Sorry for the hazy cell phone picture.

This is in the batch of stuff I'm helping a friend sort through. The knife came out of a storage pod auction probably 20 years ago. It looks to be a Robert Klaas, M33 dagger. There is an "I" district stamp on the guard. What are you seeing that tells you it's a repo? The corrosion looks much worse in the pictures than in person. To me the tip looks to have been slightly reshaped. At first I was concerned about some of the minor chips on the grip but from what I've learned that is to be expected on an original.

Maybe these will help. I'm surprised how deep the blade etching is. You can feel it slightly deeper than the surface of the blade, not just frosted on. The scabbard has a finish that looks more like firearm bluing, not paint.

Attached Images

	Blade 2.jpg (43.5 KB, 154 views)
	Blade.jpg (55.2 KB, 135 views)
	Hilt.jpg (88.0 KB, 141 views)
	Makers Mark.jpg (73.7 KB, 117 views)
	Mark 2.jpg (40.8 KB, 109 views)

Most of the claimed-admitted repros I have seen did NOT have the notching details on the hand guard. (I am not an expert.)

Sorry but those two pictures are just not clear enough to really tell much.
You need to take numerous close up photos under natural light and from all angles to get a good evaluation.

From what I observe the kissing crane Robert Klaas logo looks right so that’s something. The letters do not square/line up perfectly with the cranes. Don’t know why it would be perfectly imperfect if it’s a forgery but maybe. I can’t see how deep the stamping is but it should be fairly deep.

Not much help huh?

Jim

Attached Images

	IMG_2310.jpeg (15.2 KB, 60 views)
	IMG_2311.jpeg (159.7 KB, 46 views)

More and clearer pictures, however it “ looks” ok.

I'd just remark that the odds are very much against any such being authentic. Always approach these from the standpoint of being presumptively a reproduction or outright fake until proven otherwise.

__________________
SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

Wow! Appears to be a Robert Klaas Kissing Crane.
Any numbers on the Hilt?

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

I'm not an expert on SS daggers, but I've owned a number of them. Condition isn't the greatest as you already know, but from the limited photos, it looks good to me. The scabbard finish should be anodized, not painted, so that part would be correct.

I agree with the alignment now that you mention it. However the logo on the alleged original Klaas dagger listed here: M1933 Early SS Dagger by Robert Klaas - Epic Artifacts looks identical to me regarding the offset letters.

No numbers on the hilt, only the "I" for Munich.

I'm taking it to a show for him in April. I'm sure that if it's a repo more than a few people will be able to point out why to me after handling it. I'll put a price on it and when asked say truthfully : I believe it to be original but there are a lot of fakes and I'm no expert. Make up your own mind after looking it over carefully.

The details look comparable to an SA dagger I own. The maker's mark on the blade is like the Carl Eickhorn mark on mine in its etching, and the etched "My Honor is Loyalty" in the blade looks similar. I know mine is authentic because I have all the paperwork the owner of the knife had related to his SA membership. I'm by no means an authority on these knives, but I wouldn't mind having an SS dagger to go with my SA.

Hopefully genuine. Original SS daggers in good shape going for big bucks these days. Unfortunately too many forgeries lurking for the unwary buyer these days. Third Reich items often faked all too often. 98ks can be a minefield

I would not put a price on it at a show--what you think is high might be undervalued and the only way you'll find out is AFTER somebody GLADLY hands over the money and runs away laughing.

Better to talk to people about their knives first and really listen to what they're saying--if you listen, apply some common sense and trust your instincts you may find someone to then show your knife, not before you've
had the chance to feel them out.

This guy knows his stuff. He authenticated a really nice Waffen SS helmet for my grandson:

home - SS-Steel

I hope he can help you out.

__________________
Even older, even crankier....

Not sure what you interpreted from my response but I was acknowledging the Kissing Crane Robert Klaas logo was correct in its incorrectness.

The image I posted, (with yours,) is a Robert Klaas logo from my S shaped quilion Firemans Knife/short bayonet. I intentionally do not collect SS/Nazi things but that’s just me. I found the Fireman’s in a remote dumpster in a remote State.

Of course some of my Axis pistol collection are Nazi marked but most are pre war when applicable.

Jim

After WW2, these daggers and others were produced on Germany's original machines/original workers that they used in WW2 and before. Though 'original', they are NOT WW2 daggers. Thus less collectible!

I don't believe this was a problem with SS daggers. They stopped being produced about 1942 and early SS like the one the OP stopped being produced before WWII even began, so supplies and tooling really weren't lying around to be used post war.

You are probably correct. However my friend told me a price he wanted for the knife. I told him that with his permission I'd put a price 3 times higher than that price and see what happens.

LOL--if your friend wants $100 for it I'll gladly pay you 3X that and I'll wait until I'm out of earshot to start laughing...