Dutch Army Knives

[39hotrod]

 

[Reinier]

Excellent find! Never seen one of those before.

[Frailer]

Mail call.

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

Woah - that’s in good condition! Nice find, Frailer! 

[39hotrod]

 

[glenfiddich1983]

  A stranger.

Yesterday I received a new Victorinox DAK. The knife is brand new and has never been used. Has a few tiny scratches. At first it looks like the DAK2010 that we currently have in use in the Netherlands.
Until I open the knife:
•   The knife has a large knife blade, partly serrated, liner-locking and one-hand opening;
•   A belt cutter, serrated with safety tip, liner-locking and one-hand-opening;
•   And, surprise, a wood saw.
•   In addition, it has a corkscrew and the key-ring
•   There is no cap-lifter or can-opener
It seems to be a military version of the “Hunter XT” (2nd version). But, who can tell me anything more about this, please tell me.

Nice find!

Any reason to assume someone put DAK scales on a Hunter XT ?

Did it come in a box with a NSN number?

[Agamemnon]

Nice find!

Any reason to assume someone put DAK scales on a Hunter XT ?

Did it come in a box with a NSN number?

 
The knife comes from a desk drawer of the DMO. The Defense Materiel Organization is a supporting part of the Dutch Ministry of Defense that provides for the development, acquisition, maintenance and disposal of (military) equipment for the Dutch armed forces.

It hasn't been tinkered with or rebuilt - just has a few tiny scratches. The scales fit exactly on the knife.

As is known, the packaging and instructions for use are the first to be thrown away; is therefore not included.

[EMZ]

Great find! Congratulations, Agamemnon!

In my opinion (and experience) it was and still is normal that purchase/procure agencies order a bunch of different items for testings and evaluations. Probably a handfull of diffent models were offered by Victorinox for evaluating purposes.
At the end of the proces some of the surviving items ends up in desk drawers or tool kits of the purchase agency personel. Especially in those days when procurment rules weren't so strict as nowadays. I have no reason to doubt the origines of this particular knife, although it is indeed probably easy to fake one.

Very nice KL88! Welcome to the DAK club.
Yours looks much better than the one I have.

[glenfiddich1983]

  A stranger.

Yesterday I received a new Victorinox DAK. The knife is brand new and has never been used. Has a few tiny scratches. At first it looks like the DAK2010 that we currently have in use in the Netherlands.
Until I open the knife:
•   The knife has a large knife blade, partly serrated, liner-locking and one-hand opening;
•   A belt cutter, serrated with safety tip, liner-locking and one-hand-opening;
•   And, surprise, a wood saw.
•   In addition, it has a corkscrew and the key-ring
•   There is no cap-lifter or can-opener
It seems to be a military version of the “Hunter XT” (2nd version). But, who can tell me anything more about this, please tell me.

The knife comes from a desk drawer of the DMO. The Defense Materiel Organization is a supporting part of the Dutch Ministry of Defense that provides for the development, acquisition, maintenance and disposal of (military) equipment for the Dutch armed forces.

It hasn't been tinkered with or rebuilt - just has a few tiny scratches. The scales fit exactly on the knife.

As is known, the packaging and instructions for use are the first to be thrown away; is therefore not included.

Guess what 

This morning I was doing my daily grind for interesting stuff on Marktplaats, and an ad with this knife popped up. It had only 5 views yet so it was probably placed just before I found it, like it was meant to be 

I immediately made a fair offer to the seller and half an hour later the money was transferred and the ad removed 

Now the waiting for the postman starts!

The seller suggested that maybe there was a shortage of the old model so they ordered the Hunter XT instead?

Very curious to see if more of these start appearing in the near future.

[Frailer]

Guess what 

This morning I was doing my daily grind for interesting stuff on Marktplaats, and an ad with this knife popped up. It had only 5 views yet so it was probably placed just before I found it, like it was meant to be  ...

I love it when things like this happen. Congratulations!

[glenfiddich1983]

I love it when things like this happen. Congratulations!

Thanks Frailer! It was really a “ “ moment!

[Rizio Il Ghiro]

Good stuff, Glenfiddich! Can’t wait to see it too when it comes!

