Green Diploma

Post here pictures of your knives and blades! All images should be on an external web site, and linked to messages.

Moderators: tr4252, The Motley Crew

Forum rules
There are a few things you should know before posting in these forums. If you are a new user, please click here and read carefully. Thanks a lot!
Post Reply
SchwarzStock
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2022 11:20 am

Green Diploma

Post by SchwarzStock »

Grüne abitur - The Green Diploma. No this is not about tree huggers or eco-activism. Rather, quite the opposite although I would call hunters much more eco-friendly than the left radicals. Anyway, the process of getting a hunting license in Germany is quite intensive in terms of time and difficulty and is often referred to in slang as obtaining your “Green Diploma”. Even one of the so-called short, intensive courses are typically 3 weeks in duration and 40+ hours per week ending in academic and practical exams (wildlife and forest knowledge, fieldcraft, rifle and shotgun shooting and an oral board).
At the successful completion, new hunters are “Knighted” at the Jagdkurs Abschluss (graduation) by an Official of the organization who conducted the course. This is done with the ceremonial hunting sword, the Hirschfänger. Translated literally this is the Stag Catcher. Originally the Hirschfänger was used to deliver the final blow to a wounded animal. In today’s hunting it unused except for ceremonial purposes and is only worn at “graduations” or fests. Older Hirschfänger have blades that generally exceed 40cm (15 in) while newer versions are quite a bit shorter; Puma’s current version has a 24cm blade (9+ in).
Over the years of living in Germany I became quite involved in hunting and hunting courses. As we were preparing for a graduation, the Hirschfänger we used was stolen from a parked car. I had always wanted an old original so I started a frantic search. Like always, when you want/need something badly you can’t find it or you can’t afford it. In this case I couldn’t afford it. Luckily, I stumbled on a Weyersburg produced 1909 Argentine bayonet blade that had never been completed. The blade had been polished and was about 45cm long. I found a piece of mild steel to fashion a guard and butt cap out of and obtained a ferrule and piece of stag for the handle. The whole thing went together in just a couple of days and in time for the Jagdkurs Abschluss. There was a Argentine military stamp on the blade that bothered me so I “hid” it by using a checkering file to cut the straight-line pattern at the ricasso.

Several years later I did acquire an old specimen that had been well used. Not ornate but it does have nice engravings on the blade. It is above my homemade version in the photo.
H Faenger 2.jpg
H Faenger 2.jpg (607.49 KiB) Viewed 3271 times
H Faenger 3.jpg
H Faenger 3.jpg (413.12 KiB) Viewed 3271 times
User avatar
Bill DeShivs
Yes.
Posts: 7342
Joined: Sat May 25, 2002 2:50 pm
Location: In de lan o' cotton
Contact:

Re: Green Diploma

Post by Bill DeShivs »

Very nice.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
User avatar
NorthCarolinaDude
Posts: 213
Joined: Thu May 13, 2021 2:22 am
Location: The South

Re: Green Diploma

Post by NorthCarolinaDude »

Now there's a graduation gift worthy of all!

Very cool. Thanks for the pics and history lesson.

Scott
User avatar
NorthCarolinaDude
Posts: 213
Joined: Thu May 13, 2021 2:22 am
Location: The South

Re: Green Diploma

Post by NorthCarolinaDude »

Hey brother, I just stumbled on this over on eBay while looking for something else completely different, don't know why it was in my search results but there it was, I had not long before read your post here too. Anyhow, thought I would share as it knocked my socks off:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403652648437?

And ask what your knowledge tells you about this one being offered over there?

Take care, Scott.
User avatar
NorthCarolinaDude
Posts: 213
Joined: Thu May 13, 2021 2:22 am
Location: The South

Re: Green Diploma

Post by NorthCarolinaDude »

I think the lesson with most things collectible, especially with edged weapons and firearms, etc., is the older stuff was almost always made so much better. Newer models are always cut-costed and often made with less metal or quality of metals to save money, and punched out on machines for mass consumption, etc. But anything handmade where they used the best materials available, that stuff is almost always golden for having and retaining value.

Scott
User avatar
jerryk25
Posts: 601
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2021 6:30 am
Location: Pittsburgh

Re: Green Diploma

Post by jerryk25 »

nice lines. . .
Post Reply