Edged Weapon Knot Guide

This is an identification guide for the different knots used on edged weapons from 1939 until 1945. A total of 168 portepees are shown. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are of original authentic items of the period. If anyone has questions or suggestions, please contact [email protected].

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Terminology and Nameing Conventions

Wehrmacht - Heer

Regulations state that enlisted Bayonet Knots be color coded to identify the wearer's unit. For the troddel, the ball and strap are light gray and the colors used are white, red, yellow, blue, and light green. The stem identifies the Battalion within a Regiment and the crown and slide identify the company within the Battalion. For Regiment staff, the ball, strap, crown, stem, and slide are green. For Battalion staff, the ball, strap, crown, and slide are green while the stem identifies the Battalion. For the Faustriemen, the colors are the same. The slide identifies the Battalion and the crown identifies the company. For Regiment staff, the ball, strap, crown and slide are green. For Battalion staff, the ball, strap, and crown are green while the slide identifies the Battalion.


Officer/Sr NCO Sword-Large	Officer/Sr NCO Sword-Small	Officer Dagger	Officer Candidate NCO-Inf/Art	Officer Candidate NCO-Inf/Art	Officer Candidate NCO-Cav/Armored	Regimental Staff Bayonet-Inf/Art	1st Battalion Staff Bayonet-Inf/Art
1st Battalion 1st Inf/Jager/Art Company Bayonet	1st Battalion 2nd Inf/Jager/Art Company Bayonet	1st Battalion 3rd Inf/Jager/Art Company Bayonet	1st Battalion 4th Inf/Jager Company Bayonet	1st Battalion 5th Company Bayonet-Jager	2nd Battalion Staff Bayonet-Inf/Art	2nd Battalion 5th Inf/4th Art/6th Jager Company Bayonet	2nd Battalion 6th Inf/5th Art/7th Jager Company Bayonet
2nd Battalion 7th Inf/6th Art/8th Jager Company Bayonet	2nd Battalion 8th Inf/9th Jager Company Bayonet	2nd Battalion 10th Jager Company Bayonet	3rd Battalion Staff Bayonet-Inf/Art	3rd Battalion 9th Inf/7th Art Company Bayonet	3rd Battalion 10th Inf/8th Art Company Bayonet	3rd Battalion 11th Inf/9th Art Company Bayonet	3rd Battalion 12th Inf Company Bayonet
4th Battalion Staff Bayonet-Inf	4th Battalion 13th Inf Company Bayonet	4th Battalion 14th Inf Company Bayonet	4th Battalion 15th Inf Company Bayonet	4th Battalion 16th Inf Company Bayonet	4th Battalion 16th Inf Company Bayonet	5th Battalion Staff Bayonet-Inf	5th Battalion 18th Inf Company Bayonet
5th Battalion 19th Inf Company Bayonet	5th Battalion 20th Inf Company Bayonet	Reserve Inf Company Bayonet	Regimental Staff Bayonet-Cav/Armored	1st Battalion Staff Bayonet-Cav/Armored	1st Battalion 1st Cav/Armored Company Bayonet	1st Battalion 2nd Cav/Armored Company Bayonet	1st Battalion 3rd Cav/Armored Company Bayonet
1st Battalion 4rd Cav Company Bayonet	1st Battalion 5rd Cav Company Bayonet	2nd Battalion Staff Bayonet-Cav/Armored	2nd Battalion 6th Cav/4th Armored Company Bayonet	2nd Battalion 7th Cav/5th Armored Company Bayonet	2nd Battalion 8th Cav/6th Armored Company Bayonet	2nd Battalion 9th Cav Company Bayonet	2nd Battalion 10th Cav Company Bayonet
3rd Battalion Staff Bayonet-Cav/Armored	3rd Battalion 11th Cav/7th Armored Company Bayonet	3rd Battalion 8th Armored Company Bayonet	3rd Battalion 9th Armored Company Bayonet

Wehrmacht - Kriegsmarine


Imperial Officer Sword/Dagger	Imperial Officer Sword/Dagger	Officer Sword/Dagger	Officer Sword/Dagger	Coastal Bayonet	Machinegun Unit Bayonet

Wehrmacht - Luftwaffe

Regulations state that enlisted Bayonet Knots are color coded to identify the wearer's unit. The Luftwaffe only used the Faustriemen. The ball and strap are blue gray and the colors used are white, red, yellow, blue, light green, and golden brown. Pink was also included in the list but has not been observed. The slide identifies the Battalion and the crown identifies the company. For Regiment staff, the ball, strap, crown and slide are green. For Battalion staff, the ball, strap, and slide are green while the crown identifies the Battalion.


