German Paratrooper Knife

Hey T4, not sure if it's the same design, but Colt has come out with a reproduction named CSAR (Colt Search And Rescue); I've heard it's a good updated reproduction of the original German Paratrooper Knife.

Dave
 
Go to the links section and check out "The Knife Shop" they have the real thing.

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LD
"Every Dog Has His Day"

 
I have a WWII version, blued metal and wooden scales. I have been advertising it in the FS/FT forum. If interested, contact me c/o GFuller@vts.edu.

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Walk in the Light,
Hugh
 
T^4,
the Colt GPT is made by Eickhorn/Solingen/Germany. This one has a Colt logo on the blade, a serrated edge and a bottle opener as a guard.
It's a civilian version of the original "Kappmesser", the German paratrooper knife with a blade length of 8.5 cm due to German gravity/switchblade knife laws (getting worse
frown.gif
).
As FullerH wrote the original from WW2 has wooden scales. At that time the German Paras were part of the Luftwaffe (Air Force), not part of the Army and this knife was standard issue for flying personnel because of the room restrictions on planes.
The knife they issue to the Bundeswehr Fallschirmjaeger is the same, only the handle is plastic. The blade length of the military version is 10 cm.
Playing with this knife is fun and you get a nice "Click" when opening the knife but it's by no means a good knife for everyday use.
The blade is wobbly, the lock not secure. You can disassemble the knife in about 2 secs for cleaning, but this and the "cool"-factor are the only positive things about the GPK.
At my time with the "Fallies" I left the Kappmesser at the barracks and carried my own knifes.

Take care,
Frank

 
The other good thing about the Kappmesser is
that if You break it, You get a new one for
free. There are only a few minor catches to
this deal : They wake You up a 0500, You have
to endure horrible food and leap out of aircraft :-)

Take care,
Tobse !
(ehemals 4./272)
 
Tobse,
you don't LEAP out of aircraft, They THROW you out !

Frank


ex 3/272 (1979/80)

[This message has been edited by Franky (edited 08 June 1999).]
 
Franky,
These days I LEAP with a wide grin, and I even pay for it. Must be some aftereffect of the food they gave us. Obligatory knife content. The Kappmesser and the Colt also have a spike for loosening tight knots.

Take care,
Tobse !
 
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