminds me of when the Bloc'rs started doing Name Ground partial Rohm's, making beater blades.
Harder to tell then a minty conditioned fake example, and your distracted by the Rohm name grinding.

[coyotecolo]

RBNR on Gravity knife

I just noticed a Luft Gravity "Paratrooper" knife on Ebay (item #152626934893)with a RBNR number stamped on the spike, opposite of the stick bird. I don't recall seeing this stamped on these knives, although I'm not an expert with these. Seems like maybe we'll be seeing more of these popping up.

[sb98]

It's always been my understanding that Luftwaffe fighting knives like this never had an RBNr., the only accepted marks being an eagle 5, eagle 6, S, and W.

[jack1]

Looks like the Rb Nr has been added over the pitting of the blade.

Same on this one

http://www.tinypic.pl/87otmz1dhnvj

[rbminis]

It's always been my understanding that Luftwaffe fighting knives like this never had an RBNr., the only accepted marks being an eagle 5, eagle 6, S, and W.

As far as I know, this is correct.
Ralph.