[Agamemnon]

 

    

Strange-stranger-strangest

At the beginning of this year I received the Victorinox OH Parachutist in a military version, with the Dutch Interservice logo.

Last week, the Victorinox OH Hunter XT fell on the doormat; again a military version, with the well-known logo.

Today the postman brought a Victorinox Forester disguised as DAK 1993, with green scales, the logo and a wood saw. It is brand new and is even somewhat in the "factory oil". Does not have a DE-GM marking - this means it was made after 2006

Comments:
It is unlikely, in my opinion, that these knives were used as "spare". We think they are mock-ups / test models. When military knives were not available for any reason, civil knives were provided (e.g. Victorinox Bantam, Victorinox Centurion).

Tests have been done with the Victorinox Centurion and the Rucksack, both the Slide-lock model, when the Victorinox Alox knife (Ordonnanz-Model 1961) had to be replaced.

Looking at Victorinox Forester, it is striking that this knife shows a lot of similarity (with Philips instead of a corkscrew) with the German Modell 2000 from Mil-Tec, in my collection of German army knives. This Modell 2000 was the successor to the GAK 108 and was the equivalent of the Dutch DAK 1993.

I can imagine that the Netherlands also "looked" at this model. Perhaps the Forester also participated in some kind of test.

DE-GM 9305297
This term refers (in Germany) to the Victorinox utility model with regard to the (liner-lock) locking mechanism.
DE: Deutschland; GM: GebrauchsMuster; 9305297; Registration Number.

A utility model is a registered intellectual property right that can be obtained in some countries (not in the Netherlands and Belgium) to protect inventions. Utility models are available in Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Portugal and Spain, among others.

The operation of a utility model is very similar to that of a patent. While the precise characteristics vary from country to country, it can generally be said that utility models are generally available for a more limited range of inventions (e.g. for devices only and not for processes), have shorter lifespans than patents (e.g. 10 years US 20 years), and are subject to less stringent validity requirements (for example by not taking into account certain categories of anteriorities when assessing the novelty of the utility model).

Victorinox stopped using this marking on the blade in 2006.

[glenfiddich1983]

Thanks for the info Agamemnon!

Now, the seller that sold me the Hunter XT DAK didn’t yet ship it, because he deleted the message with my address or whatever. I don’t have a reason to doubt him because I bought from him before on two occasions.

Turns out to be a blessing in disguise because he also has the Forester DAK. So I bought that as well, and the shipping can be combined since the Hunter XT wasn’t shipped yet.

[Agamemnon]

Thanks for the info Agamemnon!

Now, the seller that sold me the Hunter XT DAK didn’t yet ship it, because he deleted the message with my address or whatever. I don’t have a reason to doubt him because I bought from him before on two occasions.

Turns out to be a blessing in disguise because he also has the Forester DAK. So I bought that as well, and the shipping can be combined since the Hunter XT wasn’t shipped yet.

 

Well done Glenfiddich
And now just wait for the mail to arrive. It will be a "long weekend."
I think we should just drink a whiskey on our new acquisitions.
Cheers
 

[EMZ]

Glenfiddich, you beat me twice on these two marvellous SAK's. 
It took me some time to find the guts to congratulate you, but now I have find the courage 

No, seriously, I'm just very glad they stay here in Holland. Great find and well done!!

[glenfiddich1983]

Glenfiddich, you beat me twice on these two marvellous SAK's. 
It took me some time to find the guts to congratulate you, but now I have find the courage 

No, seriously, I'm just very glad they stay here in Holland. Great find and well done!!

Thanks EMZ! 

Now I feel a bit bad about showing them off 

But here they are. They arrived yesterday. Both brand new, but without a box.





And here are the two existing models, for comparison:



Now I am still curious about the two new models. The seller claimed they were issued because they ran out of supply of the regular model. He said this is what he was told by he military surplus store where he got them from.

It would be nice to hear from an insider in the Dutch army/DMO to confirm if this is true, or that maybe these were test-models like Agamemnon suggested. If these were test-models it's interesting to know how many of these exist and how a couple of them ended up in a military surplus. Maybe someone at the DMO cleared his drawer with test-knives?

