knife knotes
part X
Updated 1/2/04
"It does not take a majority to prevail ... but rather an irate,
tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of
men." --Samuel Adams
Red Cross Supply’s Multi-tools to Troops
A recent article pointed out to us by our good friend Bernard Levine places
the newest Red Cross Knives in the hands of troops. As many of you are aware
the Red Cross knives of World War One are highly sought out collectors items
of today. This newest offering brings the idea up to date. Instead of the
folding knife with spoon idea of long ago today the Red Cross is adding a
multi-tool to the parcels. While we have not yet seen a model of the item or who makes it the Red Cross has at least 10,000 planned for distribution. This
is all paid for from donations to that organization. Also included in the
parcels are a deck of cards, a book of crossword puzzles, snacks,
games, suntan lotion, tissues, a hacky sack ball, moist towelettes, a
hand-held fan and a multipurpose tool packaged in a lightweight, durable,
reusable travel bag. Each bag also has an acknowledgement card that the gift
is made possible through the generosity of the American people. The cost for
each package is $20 which makes us think the item may not be of the highest
quality but one never knows what buying power they have at the 10,000 level.
Either way a new collectible is now being sent to the folks in the field. If
anyone has further information please let us know.
Camillus Desert Tan Knives
A recent offering from Camillus Cutlery are the tried and true military
knives coated in a Desert Tan epoxy coating. Using the USMC Fighting / Utility
knife, the Jet Pilot Survival knife and the MIL-K-818C as the base these
knives are then coated in the tan color. The fixed blades have the blades,
guards and pommels coated while the folder only coats the handles. Not
official military purchased knives they are really cool variations to those
collecting such. We picked up all three for our collection and an extra or two
for trades at some future date. Cost is low and the knives are being phased
out now so maybe we will see prices rise in the aftermarket on these products
in a few years, if not they are still neat items.
Dented Scabbards
In a recent article written for Knife World on the Model of 1910 bolo knife
we stated that almost every metal scabbard we have seen is dented at the tip.
We have no idea but speculated it was due to packaging. Well we just received
a letter from Mr. Hank Loescher which may clear up that speculation. In his
letter to us Mr. Loescher states that many years ago he purchased a few cases
of the metal scabbards still packed in the original shipping crates. Upon
opening them they were found to be individually wrapped in brown kraft paper.
The boxes were addressed to the Bush Terminal, Brooklyn, NY. It seems they
were sitting on the docks when the war ended so they never made it overseas.
Each crate held 100 scabbards packed end to end, layered one row on top of
each other. The rows were reversed upon each tier. This placed the hanger end
right over the lower tip of the opposing scabbard and left a perfect dent in
the bottom of each scabbard in the box. None of these scabbards had ever seen
usage yet each had a perfect dent in the back side of the bottom. Well, that
does seem to clear up that little mystery to our satisfaction. Thanks for the
letter Mr. Loescher, every little piece of the puzzle helps in assembling the
whole picture!
Marbles 5 inch Ideals in Military Usage
We are trying to gather any information on the 5" Marbles Ideal
pattern knife for a future article. The main gist of the article will be the
use of the knives by the Army Air Force as a part of the Emergency Sustenance
Kits issued to each aircrewman during the war. We have some information on
them but lack any connection with Marbles actually having a military contract.
So far we have not found any evidence that they were purchased by the
government. We all assume that the Bakelite pommel models were wartime issue
but can we prove it… not yet. We do know that Marbles started using the
plastic pommels during 1942 / 1943 but they also continued to sell them right
up through the 1950’s so that in itself does not make it a military issue
piece. Perhaps they could not obtain the aluminum pommels during the war and
converted to the plastic but only for the private sales they still held. We
also know that Camillus, Case and Kinfolks made the same pattern knife and
sold them to the government for the AAF so why not Marbles? Either way it is
an interesting subject that we wish to know more about. If you have any proof
on the subject, such as a written document, not an oral history, we would be
mighty glad to hear from you!
Queen City Stamps
Here is a photo copy of a stamped turned up in the Queen factory. Notice
anything unusual about it? We do not know if it was ever used but we doubt it.
Any machete collectors out there have one so marked? We would love to hear
about it if you do.
Life-Raft Knives
A recent solicitation for knife purchase by the government caught our eye.
It was listed as a "Knife, Combat with Lanyard", something we had
not seen before. The Mark 2 is listed as a "Knife, Combat with
Sheath" so we were thinking it would be around that line of knife.
Further investigation proves it to be a Life-Raft knife. Looking up the NSN on
the item (1095-01-350-1525), shows many have been purchased over the past year
by the Aerospace Weapons Group out of the Defense Supply Center, Columbus.
Well we are at a loss at to what one looks like. We do know of many life raft
knives in the past but this one is a newer issue piece that sells for $33.90
each. Over one thousand purchased recently and the latest proposal list a one
year open ended contract which could prove to be very large but not exceed
$100,000.00. Again we are looking for help on this one, What does a Mark 3
Life-Raft knife look like??
Camillus Riser Cutters
In a recent exchange with our good friend Tom Williams, Company Historian,
Camillus Cutlery Co. we found out that Camillus made fixed blade riser cutters
in 1966 and 1967. Not a lot of them mind you but they did make them. We see
unmarked versions from time to time, we have seen the Schrade Walden marked
models along with the Aerial Machine and Tool models but never a Camillus
marked version. The marking were 62D4267 / 1966 on the base of the cutter like
all the others. Most we have seen with this marking were ink stamped not
actually hot stamped into the blade. That in itself is a fairly common marking
but the real test in finding one is the thong eyelet. It is a brass eyelet but
cadmium plated. This we have not observed but in reality we were not looking
for it either. We have collected riser cutters for many years and have
accumulated quite a few but none have this curious detail. In total 12,000
were made and shipped to Bristol Dynamics, a subsidiary of British Aerospace.
Now it could be they were made for the Commonwealth government or simply those
were the folks we were purchasing parachutes or other kits from, no
speculation on that part yet as further investigation continues.
UDT Scabbard
We find out from our good friend Bill Adams that the so called UDT scabbard
shown in Cole IV pg. 81 was a commercially available scabbard sold by
Healthways a well known divers supply company. When Bill was trying to track
them down as to who made them he ran into a stone walling from the Navy. Bill
approached his then Senator Sam Nunn, head of the Senate Armed Services
Committee to encourage the Navy to supply the name of the contractor. Well it
worked, Bill was supplied the name of Healthways as the supplier. This it
would seem leads to the fact that someone in the Navy knew of the scabbards.
Bill tried to arrange for the procurement of them to sell through his company
but the cost for the wholesale order was prohibitive to make any money with.
The scabbards were made in a Velcro closure as well and the familiar snap
closure retaining strap. While we have never seen any proof that these
scabbards were in fact used or tested by the SEALs we do now know they were
commercially sold items and in fact the Navy knew about them.
The A1 Folding Machete
The Imperial folding machete often found in it’s original light colored
leather holster is not of the World war two era. We are constantly asked this
question as they appear somewhat often in various auctions and at shows. Many
are in quite nice condition, unused and excellent or better is common. These
machetes were redesigned from the results of the 1944 machete test reports.
The handles and the carrying method are but two items that jump right out to
the casual observer. The obvious giveaway is the nomenclature printed on the
scabbard, Machete with Scabbard / Type A-1 / NO. 48C3839. The last line is the
drawing or engineering number beginning with the year. This example is 1948 so
that would make it a bit late for WW II. Although they are actually a 1947
design it was standardized with the drawing in 1948. The redesign is an answer
to several criticisms of the 1942 pattern. One major fault being that the
handle could fold up on one’s fingers, the formerly removable guard was
redesigned to serve as a lock for the blade when it is open and to fold over
the edge when it is closed. The guard-lock is permanently hinged at the end of
the handle. Quite an amazing engineering feat and quite complex to envision at
first until one is seen operate. The soft leather sheath holds a sharpening
stone in a pocket, in answer to another criticism of the original knife. The
sheath was furnished only with a swiveling belt loop large enough for a waist
belt of any sort but a rather awkward arrangement for someone wearing only a
belt-less flight suit. What was the flyer to use in this case is unknown to
us. When put to practical use it seems to be only a rather expensive piece of
engineering compromised by committee. The handle is sharp for constant use and
the weight and balance are completely off. The real V-44 as made by Case is a
much better tool for use in the F1 Hot Weather kit that the A-1 was packed
with and should have been included. In fact it would still be good inclusion
in any of today’s kits.
Get a Kick Out of This
Here we have a couple of photos from our good friend Bob Tronolone and his
bike. Leave it up to a knife guy to come up with something like this! A great
use for a Mk1918Mk1 handle on the loose. Bob’s working on a shifter now…
we can’t wait! Thanks Bob.
Updated 2/7/03
Quote:
"If we lived by the Golden Rule, there would be no need for other
laws."
