Knife Knotes XVIII

 

October 2012

Quote:
"The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes."

Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles

 

Mark 2 Knives Marked PIC

Precise International Corporation  
Founded 1954 in NYC.  
Early brand was logo of a fist holding three arrows, made by Voos, Schlieper, other contractors. Used until c1966.  
Also used PIC with logo of a mountain peak.  
By the 1960s PIC was in Suffern NY.  
Long the US agency for Wenger of Switzerland.  
In the early 2000s Victorinox financed both Wenger and PIC, to keep Wenger out of bankruptcy, did not want to lose SWISS ARMY KNIFE brand, owned jointly with Wenger.  
Victorinox now owns Wenger.  
PIC seems to be gone, but it was still around a couple of years ago. No longer in Suffern, but somewhere near there.

In a nutshell that is about all I know of PIC but the marking does show up from time to time on inexpensive knives and on a very well made Mark2.

 

The Patton Sabre

Often called the Patton Sabre or the Model of 1913 or shortened to M1913 these sabres were made at the Springfield Armory. In the build up to WW I construction was passed to the Landers, Frary & Clark plant. Collectors use the above monikers for the items but in period Ordnance documents they were calling them the Model of 1917 or M1917. The name never stuck in later documents and the sabres were all lumped together into one naming convention. There are slight manufacturing difference in them and often they can be found with LF&C grips on SA blades or vice versa in some way. Parts are interchangeable and often were in armory repairs. In any case there are differences and they did have different names at one time... just some trivia.

 

Should I Sell Dad’s knife?

This is a question I am asked quite often and it is usually more of a moral question than a straight fact type answer. Here is my new standard answer. "Stick it in a nice shadow box with a snapshot of your dad, a Division shoulder patch, and put it in a place where you can see it every day. Having that knife is about your dad, not about having the knife."

 

The M5 Bayonet Controversy 

When the M5 was first approved and adopted the contracts were put out for bidding as any normal contract was. For some reason Aerial did not win and bidding or construction. They complained to a Congressman that it was not fair. Aerial was later awarded a contract to build M5 bayonets as we know from examples found. Who was the Congressman they complained to? The answer is Gerald R. Ford, later President of the United States. Ford wrote a letter in investigate why Aerial was not awarded a contract. He rose to prominence as the ranking minority leader on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee so he was THE guy to look into improper bidding. Try as I might I can not find any further information on this story. I have contacted the Ford library which holds all of Ford papers and they do not have anything on it. Digging through the National Archives I can not find anything on it. It is a mystery to me. I am not saying anything was done wrong or illegally I just would like to follow the path and see where it leads and why Aerial did not get the first contracts? Any thoughts?

 

Researching an Import Marked Knife

The problem for us today is that most such importers lasted only a few months or years (it is a lot easier to buy knives than to sell them -- especially when all your competitors are selling identical knives), and they left little or no record, except for the knives themselves. It is actually much harder to research obscure knife importers of the 1950s than to research Sheffield cutlers of the 1700s. Sometimes we get lucky, and find a catalog, or an ad in the back of an old magazine, or a retailer who once sold those knives.

 

USMC Officers Sword

Today's U.S. Marine Corps officers' Mameluke sword closely resembles those first worn in 1826. A sword of this type was presented to Marine Corps Lt. Presley O'Bannon by the Turkish viceroy, Kurchet Ahmet Pasha, on December 8, 1804, during the First Barbary War, as a gesture of respect. Perhaps due to the Marines' distinguished record during this campaign, including the capture of the Tripolitan city of Derna after a long and dangerous desert march, Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson adopted the Mameluke pattern for the Corps' official dress sword in 1825, with initial distribution in 1826, and except for the period 1859-75 (when Marine officers wore Army M1850 foot officers' swords) a continuing history of use as of 2012. Tradition.

 

What Were They Thinking?

I have often wondered about all the bolos made prior to and during WWI. The bolo is an inherently jungle tool made for slashing and cutting jungle growth. If was thought up, tested, altered and adopted in the Philippine Campaign which makes perfect sense. It was procured by the military for use in the islands during and after the wars there. It was included into the Tables of Organization for those stationed in those climates. All makes perfect sense. Then there was a little war in Europe that we geared up for, the war to end all wars. So what did we do, we went to incredible lengths to up the production of ... bolos. 

Several clean cut definite achievements by district plants are grouped below. Fifty one thousand bolos were made by the American Cutlery Co of Chicago and only three of them were rejected. The tempering of the bolo knives exemplified mastery in an exacting art. One of the tests was to strike a heavy block of wood a sharp blow without cracking the blade which would have been the result if tempering had left it brittle Another test was to cut a ten penny wire nail in two with one stroke without injuring the cutting edge.  

THE ST LOUIS DISTRICT  Bolos 109,744 
THE CHICAGO DISTRICT  Bolos 47,425
THE PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT Bolos 141,300  

In addition to production totals already cited above, district output shows among other figures the following as of November 11 1918 - 62,000 additional bolos produced.  

