WWII German Luftwaffe Paratrooper Gravity Knife

This is a Type II LW gravity Flieger-Kappmesser/Paratrooper Knife comprised of the blade, a fine stainless steel "ROSTFREI" 4 1/8 inch cutting blade SN# 6875 which was manufactured from 1938 to 1940 by the knife maker F&A Helbig Garfler Steinbach Kr.M which only produced Type I knives. According to Bruning’s book only 2100 of these Helbig knives where made. The body of this knife was manufactured by SMF, Metall Warenfabrik and is a Type IIA. This example is in vey good to excellent original condition with very good makers marks with matching frame #286 and bolster and correct R.B NR 0561/0019 and #5 inspection mark, Solingen. This knives wooden scales are in very good condition with normal wear and some old etchings. The spike is excellent and has the original point. According to Pattarpzzi’s book, it is not uncommon to find parts from one maker on another makers knife. As we have on this knife the blade, which is original, is used on another original body. No way to tell when this was done, war time or later.