West German GRAVITY knife

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button_man
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West German GRAVITY knife

Post by button_man »

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Today's flea market score.... probably a yawn to some of you guys, but this is the first genuine German gravity knife that I've ever run across.
I'm especially pleased that it's an anniversary issue with a specific date (1985). I have no idea what these are actually worth,
but I negotiated it down to $100 which seemed like a fair price even though it does show some wear.

There are no military markings, but it is clearly a paratrooper-type knife. Since the markings are in English,
would it have simply been made as a non-military item, but designed to appeal to USA troops stationed in Germany?
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by Bill DeShivs »

While these may have been issue items in very limited quantities, there is no verification.
These knives are smaller than the true issue knives. They are still neat.
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button_man
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by button_man »

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Thanks Bill ~ I thought it was a cool find too.... do you know what the 'AES' on the handle stands for?
All I can think of is something along the lines of "American European Services" or something similar...?
I am assuming that the "83" stands for the year that this particular model was designed or distributed.

I'm also wondering whether the little plastic rectangle with the dimple that is set into the front bolster, is attached to the little
plastic square just below the bolster, and is possibly designed to unlatch the front bolster for cleaning....? Just a guess on my part - - -
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by Bill DeShivs »

A. Eickhorn, Solingen.
Yes- these are takedown models.
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jerryk25
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by jerryk25 »

I had two, they may be a clones. . . there is NO Eickhorn tang stamp.
green handle and orange handle. . . .takedown model.
The removable top bolster has a square hole for the latch to keep it on.
the top bolster on mine was cheap pot metal zinc.
and the little "bar" or one side of the square hole, snapped off.
( the piece of bolster between the "dimple" and the "square" . . . .)

Now the bolster will not stay on.

The other one is okay, as long as I do not use it. Fun to play with.
button_man
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by button_man »

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I should have thought of that 'AES' meaning.... now I feel like Darren McGavin in "A Christmas Story" -- "ragile..... must be Italian!"

https://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/a- ... -they-now/

jerry, thanks for that cautionary tale.... I just checked my bolster, and it will not take a magnet;
so I am not going to try to unlatch it, even though I'm curious to examine the innards.
sammy the blade
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by sammy the blade »

Wouldn't think there would be much to it inside.
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Tom19176
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by Tom19176 »

I have several of these in both sizes. The dot it for a bullet to be used ( pointed rifle one) to push in the square and open it. The smaller size was on sale in the 1990s for $40 but they are well worth $100+ these days. Your is real German. Watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZjXuiC8t1E
button_man
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by button_man »

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Tom ~ I’ve been thinking about my gravity knife, and have come up with three possibilities:

1. It was made for the general market, and anybody could buy one.

2. Although not actual issue, availability was restricted to servicemen; and it was sold in PXs to any serviceman that wanted one.

3. It was an actual Government-Issue knife.
(But if it’s #3, then why doesn’t the knife bear any government markings?)

Can you shed any light on this....?
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jerryk25
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by jerryk25 »

possibility #4
Probably illegal in Germany,
it was made for insane American Knife collectors.
Tom19176
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by Tom19176 »

I believe it was made for the non military market. The larger version was the real issue for service men. This model came out shortly before the Colt version and I suspect they made these for sale to the general public after they redesigned and retooled their factory form the Colt contract. A dealer I knew well had bought 200 of the large ones as part of the clearance sale the company had before these came out.
Fishtail Picklock
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

Is that a marlinspike? Those are handy for picking knots out of line(s). :wink: :)
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button_man
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by button_man »

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Yep..... in fact, If you squint at the caption of that photo, you will see that it contains the word "marlinspike" - - the spike is
not pointy enough for my taste, but I suppose that it's better than nothing if you need to separate some tangled paracord.
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JPD1998
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by JPD1998 »

I have the Bundeswehr version, it's a little larger and I believe it's 1980's - 90's production, but from what I've read it's a 1963 pattern. OFW is the maker of this one - Otto Förster, Witzhelden.

Carl Eickhorn, Solingen ( your knife) was a contractor for these as well.
Unfortunately I don't know the history of these knives or the variations, I found my knife at a gun show about 10 years ago.

Image
button_man
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Re: West German GRAVITY knife

Post by button_man »

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JPD ~ What is the OAL of your knife? I find it interesting that the spike is non-reflective but the blade isn't...!

It's also interesting that the bolster catch is a little different..... and that your bolster doesn't have the cord-puller on the bottom.
At least that's what it appears to be..... probably in case the user is wearing gloves, or a cord is just a couple inches out of reach.
(And I suspect that design changes like these can help forestall claims of patent infringement.)
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