Again I ask, what were they thinking?

 

FZR Marked Bayonets

Just some FYI to save as I am asked often.

Fraser Manufacturing Corp
Fraser Manufacturing Corp is a private company categorized under Ordnance and Accessories (Unclassified) Manufacturers and located in Lexington, MI. Our records show it was established in 1946* and incorporated in Michigan*. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $10 to 20 million and employs a staff of approximately 50 to 99.
Business Categories    Metal Fabricators in Lexington, MI. Mfg Ordnance/Accessories Mfg Industrial Machinery Mfg Nonferrous Forgings Nonferrous Metal Foundry*, Site Preparation Contrs

SIC Code and Description    179104, Metal Fabricators

NAICS Code and Description    238910, Site Preparation Contrs

Joseph A Wilhelm       President         M
Sandra Mckever          Controller        F
Cheryl Reid     Human Resources Executive F
Kenneth J Wilhelm     Marketing Executive   M
Rusty Corry    Operations Executive M

 

American Freedoms

One of the great things about America is our right to our own opinions, even when they are wrong. I am all in favor of it and that is my final word on the subject.

 

Were U.S.  Bayonets Issued Sharp??

The debate still rages on. I remember being asked this question in 1980 and I remember asking it in 1970 from a fellow who asked that same question in 1950 from a fellow who worked on the project back in 1942. So as we can see that single question has been around for quite some time. I’m just kidding but the question has been asked over the years and we hope to clear it up here and now. Below is an excerpt from Bayonets, Knives and Scabbards page 18 just for starters.

(j)        Miscellaneous Problems

The question of just how sharp the bayonets should be came up repeatedly.  Requests would come in from the field for a sharper edge. It was found that if too sharp a point or edges were permitted, injuries to the troops were apt to ensue during drill and practice, with the bayonets encased in leather or webbing scabbards as well as when in use on the rifles. To determine just how to have the bayonets sharp enough to please the using arms without being too sharp for safety posed a real problem. After considerable debate, orders were issued to Utica Cutlery Company to make up 15 M1905 bayonets of the desired sharpness, for distribution to the Ordnance Districts and the facilities for use as pilot models to guide inspectors.

 

This debate took place in May 11, 1943 and the orders were issued on May 15, 1943. As May 1943 was the last month of production on the M1905 bayonet I doubt the new sharpness order was actually used on any M1905's produced during the war. With the M1 production just getting into the swing of things and the M1905E1 conversions going full speed ahead you can bet those items fell into the new orders parameters. In March of 1945 Technical Bulletin TB ORD 272 was published with a minimum on the overall length of any bayonets that needed to be repointed.  It did not address the sharpness of the bayonets but did address the way it should be done using only a water cooled stone to avoid heat damage. Again this is post M1905 production. A much earlier reference is given for the M1905 in Training Regulations No. 320-10 dated March 12, 1924 in which it states “...the front or lower edge is sharp along it’s entire length and the back for a distance of 5 inches from the point.” Sharpening stones were issued by Ordnance for hand finishing if needed but only at the armorer level. I have received several letters over the years from men who told me that the result would have been death if they were caught sharpening a bayonet. One fellow related as to how they were given erasers to remove any blemishes on the blade while it was in their care. He stated they would stick it in the sand when no one was watching to avoid the eraser work. This was usually in training or boot camp. Once in the field it was a way to pass the time and can be read in several well known works published both at the time of the war and still today. The first picture that comes to my mind of a South Pacific troop transport is a Marine sitting below deck sharpening a bayonet and then passing along the stone to the next guy. Richard Tregaskis, in his book Guadalcanal Diary described this scene:

Friday, July 31 1942:

     "Some of the lads were sharpening bayonets, which indeed seemed to be a universal pastime all over the ship.  I saw one with a huge bolo knife, which he was carefully preparing.  Others worked at cleaning and oiling their rifles and sub‑machine guns.  Some of the boys had fashioned home‑made blackjacks, canvas socks containing lead balls for 'infighting.'" 

Sunday August 2 

     "In our cabin tonight Capt. Hawkins and I talked over the coming offensive.  He said the men were ready.  All over the ship, he said, he had seen them sharpening their bayonets, oiling their knives, cleaning and sighting along their rifles.  'And they do it without being told,' he said, as if awed by the phenomenon."

And again, this time a reference to usage when already ashore and in the fighting:

"I had dug an L-shaped foxhole along the chicken wire fence line.  This was what I considered a clever new foxhole design that anyone wishing to get at me had to stick his head into the short end of the L.  This put his neck in a convenient position for me to grab it and rip it open with a very keen hunting knife I had bought at Jacksonville.  Before I had gotten the hunting knife, I had owned a hook knife used to butcher hogs, but it was stolen from me.  It was too novel for anyone to resist, it was not long in my possession.  But the hunting knife that replaced this hook knife was adequate to any job, I felt, and I was proud of it.  You cannot easily cut a throat with a bayonet; it was too dull.  It is a stabbing weapon, anyway.  So, most of us bought from our own funds various knives for emergencies, and for cooking.  The bayonet was a can opener, and a good one." A common opinion among the Marines as they did buy a bunch of knives.  