Ronald Reagan
Quite a month
This month we have two super contributions from Gary Cunningham and Bill
Porter. Gary starts a two part series on the First Production M4 bayonets
while Bill opens up his vault to some on the rarest US bayonets ever producted.
The only place you can find them is here, on US Military Knives . Com!
USMC Sword Star Marking
Well it seems we kicked up a storm of controversy with this one. We
received a load of e-mails on this topic yet haven’t reached the bottom of
it, at least to our satisfaction. We still have not found an example in
writing of the "reason" it is placed there. We have several opinions
that run from most likely to out right absurd. As the official swords still
have this marking on them, both officer and enlisted, there must be something
in writing somewhere as to why it is so. Below are some of the responses we
have received.
Dear Frank,
The 'star' symbol actually represents interlocking triangles which was a
traditional symbol of armourers and swordsmiths. We used to use it in the 19th
century, but it was copied widely so we changed to the 'sunburst' symbol we
still use today.
As far as I know there were no links to the Star of David.
Regards
Rob Hadley
Wilkinson Sword's Business Manager
Dear Frank,
In alchemy, the interlocking triangles represent Fire and Water together.
A more practical theory is that during the Bar Kochba rebellion (first
century), a new technology was developed for shields using the inherent
stability of the triangle. Behind the shield were two interlocking triangles,
forming a hexagonal pattern of support points. This became known as a symbol
of strength.
David Fuller
Dear Frank,
I found this on the Wilkinson Sword home page, perhaps it is the answer to you
quest. Thank you for providing a thoroughly enjoyable web page.
http://www.wilkinsonsword.com/company/faqs.html#Q2
"The interlocking triangles sometimes seen on older blades made by
Wilkinson Sword is a mark originally used by Henry Wilkinson. This mark
represents the interlocking triangles of the armourer - an ancient symbol.
It was used extensively by Wilkinson Sword in the 19th Century and was
widely copied by other manufacturers and as a result has fallen out of use. As
far as we are aware there is no association with the Star of David. It has
since been replaced by the mark shown opposite, proclaiming the authenticity
of each Wilkinson Sword."
Rich Gathier
Dear Frank,
Long before this hexagram became the emblem of Judaism, it was revered as the
symbol of the joining of opposites - spirit and matter, yin to yang, heaven to
earth, Shiva and Kali - that maintains life in the cycles of creation and
destruction. The Seal of Solomon is a seal of protection and contains the
invisible Seventh Seal made from the four elements plus the divine number 3.
This symbol also was used in alchemy to symbolize alcohol - (fire and
water), a union of water and heat in perfect harmony. This possibly derived
from the Hindu union of male-fire-lightning with female-water-ocean in the
heart chakra (Anahola). In fact, the connection to the male-female union
carries over also in the "Sri Yantra" symbol of many triangles
intersecting heaven and earth.
GREEK: (Pythagorean system)
Aphrodite (Goddess of Love) - the union of 2 and 3
METAPHYSICS: The symbol of the Order of the Golden Dawn
William Shernoff
Dear Frank,
The hexagram of Solomon is an ancient symbol sometimes called the "Star
of David".
It is a protective talisman made to ward off negative or evil influences
and to aid in attaining perfection in deeds.
Anne Reid
Dear Frank,
Following WW I the sword was redesigned by Quartermaster General C. L.
McCawley USMC. This is when the current etch was added. In 2002 I had some
correspondence with Mr. Phil Melling of Wilkinson-Sword, He informed me that
the mark was not a Star of David but the Armourers Triangles. Also that if you
look at the mark inside of it is a circle with a smaller star and the word
PROVED. This is all I have on it.
Ron Braehler
Dear Frank,
The star was mentioned and condemned by the God of Israel in Amos 5:26 and it
was called by Him, `the star of your god, Moloch' or otherwise called `Chiun'.
Reference to Amos 5:26 and the Israelites having it in the wilderness was also
made in Acts 7:43. Here it was called the Star of Remphan. All these names
refer to the `god' Saturn.
The foregoing verifies that it was therefore in existence long before the
time of Solomon. He took this symbol upon himself when he went into idolatry,
and it became known as the `Seal of Solomon' in Arabic magic and witchcraft.
Richard Adams
Dear Frank,
Found this on the below listed site:
http://www.mca-marines.org/Leatherneck/faq.htm#Top
What is the significance of the star on the upper blade of the officer's
and non-commissoned officer's swords?
According to historian Ken Smith-Christmas, a curator at the Marine Corps
Air-Ground Museum, Quantico,Va., the six-pointed star on the swords was
originally a guild proof called the "Star of Damascus," an Eastern
mark of distinction found on swords of high-quality workmanship. Over the
years, the marking disappeared on blades. Museum correspondence with sword
makers such as Wilkinson and N. S. Meyers indicates manufacturers, primarily
British, have reintroduced that marking on swords.
Not the final answer but a start.
Rich Van Damme
Major, USMC (Ret)
So as you can see we have quite a few options to deal with here. We thought
we knew most of the visitors to the web site but this one really shocked us.
It seems it came up on a hit from Yahoo.com and Google.com about the Star of
David written into the page. Surfers who have never been here before and
actually have no interest in knives, bayonets or swords jumped right into the
quest to find a reason or at least point the way to other opinions. We even
received a few from the anti-semite crowd that we will not go into here,
suffice to say they were rather vulgar. A huge thanks to all those who offered
opinions and links to other pages. We still haven’t run this one to ground
but we are on the right track. It just may prove to be that a sword used for
the pattern had this marking on it and ever since it has been included, there
may not be a reason for it. Just one of the "we always did it that
way" answers, not quite to our liking but it is still an answer.
Camillus Commemorative Knives
A couple of 2-1984 dated Jet Pilot knives were recently found and our good
friend Tom Williams was contacted to sort it out. The knives were of the slab
side design and etched with various scenes, one a B-52, one a Huey UH-1D among
others. Tom responded that the knives were made for a company called Westwind
productions. The knife was our model #5733 Pilot Survival knife with a
polished blade and Parkerized guard and butt. The blade etching was done by
Adrian Harris and if my memory is correct there were seven models of Viet Nam
era aircraft. As always, Thanks Tom!
Quote
…The cavalryman wants a good horse, a good rifle, a good
revolving pistol, and a knife. I adhere to the opinion stated in my letter of
January 30, 1878 and recommend that the saber be abolished.
Chief of Ordnance, Brig. Gen. S.V. Benet
Letter to Board on Army Equipments Convened December 16, 1878
Awards Department
Below is a request for proposal issued by the U.S. Navy for incentive items
to be given away as awards. We clipped out all the non-knife related items
they were looking for.
Would this make them official US military knives?
Department of the Navy, Naval Supply Systems Command, FISC PUGET SOUND, 467
W STREET, BREMERTON, WA, 98314-5000
SOL # N00406-04-T-0039
The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, Puget Sound, requires various brand
name or equal trophy-like items for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Employee
Performance Incentive Awards Program.
300 ea Buck 110 knife
350 ea Leatherman stainless steel 12 tools in one tool
200 ea Victorinox Swiss Army knives
125 ea small stainless steel buck knife
If You Ever Wanted a Kukri…
Now is the time to buy one if you are looking for an official Gurkha
military issue Kukri from Nepal. The deal finally went down, it was years in
the making. The Kingdom of Nepal sold off all the arms from the ancient armory
known as the Palace of Lagan Silekhana. Many if not most of the weapons have
never been touched in over 100 years. The Royal Nepalese Army has used British
weapons since the end of hostilities with Great Britain in 1815. This weapons
cache is a wonderful find to the collector of British weapons, including
rifles, bayonets and swords. The edged weapons such as the Kukri are being
sold by Atlanta Cutlery, www.atlantacutlery.com
right now. Don’t expect a museum piece, these were all issued and used
weapons left in storage for many years. Of the examples we have seen there is
a lot of gunk and storage marks. Still with all that these are the times to
buy Kukris if you ever wanted one. They have several models to choose from and
coverage of different eras. IMA, www.ima.usa.com
is the company with the rifles and other weapons. Many bayonets were uncovered
and are available from them. A great time to buy British weapons. Many Kukris
were used in the CBI theatre by U.S. military forces during World War Two. A
look over some photos of Merrill’s Marauders will show the knife in the
belts of several US soldiers. Now here is a piece of information usually over
looked with any write up on a Kukri, to two utility blades. What are they and
what are they for you ask… The Chak-mak (blunt tool ) is used as a flint
tool in fire making and a sharpener for the blade. Using the Chak-mak against
the edge of the Kukri to and fro in long parallel motions does the traditional
method of sharpening a Kukri. The other knife accompanying Chak-mak is the
Karda that is used for skinning and all around utility purposes. It is a well
thought out tool that was made into a weapon by reasons of necessity, a
well-respected weapon we should add.
Quote
If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use
more strength...
Ecc 10:10
We think that is the first ax quote we have ever used!
