WWI WW2 German "Shoemaker" Or Trench Knife 3 Reich

Description

Trench Knife Bootmaker
The period of the First World War. Marked on the blade. The handle is wooden. The wedge is sharpened on both sides.
-remoted commission-
It is not correctly believed that any German trophy blade must cut nails and be sharp like a blade. The bayonet was not sharpened and posed a real threat, only being fastened to the rifle. A long blade made of thick steel (of poor quality and brittle), a massive handle, its weight - all this does not make it convenient for use in combat conditions without a rifle. (It is not uncommon for the blades to break between the ribs of the enemy in rare bayonet attacks). The only really "combat" knife can be called a "bootstrap" or a trench knife. These extremely nondescript examples of German edged weapons (outwardly similar to kitchen weapons) had a thin, sharp blade made of high-quality, resilient steel and were intended specifically for close combat. Scouts - the fighters who were most likely to come face to face with the enemy, used these blades. With the help of such a weapon, the soldier could silently remove the sentry or fight in the trenches, where he could not turn around with a rifle with a bayonet attached. It is clear that the pistol could not always be used by the scout, and the price of a misfire or misalignment of a cartridge in battle was too high. So at the forefront of all fronts, the soldiers of the Third Reich appreciated this small, practical knife in trench fighting.
Trench knives: two wars in the ranks
So what is a trench knife? From the very combination of words it is clear that this is a cold weapon, the purpose of which is the use in the trenches. It should be noted that, as a rule, such knives were used not only in trenches, but wherever maneuverability and compactness were required. During the First World War, the soldiers of the participating countries did not have compact edged weapons that made it easy to work in confined spaces. The long and clumsy blade of the detachable bayonet, designed for bayonet attack, was more of a hindrance than a weapon in a cramped trench.
The need for such weapons arose because the state of affairs at the front in 1914 dictated the positional nature of the war to the warring parties. Attempts were made to change this situation with offensives, but this played almost no role, but led to significant losses. Naturally, before the attack, it was required to obtain as much intelligence as possible, and such tasks were carried out by small groups - reconnaissance patrols. As a rule, these reconnaissance groups suffered heavy losses, returning to the location of the troops, carrying wounded and captured soldiers, they fell under enemy fire. Weapons for such a sortie were chosen mostly cold, however, there was no suitable sample of CW in their arsenal. As often happens, the soldiers showed ingenuity, and began to shorten the blades on their own. However, bayonets converted in this way did not become an effective melee weapon. The "French Nail" coped with its task a little better. It was a sharpened metal rod with a bracket that served as a handle. This name is due to the fact that such improvised stilettos were initially particularly popular among the French troops. However, such a weapon was completely unsuitable for cutting and chopping blows. The main reason for the popularity of such imperfect weapons was the simplicity of its manufacture. The shortcomings of such a primitive cold weapon were obvious, and the industrial production of a new type of weapon began, later called the "Trench Knife". German troops declared the need for such knives that could play not only the role of a weapon, but also a household tool. Even then it was clear that a knife for a soldier was not only a cold weapon, but also a necessary item in everyday life. In Germany, which has always had an established tradition of weapons, there were no problems with the development and production of such knives. The design of such knives was simple, the blade had a flat shank and was made from a solid strip of steel. The length of the blade, as a rule, was from 140 to 170 mm, the sharpening was one and a half, which made it possible, with good penetrating abilities, to also preserve the possibility of using the knife in everyday life. As a rule, the handles of such knives were assembled using plate mounting. This method made it possible to spend minimal production time and ensure high structural strength. Initially, the handles were made of a symmetrical shape, but later, the handle of the trench knife acquired a more familiar ergonomic shape. These knives in Germany were called "Grabendolch" which literally means "trench dagger".