SOLD - Excellent Luftwaffe-issued Nahkampfmesser

Description

9/30/25 - This Luftwaffe-issued “Nahkampfmesser” (combat/boot knife) remains in mostly excellent condition, displaying strong factory cross-graining with minimal profile distortion, suggesting it was never or only lightly sharpened; the blade shows light surface oxidation and scattered handling marks, while the crossguard and rivets have an even patina and the wood grips, though sanded, remain excellent. As expected for later variations, the blade carries no maker’s mark but is stamped with the Luftwaffe “stick eagle 6” acceptance proof. Its black painted steel scabbard is intact but shows significant paint loss, particularly near the upper portion. Originally designed as a utility and last-ditch fighting knife, these six-inch, wood-handled examples were widely issued to German soldiers from 1942 onward, often replacing earlier WWI-era blades still in use; unmarked blades such as this one are characteristic of late-war production. Valued both as a functional field implement and a wartime souvenir, this example reflects the Luftwaffe-contracted issue carried by countless Wehrmacht ground and air troops during the Second World War.