More on the Riser Cutters
The fixed blade, Cutter, Pocket goes back to 1960 from some examples we
have seen stamped in ink. Both the green and the orange examples we have are
stamped with the same Part Number, 60C6037, with the first two digits being
the year of the drawing for that part. This example is 1960. The earliest
models are date stamped and are all green, at least in our collection. The
orange came in much later The latest date stamp we have is 1992 which is
orange. All of these lace onto the parachute harness attached directly to the
risers next to the jumpers hands for easy reach.
When we wrote the article on the MC-1 several years ago we called the hook
blade cutter end a "shroud" cutter as do most collectors. We were
severely reprimanded in a letter from a 20 year veteran jumpmaster who told us
"shrouds cover dead bodies. Risers connect to canopies and these knives
are meant to cut either, but the cutting is to be done by a living person, not
a corpse covered by a shroud." From that point on we do not use the
collector term of shroud cutter.
The MC-1 is still supplied to aircrews and is still purchased by the
government with Camillus being the current supplier. Two very different
knives, with the MC-1 being able to accomplish two demanding jobs while the
riser cutter is only meant to be used once the parachute is deployed. In fact
it can not be handled unless the parachute is open, it is packed inside the
chute package. The MC-1 was originally designed to be worn in a pocket on the
inside of the thigh sewn into the flight suit. The hook blade was to be open
and a lanyard is attached to the bail for easy extraction from the pocket. The
switch blade, although having a "cool" factor was designed for one
purpose, to easily open in the cramped confines of a cockpit when almost no
movement could be made. It is for an emergency when the pilot’s air
floatation device misfires and inflates while still flying. The hand is
naturally on the stick, next to the inner thigh. He can then pull on the
lanyard to extract the knife from the pocket and push the button and stick the
inflated "Mae West" to release the air and regain control of the
aircraft. That is the only reason it is a switchblade. The scenario of hanging
in a tree with one arm broken was not contemplated during the original trials
for the knives. It is something that became urban legend over the years.
Well anyway both types are still in production and may be found at many
shows if you look keenly for them. Both are still pretty cheap when found,
even in excellent condition. We are working closely on a full-blown article on
these for Knife World in the very near future. Will up date you when it
happens.
Clyde Cutlery
We received this from our good friend Carter Rila. Carter is the king of
machetes and working tools, the knowledge he has gained from years of research
is amazing.
Clyde Cutlery was sold in June of 1970 to the Shelby-Clyde Corporation,
Shelby, Ohio. The fire occurred in July of 1970. Production did resume after
the fire. The work largely involved finishing orders already received and
working with materials salvaged from the blaze. Later in the year assets were
sold to the Shelby Corporation and operations moved to Shelby.
Of course we all know of the Clyde machetes and kitchen knives, this is
what became of the grand old company.
Quote
When the Feddle Gummint wants money, it makes things up—the Maine, the Gulf
of Tonkin, nerve gas, Mars, the universe. It always works.
Fred Reed 1/04
ROSCO
For a few years we have searched for the source of the k-bar like knives
marked ROSCO on the ricasso. Well our good friend Bernard Levine turned up the
answer. Bernard answered the question in his WHUT IZZIT column in the January
2002 issue of Knife World. We only write it up now as we just received a
request for identification on a knife marked ROSCO. Seems other folks might
also like to know.
'Mr. Steve M. Kessler of California has identified ROSCO. In the early
1950s, Mr. Kessler was a salesman for Winfield Arms Corporation, the
"West's Largest Mail-Order Gun House." One of his customers, for
military surplus rifles, ammunition, etc., was a small importer in Los Angeles
called the George Rose Company. Rose's trademark, on knives that he imported,
was ROSCO. Like most of the small-time cutlery importers in that period, ROSCO
was short-lived. The firm was active from 1950 to 1952.'
Thanks Bernard!
A New F/S Knife Turns Up
From our good friend John Fischer we received this note. It is pretty
amazing after all these years when a new item turns up to the collecting
world.
I believe I have made a new discovery of a previously unknown British Army
Inspector.... /I\ A3. He must have not been at it very long before he
left, or retired, was transferred to other duties, or whatever, as I have
never heard of, nor seen this stamp before. I'm very excited as I thought that
there were only five (5) different proof marks on early 3rd Pattern F-S
Stilettos that have the Wilkinson characteristics...small pommel nut with
familiar clamp marks, thick drop forged/hand ground blade, etc. /I\ B2 (or
/I\B..) /I\ 42 /I\ 21 /I\ I /I\ V Or really
on any British Commando Knife, and Commonwealth Knife or Bayonet for that
matter...not just 3rd Pattern F-S Knives. Anyway this is what always keeps
military knife collecting interesting, and never boring. If anyone has seen
this proof mark before, please let us know. Oh...of course you can all see
that the die used and stamping details match other known proof marks, and
there is no doubt in my mind that it is completely authentic, besides it's
really only of interest to advanced F-S Knife collectors anyway and I doubt
the forgers out there would waste their time.
Thanks John, well done!
Click on the thumbnails for the full size photos
Quote
The early bird might get the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese!
Unknown
Mike Silvey Sales List
Mike just published his List # 2 with a lot of great knives for sale. Many
are very rare to encounter on the open market so it should be a list any
active buyer is on the receiving end of. Nice short write ups and photos of
the knives. You can contact Mike at:
m.silvey@comcast.net or by phone at
530-644-4590
Good hunting.
Knife Prices
We recently received a listing of prices on a few military knives recorded
many years ago by our good friend Garry Zalesky. Garry was keeping record of
sale prices and prices on knives in his collection. He recently discovered
some of the old information he had stored away and sent it to us for a good
laugh. Seems military knives have been a rather good investment over the years
in most cases. Some were as expensive back then as they are now. Just like the
stock market…
Oh for those days again! Thanks Garry, that made our day.
A New, New Caledonia Knife
Courtesy of our good friend Doug Bailey we have received photos of a
different style of the rare New Caledonia knife. The knives are all different
to begin with but all seem to follow the same pattern, that is until now. This
knife was made differently them the others but follows in the basic format
with an all steel blade, brass full guard and a antler handle. This example is
also marked differently then example so far seen. It is engraved NOUMEA
NOUVELLE CALEDONIE on the guard. It also has engraved on it a date of 1943.
Just like the F/S knife noted above this one has escaped the collectors for
many years. Thanks Doug!
An Unknown EOD Knife.
Here we feature a previously unknown non-magnetic knife used by the EOD
folks. Well as far as we are concerned it is still an unknown, as now we do
know what it looks like we just don’t know anything about them. The knife is
featured on John Gibson’s and Gary Ruleford’s website for sale. (check it
out if you haven’t already www.militaryfightingknives.com
) The example is in mint condition and still retains the blade and handle
etching. This is the only clue we have to these knives, their makers and
perhaps some history. The company name on the handle is Berylco, this is easy
enough to research with the use of the computer and the internet. We find that
the actual name of the company current is Kawecki Berylco Industries Inc. They
have several plants located around the U.S. The Beryllium Division is located
in Hazleton Pa. The actual name of the knife is Knife, Craftsman’s in the
supply chain. The knives are under the purchasing interest of the U.S. Navy,
Naval Ordnance Systems Command, formerly the Bureau of Naval Weapons located
in Washington, D.C. The knife carries the requirement statement of "
Non-Magnetic and Non- Sparking" along with a style designator of
"AL32 Curved Point." The NSN for these knives are 1386-00-832-4175.
The CAGE code for the Hazleton Division is 9B115 but we do not know if this is
the point at which they are purchased, it may be from another division of
Kawecki Berylco. It seems that each plant and division has their own CAGE code
which makes the point of origin hard to pin point, we choose the Beryllium
plant as an example and the most likely. For the services wishing to order
such a knife the supply is listed with the Navy and orders for knives are to
go through them. This is perhaps a stocking feature of the Navy which carries
them in one of the Defense Warehouses. We also found that the knife is listed
for procurement by the Army, Air Force and Marines. That would mean all the
services are qualified to purchase this item if the need arises. The knife is
listed as a single item so no scabbard is assigned to it, what they carry it
in is a mystery. It is also listed as a disposable item not to be repaired if
damaged. With the danger in grinding or welding Beryllium it is a sound
practice. The dust given off in the grinding process is dangerous to the lungs
if inhaled. Two part numbers are listed for this knife in the Defense
Logistics Agency, why we do not know but it has two. The first is 1286848 and
the latter is 2113228. Well that is what we found so far, if anyone can add to
this please let us know. What we would really like to know is what do the use
it for? Are the non-magnetic properties important or are the non-sparking
properties the reason for its existence. Perhaps it is a new powder knife for
use on the old style big guns? So far it is still a guess, at least to us.