General's Sword	Officer/Sr NCO Dagger	Officer Candidate NCO Bayonet	Regimental Staff Bayonet	Flak Reserve Bayonet	1st Battalion Staff Bayonet	1st Battalion 1st Unit Bayonet	1st Battalion 2nd Unit Bayonet
1st Battalion 3rd Unit Bayonet	1st Battalion 4th Unit Bayonet	1st Battalion 5th Unit Bayonet	2nd Battalion Staff Bayonet	2nd Battalion 1st Unit Bayonet	2nd Battalion 2nd Unit Bayonet	2nd Battalion 3rd Unit Bayonet	2nd Battalion 4th Unit Bayonet
2nd Battalion 5th Unit Bayonet	3rd Battalion Staff Bayonet	3rd Battalion 1st Unit Bayonet	3rd Battalion 2nd Unit Bayonet	3rd Battalion 3rd Unit Bayonet	3rd Battalion 4th Unit Bayonet	3rd Battalion 5th Unit Bayonet	4th Battalion Staff Bayonet
4th Battalion 1st Unit Bayonet	4th Battalion 2nd Unit Bayonet	4th Battalion 3rd Unit Bayonet	4th Battalion 4th Unit Bayonet	4th Battalion 5th Unit Bayonet	5th Battalion Staff Bayonet	5th Battalion 1st Unit Bayonet	5th Battalion 2nd Unit Bayonet
5th Battalion 3rd Unit Bayonet	5th Battalion 4th Unit Bayonet	5th Battalion 5th Unit Bayonet

NSDAP

While regulations have not been found for the SS-VT, it appears that enlisted Bayonet Knots are color coded using the Wehrmacht schema. The ball is black and white speckled and the strap is white with two black lines on each side. The colors observed are white, red, yellow, and blue. The stem identifies the Sturm and the crown and slide identify the Sturmbann.


SS Officer/NCO Sword 1934-36	SS NCO Sword	SS Officer Sword	SS NCO Sword	SS Enlisted Sword	SS Enlisted Sword	SS Commissioned Officer Dagger	SS Bayonet
SS Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet
SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet	SS-VT Bayonet
SS-VT Bayonet			DLV Flyer's Dagger		HJ Wachgefolgschaft Bayonet		RLB Bayonet

Polizei


Polizei Officer Sword	Polizei NCO Sword/Bayonet		Feuerwehr Sword	Feuerwehr Bayonet		Wasserschutz Sword	Wasserschutz Dagger
Postschutz Dagger	Postschutz Dagger	Postschutz Dagger		1st Model Bahnschutz Dagger	1st Model Bahnschutz Dagger	Bahnschutz Bayonet	Bahnschutz Bayonet
Bahnwasserschutz Dagger	Bahnwasserschutz Bayonet		Justice Official Sword	Prison Official Sword

Technische Nothilfe


Officer Dagger	NCO Hewer - Allgeiner	NCO Hewer - Bereitschafte	NCO Hewer - Luftschutz	NCO Hewer - Technischer	NCO Hewer - Allgeiner Reserve	NCO Hewer - Bereitschafte Reserve	NCO Hewer - Luftschutz Reserve
NCO Hewer - Technischer Reserve

Deutsches Reich Dienst


Diplomaten Sword	Diplomaten Dagger - Upper Ranks	Diplomaten Dagger - Lower Ranks		Senior Forestry Cutlass	Forestry Cutlass	Forestry Junior/Beamte Cutlass	Luftwaffe Forestry Bayonet
Berufsjager Cutlass	Jagerschaft Cutlass	Schutzen Verband - early	Schutzen Verband - late		Rotes Kreus Dagger	Rotes Kreus Dagger	Rotes Kreus Hewer
Zolldienst Sword	Zolldienst Dagger	Landzoll Dagger	Wasserzoll Dagger		Bergbau Saber	Bergbau Leader Saber	Bergbau Saber