WW 1 Prussian weapons with wood grips

[Dale Martin]

Guys: I have managed to accumulate a few of the scarce Prussian wartime edged weapons with expedient wood grips. These are not commonly found.

As one can see in the photos, I only lack the KS 1852 which was also made with the wood grip...These are really hard to find.

The examples I have posted are of the known models, there may be other models, but they are not documented by the German Collectors as these are.

Only the IOD 89 and AS 1914 have wire wrap, usually blackened brass or iron, the others are the same as the Bakelite grip models that proceeded them, with the exception of grip materiel.

The Artillery NCO of 1914 replaced the Lionhead model as a wartime expedient, it is the only model ever made of this weapon, strictly wartime.

In Germany, the collectors get quite excited to find these are they were not made in the quantity of peacetime weapons.

I have no information on the other German States pertaining to this expedient practice, just Prussia so far.

Some are found with evidence of a painted finish on the hilts, not all were painted. The blades are almost always found in the original bare metal polish, the blued blades came later during the Weimar era.

Dale