Updated 3/1/04
Red Cross Knives Revisited
In our January update we discussed the folding pocket tools the Red Cross has included in packages to our troops supporting the War on Global Terrorism. One of our ever astute field observers and good friend Major John C. Jacobi proceeded on a mission to find one for closer observation. John is stationed over in the land of the big desert with the 2nd Battlefield Control Detachment of the United States Army. After a few e-mails between us, Major Jacobi finally procured an example of the noted specimen. The following is a letter sent to us with the item for further research.
SWORN STATEMENT
13 Feb 04
After having seen information on Frank Trzaska’s website about the American Red Cross sending tool-kit knives to deployed soldiers in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operations in the Horn of Africa, I called the Red Cross Coordinator, Mrs. Brenda Hindman at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Mrs. Hindman stated she received a shipment of over 200 of the tool-kit knives in November 2003, and sent them to First Sergeant of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Camp Andy, Al Udeid Qatar.
Senior Airman Matthew Carlson of the 379EAMXS/391AMU provided this example for edged weapon researchers, it was then sent to Mr. Frank Trzaska. It is reported that the tool-kit came with a key chain ring and black Velcro pouch. The Airmen however upon receipt of these tool-kits would remove the chain and discard the pouch.
The interesting feature of this tool-kit knife is that it incorporates a miniature LED flashlight in addition to the pliers, serrated edge blade, Phillips head blade, bottle opener blade/flat tip screwdriver and normal knife blade.
The LED light is very bright and assists in no light conditions.
John C. Jacobi
Major
2nd Battlefield Control Detachment
United States Army Reserve
Al Udeid Air Base Qatar
The multi-tool is completely unmarked. In it’s folded state it measures in at 2 5/8 inches long by 1 3/16 inches at it’s widest point. Very Compact unit when folded. Open with the pliers folded out it runs to 4 1/8 inches and with the longest tool open it stretches out to 5 ¾ inches. The LED flashlight is powered by 4 AG3 button cell batteries and provides a very powerful blue light. It has a machined aluminum body with the typical screw type on / off switch. The unit is waterproof with a rubber o-ring in the top to seal the battery compartment. The life expectancy of LED bulbs is very long, thousands of hours, while they are also impervious to most shock and vibration situations they can be broken, just not easily. The tool blades consist of a clip point blade which is very sharp right from the factory. A cutout in the tool handle aligns with the nail nick in the blade for easy opening. The next tool in line is the Phillips head screwdriver. Typical stamped blade with the end tapering down to the rounded head in with the screwdriver tip is machined. Our next blade is a straight blade screwdriver tip with a cut in bottle-cap opener. Straight blade screwdrivers are always handy to have for picking or prying as well as the traditional function. The bottle-cap opener would certainly come in handy when a few bottles of good beer are passed around. In times like these the man with the cap opener is a very good friend indeed. And last but not least we have the fourth and final blade, a full serrated cutting edge. Not really a saw but more of a rope or fabric cutting blade. This blade being at the opposite side of the first blade also possesses a nail nick and a cut out in the frame to access it. The pliers are of a needle nose design with serrated teeth in a pipe gripping curved center. The rear of the jaws contain a wire cutter for small gage soft wire like commo cord and such. They are also spring loaded to remain in the open position, a great feature when trying to use only one hand. All in all a very compact tool that is more then capable of light chores around a base when a handy tool will save the walk for the proper one or in those instances where it may be the only tool available.
As for the absence of markings on the tool it leaves us wondering, who makes them and where are they being made? As the box was not enclosed with the package it yielded no clues to the original manufacturer. As this specimen was only received two days before this was posted we have not had time to dig into it yet, but we will. Further exploration is intended and the results will be provided as they are found.
All blades and features shown above. As a size comparison we have placed
it against a nickel and an issue Gerber multi-tool. The last photo shows the
Red Cross tool along side the rare Desert Tan Bayonet Collectors Network
patch, thanks Major!
Quote
The Secretary of War directs that the new weapon…approved as a “Cavalry Sword, Model 1913,” be known as the “Cavalry Saber, Model 1913.”
Chief of Ordnance
April 15, 1914
"Geezers" are easy to spot:
At sporting events, during the playing of the National Anthem, Old Geezers hold
their caps over their hearts and sing without embarrassment. They know the words and
believe in them. Old Geezers remember World War I, the Depression, World War II, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Normandy
and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age,
the Korean War, The Cold War, the Jet Age and the Moon Landing, not to mention Vietnam.
If you bump into an Old Geezer on the sidewalk, he will apologize. If you pass an Old Geezer
on the street, he will nod or tip his cap to a lady. Old Geezers trust strangers and are
courtly to women. Old Geezers hold the door for the next person and always, when walking,
make certain the lady is on the inside for protection.
Old Geezers get embarrassed if someone curses in front of women and children and they don't like
any filth on TV or in movies. Old Geezers have moral courage. They seldom brag unless it's
about their grandchildren.
It's the Old Geezers who know our great country is protected, not by politicians or police, but by
the young men and women in the military serving their country.
This country needs Old Geezers with their decent values. We need them now more than ever.
Thank God for Old Geezers!
The Border
For those of you who remember we wrote an article for Knife World back in October 2002 about the then unknown to the collecting world continued service of the Case V-42. We have continued correspondence with one of the veterans of that group, the VII Corps LRRP Co.
(ABN), Theo Knaak. Theo has been kind enough to forward to us memories and stories of the V-42 and it’s use in 1962 along the East German border when ever the topic is spoken of by the group. The following is one of the stories forwarded to us recently along with a photo of the V-42 in service along the border with fellow LRRP Patty Smith. What great guys!
I copied E-mail from Bob Murphy a little while back about pulling time on the border.
I went up to the boarder two times. The first time was on the East German border I think.
My team was assigned a watchtower to observe the bad guys that were out there somewhere. Boring. I can’t remember anything that is harder on ones morale then to keep him caged up in a 12x12 foot room with little more to stimulate his medieval mind then watching snow fall off branches.
This could only go on for so long until one of us said, Saddle up.
I don’t know if it was my idea or my partner in crime, the one and only Joe Chetwynd’s idea. Anyway we decided it was time for a small recon patrol, after all that is what we do, isn’t it?
We put on our whites; V-42’s M-14 loaded, and a few cans of c rats and down a well-used trail we went. It only took us about a half an hour of good walking when we heard the first sound that seemed out of place. We did like we were taught in grade school. You remember, Drop and Cover. After listening for about 10 minutes we still could not determine what the sound was so we decided to investigate just a little. We knew we were within meters of the border but didn’t know on which side we were as the trail has moved around quite a bit. As we approached the sound. It sounded like people were being hurt; We could here someone yelling as loud as he could; Then the yell was followed by loud cracking sounds; We finally arrived on the scene of an old man with a stubborn horse trying to pull a log back to his house. Not being detected we retraced our steps back to the trail that we were calling the autobahn by this time.
After having a good belly laugh, we continued on down the trail Joe in the lead. Joe was first to see a patrol of two East German soldiers with one of the biggest German Shepard’s and two of the biggest SKS rifles I have ever seen. We came to a screeching halt. Now we were really concerned about our location. We were still undetected and we had to choose what we wanted to do. Fish or cut bait. Setting in the snow for a few minutes Joe asks me, do you think they would have a light? I said Joe, I didn’t think this was a good time for a cigarette. He says and why not; Jumps up and starts strolling to the German Patrol saying Haven Zie Fire
Bitte? Now the dog is mad and jumping at his chain The German wont give Joe a light and they are speaking to each other really fast. Joe is calling them bad names because they won’t give him a light. At this time they didn’t know that I was around. I didn’t like the way they were talking to themselves. I really didn’t want to see anyone get hurt so I stood up and yelled at Joe.
Hey Joe maybe I should Kill his F... Dog. At the sound of my voice the dog went crazy the Germans changed their attitude and started on down the trail in front of us. I caught up with Joe.
What should we do now Joe? There was still daylight and we didn’t want to go back to the little tower yet. So we got off the trail, ate a can of ham and lima beans, cold of course. Then we went back to the dam tower and suffered all night. I think it was from the lima beans.
McNasty
A photo of Patty Smith along the East German border with M14, V-42 and
snow camo whites. On either side are V-42's from that 1962 issue brought home
by the LRRP's.
Quotes
Elitism is simply the idea that the better is preferable to the worse. Why anyone with good sense would be against it escapes me.
Fred Reed 01/04
Another Taylor Huff Knife
A few months back we featured a knife made by Taylor Huff during World War Two. That knife was unlike the other known versions in that it didn’t have the famous knuckle bow on the handle. Well our good friend John Gibson had turned up yet another example of Mr. Huff’s
handi-work. Just thinking out loud here, Taylor Huff tried several different designs before he settled on the knuckle knife design that he had patented. These knives are most likely pre knuckle handle knives, pieces made in the experimenting days. We sure wish a bit more information would surface on Mr. Huff but when we were researching the article for Knife World all options then known were explored. Since that time nothing else has surfaced about the man but we have indeed been treated to a few more knife designs created by him. A Taylor Huff knuckle knife can bring in major money these days, the knives without the knuckle bow are even rarer then them. Lucky indeed is the collector who ends up with one of these knives.