Or maybe these models actually are new models that are added to the DoD’s regular stock, perhaps as a (future) replacement for the current model? Time will tell.

Also I considered the possibility that someone swapped DAK scales to regular models to sell them as rare pieces and make more money, but that makes no sense: I paid not even € 10 per knife more for these knives than the regular selling prices of the Hunter XT and Trailmaster that are underneath the DAK scales.

[39hotrod]

 

[EMZ]

Pictures are very blurred. Oh, wait, there's tears in my eyes! 

I think the seller is trustworthy. I don't know him personally, but did good business with him before.
I don't think these are ran-out-of-stock models. Probabaly a handfull of each model was offered or shown to the Dutch Defense Materiel Organisation (DMO) for examination and testing.
If the price was that low it's is of no use to fake these knives.

[EMZ]

Two more DAK acquisitions:

- RNLAF multi-tool of Chinese quality.

- RNLAF knife made by Metallo. "Vouwmes" = Folding Knife. It was distributed to RNLAF computer and communications technicians/mechanics ("Communication and Information Systems - CIS"). It has a Dutch, NSN 5110-17-031-3972.

Both knives were bought with the help of Agamemnon. Thank you again!

[Agamemnon]

Two more DAK acquisitions:

- RNLAF multi-tool of Chinese quality.

- RNLAF knife made by Metallo. "Vouwmes" = Folding Knife. It was distributed to RNLAF computer and communications technicians/mechanics ("Communication and Information Systems - CIS"). It has a Dutch, NSN 5110-17-031-3972.

Both knives were bought with the help of Agamemnon. Thank you again!

 

[Myron]

I call dibs on Glenfiddich's new DAKs on behalf of EMZ! 

[Echotech]

Got my first DAK to add to the Soldier collection.
In pretty decent condition and for about the same price as a new Pioneer. Got an AMEFA on the way too

[Myron]

Very nice, Echo!   The Model 1961 DAKs are so superb.  Congratulations!

[Echotech]

Very nice, Echo!   The Model 1961 DAKs are so superb.  Congratulations!

Thanks Myron my 61 collection is getting there, just waiting on one more (for now ) and will post them all together

[EMZ]

I call dibs on Glenfiddich's new DAKs on behalf of EMZ! 

Thanks Myron. Someone had to do it... 

[glenfiddich1983]

Two more DAK acquisitions:

- RNLAF multi-tool of Chinese quality.

- RNLAF knife made by Metallo. "Vouwmes" = Folding Knife. It was distributed to RNLAF computer and communications technicians/mechanics ("Communication and Information Systems - CIS"). It has a Dutch, NSN 5110-17-031-3972.

Both knives were bought with the help of Agamemnon. Thank you again!

 

Got my first DAK to add to the Soldier collection.
In pretty decent condition and for about the same price as a new Pioneer. Got an AMEFA on the way too

(Image removed from quote.)

(Image removed from quote.)

Congrats! 

I call dibs on Glenfiddich's new DAKs on behalf of EMZ! 

 

If I ever decide to sell them, i'll think of EMZ first 

[EMZ]

Congrats! 

 

If I ever decide to sell them, i'll think of EMZ first 

Thanks Glenfidd!!

And now  something completely different.
A Dutch Army promotional set, consisting of well made Chinese multi-tool and LED flashlight.

[EMZ]

And one more promotional item from the Dutch Army.
It's a nifty item! After you engage both fork and spoon, the two halves detach and can be used seperately.

Text on the pouch reads: "landmacht. BANENWINKEL ARNHEM. plus telephon number.
Landmacht = Army
Banenwinkel = 'Job Shop' (recruitment center)
Arnhem = City in the east of the Netherlands.

The Netherlands Army had several recruitment center in larger cities, but all had to close in late 2009 because of budget cuts. That dates this multi-tool before 2010.

[SAK118]

I have that one.
It is the Swisstool Spirit BS and there is the Dutch Lion Stamped on the leather.

It is pictured in the Book "Das Schweizer Soldatenmesser". There is a small section for the Dutch Knives.