Tan Pioneer saw – Ewald Cleff – clg 44
The German Pioniertruppen or Pioneer troops where equipped to accomplish many different tasks. Where it laying mines, building (or demolishing) bridges, removing obstacles or constructing earth re-inforcments; the Pioneer troops carried all sorts of necessary equipment. They had a variety of different tools such as long spades, saws, explosives, detonators, and wire cutters.
The Pioniersäge was equipped with a scabbard that was produced from leather until 1940. After that the first Presstoff or artificial leather pouches came around. The scabbard was issued with a leather bayonet loop halfway down the scabbard. The scabbard features multiple reinforcements to keep the sharp saw from damaging it. On the top of the scabbard a narrow slit is placed which leads into a short metal inner sleeve and on the bottom of the scabbard a metal end piece. The belt loop on the top of the scabbard is made out of leather just as the bayonet loop, regardless what the main material of the scabbard is. The saw is featured with a wooden handle which nearly always has a missing piece at the exact same spot (See picture 5 on the left side of the handle).
Type of tool: Pioniersäge or pioneer saw
Markings: Ewald Cleff, Solingen on the saw. clg 44 on the sheath.
Maker: Ewald Cleff, Solingen and Ernst Melzig Lederwaren, Liegesitz for the sheath.
Year: 1944
Materials: Tan Presstoff and leather