The traditional double edged dagger blade is used on this example as is the
sweeping "S" guard featured on the other known examples. Using this
as a guide Mr. Huff did follow somewhat of a pattern in his
experimentation.
John Gibson is offering his for sale on his GREAT web page,
www.militaryfightingknives.com
Along with the Huff knife, John and Gary Ruleford always turn up some very nice military knives for sale and always at a fair price. Thanks for sharing it with us John!
The third non-knuckle Taylor Huff knife we have observed. A rare specimen
to say the least!
Another Knuckle Knife
Here is one we had not seen before, a knuckle bow made for a bayonet. Well you say you have seen that before but this one is a bit different, the
bayonet need not be altered. A knuckle bow was made to fit into the bayonet mounting hardware allowing it to be taken off when the bayonet was needed for the end of the rifle and inserted when used as a trench knife. Pretty slick little device and well made from the looks of it. The photos were submitted to us by Peter Hagen, who is also the owner of the piece. Pete tells us that the lug mounted on the handle grip is actually a piece from the rifle, machined to fit the guard and permanently installed there. The knuckle spikes were machined from steel and inserted into the steel guard strap. It is a simple slip fit and a press of the release button on the bayonet removes the guard. The bayonet itself is a M1888 British piece with the double edged blade but it would work easily with just about any other type of bayonet using a muzzle ring and mounting lug set-up. Very cool, thanks Pete!
What a great and practical setup for a knuckle knife!
Need Sheaths…
While checking the government website for any edged weapon activity we ran across a pre-solicitation posted on 1/28/04 looking for a bid on machete sheaths. The quantity requested was 8,000 to fit the standard 18 inch M1942 type machete. That is a whole lot of machete sheaths. A real lot when you figure we are fighting in the desert on several fronts right now. When we learn more it will be posted here.
More on Randalls
We eagerly await Bob Hunt’s new book on Randall Made Knives, “Randall Military Models.” It is a follow up to the first book by Bob, Randall Fighting Knives in Wartime. The first book was a winner and the second promises more of the same. It will have full color pictures like the previous book with coverage on an extended basis. The new book promises 150 full color Randall Made knives many before never photographed. A new section to be added is the “Carried pieces” which we look forward to seeing. Pre-publication ordering at a 20% discount can be had through March 15th directly from Turner Publishing. 1-800-788-3350 or on the web at
www.turnerpublishing.com
We wish Bob Hunt the best of luck in this endeavor, it will be a welcome addition.
Updated 4/4/04
Quote
Arms, women and books need to be looked at every day.
Dutch Proverb
More on the Red Cross Knives
Our good friend Ron Braehler spotted in Brigade Quartermasters
catalog #86c, Pg.131 the same pattern item. They list an almost identical tool
as Dakota [trademark] micro tool with led light for $18.99, Catalog # DTT39.
So we sent for a few of them for comparison. There is no doubt these items
were made by the same company. The Dakota items is unmarked like the one sent
to us from overseas but the new item contains a small sticker inside the
handle which reads "Made in China" and this is enough to beat the
importation laws on marking cutlery. There is one significant difference in
the tool, the flashlight lens is constructed in an entirely different manner.
You can note from the side by side photos this difference. We point this out
as a way of telling the difference in a Red Cross supplied knife from one
purchased commercially. Perhaps the RC knife is an earlier model of the same
item, we do not know and will not speculate on it at this time. We are still
trying to gather information on them to put it all together. The current item
is imported by the Dakota Watch Co. but so far little information on the
actual manufacturer is known.
In another front we also received from Major Jacobi the black nylon pouch
the toll was originally supplied with. It has a Velcro tab to close the cover
and a small sewn on loop in the back for hooking to a belt. It would have to
be a very small belt as the opening is one an inch and a half total. Most
likely it would be affixed to the many MOLLE straps on todays gear, not worn
on the belt.
Again we would like to thank all those involved with helping us gather all
the info on these items so far. We still have a lot further to go to know the
whole story but we are certainly on the right track to uncover it. Stay tuned
for further updates on the new tools and if you have any additional
information on these please let us know.
Another Cole Knuckle Knife
We have recently been contacted on a strange knife discovered in
the effects of a young man that was killed during the Korean War. Once
described it had to be a Cole knuckle knife. We relayed the information only
to find out the man who now owns the knife lives in Birmingham Al, Mr. Coles
home town. Perhaps the two knew each other or had crossed paths at one time.
The current owner took the knife to a gun show to try and find out anything
about it. One dealer offered him $500.00 for it but it wasn’t for sale, the
man wanted information on it but did not receive anything there. You see the
knife is currently owned by the original owners nephew who treasures the knife
for the intrinsic value on it, not it’s monetary worth. We humans are a
strange lot, we place value on emotions that outweigh the common sense aspect.
After all it is only a knife, the value is increased by who made it, not
whether it actually works better. And it is a good thing we do, many of our
most treasured objects would be lost if we lacked this emotional tie. So here
we present a Cole Knuckle knife still in the family passed down a generation
and we hope it is passed along again and again for some time to come.
Quote
I would dispense with the present cartridge-box, belts, and sabers
… with breech loading arms, the ‘bold sabreur’ must disappear … Even a
charge, when possible, will do more execution by the momentum of the horse and
the use of the revolver than with the saber.
General of the Army, William T. Sherman
The Road So Far
It takes money to buy a classic old knife, many of them take quite
a bit of money. It seems to me that the actual purchase of the object is only
part of the experience. The hunt for the specimen is in itself a valuable
experience. While it is not a tangible asset it is a memory, thoughts of
voyages made long ago can be just as satisfying. Friends and acquaintances
made along the road will long outlast the thrill of the purchase. As we are an
aspiring "Dead White Male" the interactions observed at many a gun
show play out this scene over and over again. We don’t consider ourselves as
a journalist in the contemporary sense of the word, more like an old time
scribe adding to the journal with observations. We are not a journalist
reporting the news, we simply comment on it. And yes, we misspell words and
use improper grammar. We will be the first to say that we don’t have much in
the way of higher education, we never went to college, never wanted to. We are
not saying higher education is bad, in fact we encourage it, it just wasn’t
for us. We are content in our current role and for those of you who contact us
and comment on spelling or grammar, fire away, we gladly accept all forms of
correction when proven. With all of it’s ups and downs the road has been
great in knife collecting and we look forward to many more years of it and
discoveries along the way. One knife at a time builds even the mightiest of
collections, one knife at a time…
Baltimore Antique Arms Show
We just returned form what we consider the best show in the world
for bayonet collectors. Being the home show for the Society of American
Bayonet Collectors it attracts folks from around the globe all with the common
passion of collecting bayonets. It also brings out the best items for sale one
could imagine. Many items that are virtual one of a kind or so rare as to
never have been shown in books are a common sight at Baltimore. If money were
no object you would need a large truck just to take them all home. We picked
up a few items for our collection and sold a few as well. We also found a few
additional paper items to add to the files for further research. If you have
ever contemplated attending a show on the Mid Atlantic border we can recommend
this one highly, you will not be disappointed with the items for sale or the
friendly faces to share stories with.
Double Stamped Ka-Bar
We recently added a 1219C2 to the collection we have not observed
before, that is saying a lot as we have been looking at these knives quite
closely for over 30 years. This one happens to have a manufacturing flaw of
being double stamped on the same side. The USMC stamp is placed over the Kabar
/ Olean, NY stamping. The Kabar name stamping is in the right location, the
USMC is the misplaced stamp. The knife itself is in very good condition having
been used it is not mint but has never been machine sharpened. The butt has
been modified in a way we have also never observed. A hole was drilled down
through the butt and into about a inch of the leather washers. A large cotter
pin was inserted through the hole to make a lanyard or thong loop. A very
simple yet effective modification of the knife. It would have been easier to
just drill the hole in the pommel and through the leather on an angle but this
worked for the owner. It does prevent the pommel from being used as a hammer
unless you have a very good aim so it does take away from the utility purposes
of the knife as a tool for purposes other then cutting. This knife is an early
version having the thin leather washer handle with a thick pommel peened on a
round tang. Along with the dual, or should we say almost dual sided marking it
would place this knife in the early to mid 1943 range as far as production
goes. Neither the scabbard nor the knife have any ownership markings on them
as to who the owner was, although it has been well taken care of as there is
not a spot of rust on the piece. Even the staples in the scabbard body are
still clean and bright. It just goes to show you that new items pop up all the
time, just when we thought we had them all another variation comes along to
look for. Does it ever end… we certainly hope not!
Quote on Bayonets
If your close enough to stick ‘em, your close enough to shoot
‘em.
Willie and Joe the movie via Bill Mauldin
Gerber Mark II
We recently received in the mail from our friend George Dillman a
copy of the original booklet included with every Gerber Mark II knife. George
received this knife in June 1971 prior to his shipping overseas. The booklet
is dated 10/70 and does not have information on the serrated blades. The knife
George has that was included with this paperwork is serrated. At this point in
the brochure it wasn’t even an option they included. The serial number of
the knife George has is 020937 so it must be one of the first to have the
serrations. Thanks George for the copy of this booklet and the information on
your knife!
An Experimental M1918 Mk1 ??
In a recent exchange of e-mails and phone calls with Kevin Gauthier
we may have stumbled onto a very exciting knife. At first glance it appears to
be a typical Model of 1918 Mk 1 knuckle knife. A closer examination reveals
some interesting differences, The knife is of the LF&C design in every
aspect except it doesn’t have the LF&C 1918 small casting under the US
1918 in the handle. Close study shows it never did have the writing cast into
the handle, not that it has been filed in over time. The LF&C it does have
in it is hand stamped as can be seen by the uneven and off center placement.
On the reverse of the handle in the same stamping font is HQ 155 MG again hand
stamped. The blade is typical of the LF&C made knives showing the same
ricasso design they have as typical. Overall other then the markings this is a
typical LF&C made M1918 MK1.
Next we come to the scabbard, unusual but just another home made item?
Looking closely at it we find it is extremely well made, as if factory made.
The scabbard body is a pressed steel much like the Krag bayonet scabbard but
with a different body taper and ball end. The throat is combined with the
upper frog on a swivel just like the Krag piece. The frog itself is made from
the same pancake flipper or spatula if you will as the OSS scabbard. The
cutout for the rubber o-ring is missing as it would serve no purpose on this
model knife. The frog is attached via two large rivets through the spatula to
a steel hangar clipped to the scabbard body swivel. As we stated a very well
made piece, much more then a common backyard engineering project. There is
also a stamping on the frog, the marking is EXP 4-43 again hand stamped. So
what do you suppose we have here? By April 1943 the US was producing the M3
for the Army but thought was earlier to reproduce the M1918 MK 1 or actually
put it back into production again. The idea was nixed as the amount of brass
it used was not good for the war effort, the brass was needed for other items.
Was this an attempt by LF&C to sell the knives commercially or perhaps
submitted to the government as a knife to re-standardize with an updated
scabbard made partially like two previously adopted scabbards. Perhaps the
scabbard is the only experimental part of the duo, made to fit the 139,000
M1918 Mk1 knives then in the hands of the military. The earlier tin scabbard
of the WW I design was certainly dated and hard to use, this would eliminate
that problem and hold the knives in place very well. We just don’t have an
answer on this one, perhaps you do? We would love to hear some opinions on
this subject, anyone???
USMC = United Shoe Machinery Company
Every so often an odd implement turns up with USMC stamped on it
and a question arises, just what is it. Many of the tools are very old and
look to be of very good quality. This is a question that often repeats itself
as the USMC logo is fairly well known even in other countries. The Marines
have a solid lock on the famous initials but they are not the only ones with
them. The United Shoe Machinery Company also uses the USMC letters in their
company logo. Albeit a stylized version it is often mistaken for the Marine
Corps. Pictured below are two tools that have been mistaken for Marine Corps
items, they are leather worker and shoe repair items. Founded in 1899 by a
merger of the supposedly non-competing Goodyear Machinery Company,
Consolidated Hand Lasting Machine Company, and McKay Shoe Machinery Company,
United Shoe Machinery Company, as it was then known, revolutionized shoe
equipment manufacturing and the shoe industry itself. Its establishment of an
international division made it one of the first three international companies
ever formed, and it became a worldwide powerhouse as affiliated companies were
set up in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, South America, and Asia
by 1905. The new company became United Shoe Machinery Corporation on May 1,
1905. The company held a monopoly on shoe making equipment through various
patents that allowed the company to lease the equipment and receive
compensation as a royalty on the number of shoes made. It became a blue chip
company to invest in. They built the first Boston skyscraper and leased the
smallest of hand tools, the items we run into now and again. The Cummings
Historical Society has purchased some of the property of USMC and returned it
to it’s former state. The machinery on display has the stylized logo as
proof of the ownership by USMC. So here we have it, not United States Marine
Corps equipment, United Shoe Machinery Company items.
05 / 2004
We are a little short and a little late this month, maybe it is just the nice
weather...
Quote:
[Letter from Geo. McClellan, Capt. 1st Cav., to Jefferson
Davis, Secretary of War, Oct. 3, 1856,]
I would like to call the attention of the Secretary to the sabres
furnished to our Cavalry; they are not what they ought to be…Ours are too
heavy and badly balanced So bad are they that many of our Cavalry officers are
disposed to regard the sabre as an useless weapon…A wooden, leather, or
gutta percha scabbard would also present great advantages—as being much
lighter than the steel one, allowing the sabre to be kept sharp (and if dull
it is of but little more service than a broom handle), and preventing, to a
very great degree, the noise attendant upon the movements of cavalry.
U.S. Military Knives, Bayonets and Machetes
This month we have included a quick list of US Military Knives, Bayonets
and Machetes to the mix. This is a list we started on a few weeks ago and have
added to it from the opinions of a few good friends. Some are obvious
to the list and others look out of place. We hope to add to this list over time
to keep a database of models and manufacturers that is easy to access. If you
see something of if you don't see something here please let us know so it can
be added. After this month it will have it's own page that can be easily
connected to for future reference. We really hope to expand the list over time
to add all manufacturers and variations that are known as well as unknowns. So
we ask again, if you see something missing please contact us so we can add to
the list.
Knives
Naval Dirks
Hicks Knife
1849 Riflemans Knife
Ames
D Guard Bowies
Model of 1880 Hunting Knife
Springfield Armory
Iron Guard
Brass Guard
Model of 1890 Intrenching Knife
Springfield Armory
Model of 1887 Hospital Corps Knife
Springfield Armory
Model of 1905 Hospital Corps Knife
Springfield Armory
Model of 1909 Bolo Knife
Collins & Co.
Fayette R. Plumb
Springfield Armory
Model of 1910 Bolo Knife
Springfield Armory
Model of 1917 Bolo Knife
Fayette R. Plumb
Model of 1917 C.T. Bolo Knife
American Cutlery Co.
Fayette R. Plumb
Model of 1917 Trench Knife
American Cutlery Co.
Henry Disston & Sons
Oneida Community Ltd.
Model of 1918 Trench Knife
Landers, Frary & Clark
7 point
8 point
Model of 1918 Mk1 Trench Knife
AuLion (France)
Henry Disston & Sons
Landers, Frary & Clark
Oneida Community Ltd
A.A. Simmons & Sons
U.S.N. Mk5 Deep Divers Knife
Batteryless Telephone Equipment Co.
Bomar
Craftsweld
John Date
DESCO
Fischer Spring Works
Morse
A.Schrader & Son
Union Cutlery Co.
Vince
Wenoka
U.S.M.C. Hospital Corpsman Knife
Briddell
Chatillion
Clyde Cutlery Co.
Fayette R. Plumb
Village Blacksmith
Fairbairn / Sykes
J. Clarke & Sons
William Rodgers
Wilkinson Sword
Geo, Wostenholm & Son
O.S.S. Stiletto
Landers, Frary & Clark
U.S.M.C. Raider Stiletto
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Camillus Air Corps Knife
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Curved stamping
Straight line stamping
Case V-42 Stiletto
W.R. Case & Sons
Western Parachutist Knife
Western States Cutlery Co.
Western "Shark" Knife
Western States Cutlery Co.
Western G46-8
Western States Cutlery Co.
Western L-76 Stiletto
Western States Cutlery Co.
Western L-77 Stiletto
Western States Cutlery Co.
U.S.N. Mark 1
Henry Boker & Co.
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Colonial Knife Co.
Geneva Forge Inc.
PAL Blade Co.
Robeson Shuredge
Union Cutlery Co.
Western States Cutlery Co.
U.S.N. Mark 2 / U.S.M.C. 1219C2 Fighting Utility knife
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Conetta
M.S.I.
Ontario Knife Co.
PAL Blade Co.
Robeson Shuredge
Union Cutlery Co.
Utica Cutlery
"Q" Knives
Cattaraugus Cutlery Co.
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery
6 Inch Hunting Knives
Case
Robeson
Queen
Pal
EGW
Ka-Bar
Kinfolks
Milpar
Williams
Case Stiletto
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery
Case "Pigsticker"
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery
M3 TRENCH KNIFE
Aerial Cutlery Manufacturing Co.
Henry Boker & Co.
Camillus Cutlery Co.
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
Imperial Knife Co.
Pal Blade Co.
Kinfolks Inc.
Robeson Shuredge
Utica Cutlery Co.
Parachute Canopy Line Cutters
Schrade Walden
Aerial Machine & Tool
SAC Survival Knife MIL-K-4988
Boker 155
Pilot Survival Knife
Imperial Knife Co.
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Schrade Walden Knife Co.
Jet Pilot Survival Knife
Marbles
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Milpar Col.
Ontario Knife Co.
Utica Cutlery Co.
O.S.S. Smatchet
Imperial Knife Co.
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
O.S.S. Fairsword
O.S.S. Machine Shop
Special Forces "SOG" Knife
Japan Sword
Yogi Shokai (Nichimen Corp sub contracted)
Gerber Mark II
Gerber Legendary Blades
Hackman / Garcia Knife
Hackman
Garcia
U.S.N. Non-Magnetic Knife
Imperial Knife Co.
Alton Iron Works Inc.
Lawndale Forging & Tool Works
Floating Raft Knife
Western States Cutlery Manufacturing Co.
U.S.N. Mark 3 Mod. O
Ontario Knife Co.
Mad Dog Knife
ATAK
Mission Knives
MPK
M11
Lan-Cay Inc.
CQB
Camillus Cutlery Co.
BK2SG
Camillus Cutlery Co.
BK3SG
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Gung Ho 1st Bn. 21st Marines knife
"Aussie" Knives
East Bros
Gold Seal (Scabbards only ?)
Greg Steel
MARS
Marsden
Whittingslowe
"Drop Knives"
Custom Knives
Anaconda Copper
Baker
Barteaux
Baxter
Merrill Brown
M.H. Cole
Delta Knife
E.D.M.F.
Ek
Everitt
Taylor Huff
Kennedy Arms
Kiffe
Marine Recon
Messenger
Moore
Murphy
Nguyen Dan
Nichols
Parsons
Pugh
Randall
Richtig
Rocklin
Ruana
Scagel
E.W. Stone
Warther
Woroneicki
Langbein
Langbein
C. Langbein
Tru-Bal
Bowie
Sword Knives
Knife Crafters
Anderson
San Antonio Iron Works
"Ranger" Knife
Large Brass
Small Brass
C.U.K.
Phrobis
Bayonets
Sockets
Committee of Safety
Brown Bess
M1795
M1798
M1808
M1812
M1814
M1816
M1817
M1819 (Hall)
M1830 Cadet
M1835
M1842
M1838 Jenks Navy
M1840 Musicians
M1841 Mississippi
M1847 Musketoon
M1849 Augustin Jager / Austrian
M1851 Cadet
M1853 Enfield
M1854 Remington
M1854 Austrian Lorenz
M1855/70
M1855
M1855 Cadet
M1858 Cadet
M1861
Fayetteville Armory
Richmond Rifle
M1862 H&P Conversion
M1869/69 Cadet
M1871
M1873
M1873 Cadet
M1882 Lee
Palmetto Armory M1852
M1855 Colt
M1860 Spencer
M1861 Blunt
Hall Confederate Rifle
M1861 P.S. Justice
Greene Breech Loader
M1863 Sharps
M1866 Winchester
M1873 Winchester
Sharps Borchardt Rifle
Moisin-Nagant M1891
M1892 Winchester
M1941 Johnson
Ramrods
M1833 Hall – North
M1834 Hall
M1837 Hall
M1873
M1880
M1882
M1884
M1889
M1891 Bruce Rifle
M1901
M1903
Sword Bayonets
M1841 Mississippi
M1847 Musketoon
M1855
M1855 Colt
M1856 Enfield
M1861 Dahlgren
Boyle Gamble & Macfee
Cook & Brother
Fayetteville Armory
M1862 Remington
M1870 USN
M1853/55 Sharps Carbine
M1860 Sharps
Bown & Tetley
M1860 Henry
M1861 Cosmopolitan
M1861 Leman Rifle
M1861 P.S. Justice
M1861 Schalk
M1861 A. Rein
Georgia State Arsenal
Mendenhall, Jones & Gardner
Tolle & Degenhardt
Schemann Rifle
M1862 Merrill Army
M1862 Merrill Navy
M1863 Spencer Navy
M1863 Sharps & Hankins
M1863 Schreiber
Joslyn
M1866 Winchester
M1871 English Elcho
M1873 Winchester
M1842 Musket
M1862 Joslyn
M1861 Collins
Fencing / Practice
M1858 Fencing
M1906 Fencing
M1909 Fencing
M1912 Fencing
USN Mk1
Intrenching
M1868 Trowel
M1869 Trowel
M1872 Trowel
M1873 Trowel
1865 Trowel
1873 Intrenching
M1874 Sergeants
M1874 Enlisted
1875 Intrenching Knife
Lyford Pattern Intrenching
1878 Intrenching Knife
Knife Bayonets
M1861 Dahlgren
M1889
M1892
M1895 Lee
Winchester
M1896 Cadet
M1899 Savage
M1900 Krag Bowie
M1903 Silencer
M1905
Springfield Armory
Rock Island Arsenal
American Fork & Hoe
Oneida Community Ltd.
Pal Tool & Blade Co.
Union Fork & Hoe
Utica Cutlery Co.
Wilde Tool
Sedgley
M1917
Remington Arms Co.
Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
M1921
M1
American Fork & Hoe
Oneida Community Ltd.
Pal Tool & Blade Co.
Union Fork & Hoe
Utica Cutlery Co.
M4
Aerial Cutlery Co.
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Imperial Knife Co.
Kinfolks Inc.
Pal Blade & Tool Co.
Utica Cutlery Co.
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
M4 Second Generation
Bren-Dan Inc.
Conetta Inc.
Imperial Knife Co.
Turner Mfg. Co.
M5
Aerial
J&D Tool Co.
Imperial Knife Co.
Utica Cutlery Co.
M5A1
Aerial Cutlery Co
J&D Tool Co.
Imperial Knife Co.
Columbus Milpar & Co.
M6
Aerial Cutlery Co.
AN
Columbus Milpar
Imperial Knife Co.
M7
Colt
Bauer Ordnance Corp.
Conetta Inc.
Columbus Milpar
Frazier Mfg. Co.
Imperial Knife Co.
General Cutlery Co.
Ontario Knife Co.
M9
Buck
Lan-Cay
Ontario Knife Co.
Phrobis
Potts
Leech & Rigdon
Ross
M1861 Borun
M1895 Winchester
FN-FAL
Bolo
M1902 Krag
M1905
M1909
M1912
M1915
Machetes
Collins HCM
1862
1875
Collins No. 22
Collins No. 127
Collins No. 37
Collins No. 1005
Collins No. 87
Collins No. 18
Collins No. 157
Collins No. 128
Collins No. 623
Collins No. 85
Collins No. 23
Collins No. 35
Collins No. 460
Collins No. 706
Collins No. 1253
Collins No. 1255
USMC Intrenching Machete
M1939
M1942
USN MK 1
USN MK 2
USN 20" Collins No. 30
USMC Collins No. 191
Folding Machetes
Case V-44
USAF / USAAF Aluminum Handles
Philippine US Spring & Bumper
LINCLOE
SOG
LC-14B
Survival Ax Type IV
Barteaux
Pocket Knives
Jack Knife
Rope Knives
Signal Corps
Doctors Knife
Red Cross Knife
TL-29
Camillus Cutlery Co.
E-Z Opener
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Engineers
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Imperial
MD-USN
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Kutmaster
Wards
USMC 4 Blade
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Imperial
3 Blade Utility
2 Blade Utility
WWII Era Coast Guard Approved Life Boat Knife
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Imperial
Kutmaster
Fish Knife
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Marline Spike
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Mountain
Ulster Knife Co.
Escape Knife
Joseph Rodgers & Sons
Lock Pick Knife
Ulster Knife Co.
M2
Geo Schrade
Schrade Walden
Giant Jack Knife
Colonial Cutlery Co.
United Machine & Tool Co.
MD-USN 3 Blade
Camillus Cutlery Co.
3 Blade Stockman
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Imperial
Kingston
Kutmaster
Ontario Knife Co.
Queen Cutlery Co.
MIL-K
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Imperial
Kingston
Queen Cutlery Co.
Schrade
Stevenson
Ulster
MC-1
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Schrade / Walden
Logan / Smyth
Serpentine Jack (SRU-16/P)
C4 Demolition Knife
Camillus Cutlery Co.
Black Knife
Ox Forge
A-F Combat Folding Knife
Gerber
Benchmade
Multi-tools
Gerber
Kershaw
Leatherman
SOG
Red Cross Knife
United Shoe Machinery Company.
How about this for timeliness, just last month we featured a small write-up
on the other USMC and a few days later we receive the American Rifleman and see
a question about USMC markings in the "Ask the Experts" section. Our
good friend Bruce Canfield explains the "other" USMC markings so we
can see that are not just getting to knife collectors...
Marine M1917? Not!
Q I recently purchased an M1917 Enfield rifle with "U.S.M.C."
markings on the bolt. I was not aware of Marine Corps-marked M1917 rifles and
assume this is a rather rare variant. Can you give me some information on
these U.S. Marine Corps-issue M1917 rifles?
A Actually, you do not have a "Marine Corps-issue" U.S. M1917
rifle. While it is a logical assumption, the "U.S.M.C" marking on
the bolt of your rifle does not signify "U.S. Marine Corps." Rather,
it means "United Shoe Machinery Company." The United Shoe Machinery
Company of Beverly, Mass., manufactured replacement bolts for the M1917 rifle
under government contract during WWII. Many of these bolts were used for
overhaul and replacement purposes. The presence of "U.S.M.C."-marked
bolt is indicative of a M1917 rifle that has been arsenal rebuilt and has no
connection with the U.S. Marine Corps.—Bruce N. Canfield
Thanks Bruce, a great answer to the often asked USMC question.
Code Talkers
Did you know...
A bill has been introduced in the House to present gold medals to the
Meskwaki Code Talkers. The measure recognizes more than two dozen tribal
members for their contributions during World War II.
In January 1941, one year prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 27
Meskwaki enlisted in the U.S. Army. Once the war started, eight of the
American Indians were sent to North Africa, where they directed artillery fire
against German forces in their native tongue.
Indians from 17 other tribes also were code talkers during the war, and
Congress has been rushing of late to honor their accomplishments.
With the World War Two Memorial just getting opened it seems about time to
thank all our folks of that era... just seems too little, too late.
Quote
Under the terrible stresses of war, there are some in every country who commit
atrocities. The difference is that Americans are upset, ashamed, or angry when
their troops do it, while people in some Middle Eastern countries danced in
the streets on 9/11 and when the bodies of dead American civilians were
dragged through the streets in Iraq.
Thomas Sowell
May, 2004
Update June 6, 2004
How can we thank those young men enough? After 60 years the US WW II Memorial
was built in Washington, D.C. to honor this generation. Sadly even many who
survived that day did not live long enough to see it. My father was one on them.
He was a Navy Amphibian, his crew was awarded the Naval Unit Citation that day.
He spoke of the landing to me often but never about what happened later that
day. After the beaching he was assigned to an LST that was used as a hospital
ship to return to England after unloading the war supplies. They made three
crossings of the channel, the last one the ship hit a mine and the stern was
blown off. More friends lost and the ship sunk in shallow water. It was
re-floated and towed back to England to be rebuilt. I think the most profound
memorial of that day lies at the top of the beach, a real place of honor, the
American Military Cemetery, my father thought so too.
Hollow Handled Parsons
Have you ever seen a Parsons Hollow handled knife, we haven’t either…
until now. The photos of this specimen was sent to us by a fellow who saw the
knife on eBay. We couldn’t answer any questions on it for him but instead were
posing a few of our own. Was this knife made by the same Kevin Parsons who made
the knuckle knives in the Vietnam era? We don’t know. The long sweeping clip
point blade resembles the knives made with the knuckle handles. We have not seen
one with any etching on the blade as the one described in the auction was but it
looks like a real quality piece none the less. The seller described it as
"8 1/2 inch clip point blade - 1/4 inch thick at the guard. Blade has most
of the original polish left - with just a few little scratches and couple small
stains. Ricasso is etched: PARSONS (and stamped with the #11.) I believe the
heavy cross guard is nickel silver - and a checkered steel tube forms the handle
(crossguard is welded? or soldered? to the tube handle). The hollow space inside
the tube measures 3 1/2 inches. Heavy threaded steel buttcap with rubber O ring.
Length from guard to end of but cap is about 5 3/8 inches. Heavy duty leather
sheath - unmarked - looks like it has been carried - and is in great shape"
Would love to examine this one up close. Does anyone know of any others out
there in the collecting world? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Quick Fact
Did you know the word sword is used 380 times in the King James version of
the Bible.
Seems some thing never change…
"The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled.
Public debt should be reduced. The arrogance of officials should be tempered and
controlled and assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest we become
bankrupt. The people should be forced to work and not depend on the government
for subsistence."
Cicero, 78 A.D.
The Paratrooper That Never Was
In a recent exchange of mail with Camillus Cutlery Co. Historian Tom Williams
we learned of a prototype knife built by Camillus in 1943 for the Army
Paratroopers but never adopted. The knife was a large folder built along the
lines of the Giant Jack knife. The knife had a large spear point blade and a saw
along with a third blade, a dagger. The knife was built for test purposes but
none remain at the Camillus factory collection for us to observe. All we have
left is the drawing of the knife that Tom has sent to us for display here. The
first drawing is an exploded view of the folder with all the blades extended to
show the features of the knife. The second picture is a scan of the drawing
listed on the back side of the production card showing the back springs of the
knife and the materials used in production. The knife is a very large knife,
over 6 inches in the folded position. The width is 1 and 1/16 inches. The length
of the bolster alone is 7/8 of an inch made from 9 ga. Steel. The length of the
cutting edge of the main spear point blade was 4 and 1/8 inch while the dagger
was 4 and 3/16 of an inch. The main blade was made from 10 ga. steel, the saw
blade was 18 ga. and the dagger was 13 ga. steel. Quite a large and stout
folding knife. The knife was to be made from all steel to save on critical
material such as brass while the handle slabs were to be wood. All the steel was
either blued or Parkerized to provide a dark shine proof finish. In typical
Camillus fashion the cutting blades were to be buffed. Even though a high gloss
finish was not needed this step would not be eliminated nor quality of
workmanship be cut. The finish on the saw blade was a glazed finish along with
the rear or backs of the springs. The dagger blade would be held open via a
locking liner just like the TL-29 or a Giant Jack Knife. Actually it would be
quite an impressive folding knife. What even became of the testing or paperwork
for it is unknown at this time. It is on the list for follow-up for sure, this
is quite a good discovery and we are pleased to cover it here on Knife Knotes.
Thanks to Tom Williams for bringing it to our attention!
Camillus Commercial / Military Knives Today.
As long as we are talking about Camillus and our good friend Tom Williams why
not cover the latest knives from Camillus. Tom sent us the knives in the
unassembled condition so we could photograph them for all to see. We get quite a
few questions on how the knives are made, so a photo being worth a thousand
words it will certainly same us some typing! The items we have are the Jet
Pilots knife, the Mark 2, the M3 Trench Knife, the M4 Bayonet and a 4 blade
MIL-K with both US and Canadian covers. Feast your eyes on the parts below.
Those Multi-tools
We have no doubt at all in our minds what is the most popular knife in the US
military today… the Multi-tool. It seems you can not go anywhere without
seeing this small pouch on a belt. Although the current camo uniform coat covers
the belt line just ask and a quick peek will reveal the pouch. Just last week we
had the good luck to spend some few days with a company of drives and mechanics
from a transportation unit and almost to a man they each wore a Gerber
Multi-tool. The majority carried a small flashlight with the tool via a loop on
the cordura pouch. These tools were in constant use on and off during the day so
we had the chance to observe many on them. From all reports from the field we
receive it is also one of the most asked about items. Those in fighting units
not close to the big PX will trade just about anything for one. And they are not
just belt hangers, many a story has been related to us on what broke and why. In
just about every case it was from abuse by the user but in the end it got the
fellow out of the jam he was in. Lay it down and it will be gone, now that is
quite a compliment to any knife! The majority we have seen are Gerber made but a
close second are the Leatherman products. A few of this and that, here and there
but for the most part those are the big two.
The Second Most Popular
Right after the Multi-tool is still the old leather handled Mark 2. Seeing it
on a belt you can tell what it is from the distinct form of the bottom of the
scabbard sticking out. The government is still ordering them in large numbers
and the provider is still Ontario. What is funny is that they order them while
other branches put them up for sale at the DRMO website. A classic case of the
left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. We just had the chance to
purchase a few that were surplused out from the 3d Marines in Okinawa. Dated on
the packaging, 1986, 87 and 88 they are the exact same item Ontario makes and
sells today. Perhaps they have a shelf life in the current specification? In a
separate purchase we recently picked up a Camillus that was packed in 1987. In
any case we thought it lucky to find a few that were still in the wrap and dated
so we picked them up. To those lucky enough to be issued a knife, primarily
those without a rifle which would get a bayonet, it is the current black knife
and scabbard from Ontario (also see below). To those who have to purchase their
own it is a division along branch lines. The Army men traditionally go for the
all black knife while the enlisted Marines choose the brown leather model with
the EGA imprinted into the scabbard. Not all mind you just from those we have
observed and spoke with. It is easy to understand why. And again we stress, it
is far and away the most common fixed blade knife we see being worn today.
We see this question everyday whether on some forum, through e-mail or snail
mail. In many cases there is very little information along with the question
such as "I have a knife that was my grandfathers he used in the war. How
much is it worth?" Sometimes we have a little more information such as
"he was in the army" or "it is a bayonet that you can hook to a
gun". Any of these questions are impossible to answer. On the really vague
ones they usually don’t even give a name to reply with, no "Dear
Sir" or god forbid a &qu