Anyway it seems they were never sharp enough for the end users who would always touch them up given the chance but there was a standard right from the beginning of production for the blades to be sharp, just how sharp is sharp is debatable and probably will be for another couple of generations

 

 

CMSGT Antonio Travis

Did you know the Chief Master Sergeant Antonio Travis was named to the 2010 Time Magazine list of the 100 most influential people? You asked what did he do to deserve this award… with his team of combat veterans, Chief Travis led the largest single-runway operation in history, using hand-held radios to control thousands of aircraft during the Haitian Earthquake relief effort. Chief Travis was one of the first U.S. military members on the ground at the Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport in Port au Prince, Haiti, only 30 hours after the earthquake and less than 12 hours after the nation's president requested U.S. assistance. Twenty eight minutes after his team touched down they were operating the control of the Port au Prince airport from a card table in the field. And they did it with no electricity or computers for the next twelve days. How about this, Chief Travis coordinated with Miami FAA officials via text messaging on his Blackberry. His ingenuity paid massive dividends as priority aircraft transited the small airport, delivering lifesaving water, food and medical supplies in support of the U.S. Agency for International Development-led international humanitarian effort. The team controlled as many as 250 aircraft a day, exceeding the normal capacity of the airfield by 1,400 percent without a single incident. The team ensured the safe and effective control of more than 4,000 takeoffs and landings, an average of one aircraft operation every five minutes.

Not a knife or bayonet in site but some amazing operators.

 

Bayonet Drills Eliminated… but bayonets retained

As of March 2010 we are told the Army eliminated bayonet drills from basic training. The bayonet is still issued but the need for it in an organized charge is long past and the new training doctrine believes it to be a waste of valuable time with the recruits. This certainly may be the case as an organized bayonet charge is certainly a reckless use of manpower. It does however leave one thinking about the use in training of the spirit of the blade, the esprit so to speak. It may never happen but not knowing how to do it seems to be a bit close minded to me on the training cadre. Albeit the Army does have an additional trick up their sleeves in this case, the M26. The under barrel M26 shotgun would certainly deliver a better strike then the blade would any day. The M26 has been in use for two years and worked extremely well in Iraq. In an urban setting the shotgun could be used to open doors, try doing that with your bayonet.  

 

Found this interesting bit of US Navy trivia today:  

42-857 - Swords-Abolished as Part of Uniform  

JJ55-3/1510, 15 October 1942  

ACTION: ALL SHIPS AND STATIONS  

1.Officers of the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps, shall no longer be required to possess swords as part of their uniform equipment.  

2.The various uniform regulations will be modified accordingly.  

3.It is expected that a form of dirk will, in due course, be adopted as uniform equipment in lieu of the sword.  

4.Due to the urgent need for metals, it is suggested that officers, who may so desire, turn in their swords for scrap.

-SecNav. Frank Knox.

I have never seen the WW II dirk spoken about so do believe it was just that, a spoken thought. Sure would like to see if any were at least modeled for adoption, maybe even a drawing? I doubt it and this is the way rumors are started...

 

Quote

Generally only someone with a strong emotional attachment to an inherently non-valuable common object will insist upon owning an original and be willing to pay an exorbitant fee to acquire it; others are content with buying replicas.

My friend Bernard Levine, who else…

 

Quote

I wish there were a sarcasm font to use for replies…

Me!

 

Blacksmith Trivia

A smith is a craftsman who shapes metal. A Blacksmith takes his name from the iron or black colored metal he works with, not from the soot that gets on his skin and clothes while he works. A Whitesmith or Tinsmith is one who works with tin or white metal.

 

The Sword of Damocles

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. Both Cicero and Horace tell the story of the well known flatterer Damocles, a 5th century court follower of Dionysius I (405 – 367 B.C.) the Elder of Syracuse. Damocles annoyed Dionysius with his constant reference to the rulers great power and consequent happiness. Deciding to teach the sycophant the real perils of power, he invited Damocles to a magnificent banquet surrounding him with luxuries that only a king could afford. Damocles enjoyed the feast until he happened to glance up and see a sharp sword suspended by a single hair pointing directly at his head. After that he lay there cowering afraid to eat, speak or move. The lesson was that there are always threats of danger, fear and worries that prevent the powerful from fully enjoying their power and the expression “Sword of Damocles” has come to symbolize these fears. The phrase also gives us our expression “to hang by a thread” to be subject to imminent danger. I have often seen the sword depicted in drawings having a quite Arabic shape to the blade. Often shown with wings the sword is a powerful symbol. Now we know the full story on it.

May 2020

05/19/2020

It’s been a long time since I sat down and put some notes on paper (or on a screen to be more accurate) but with the current atmosphere it has given me time to sit and gather much of the huge piles of notes and commit them to writing. It is really much easier and much less time consuming to have them in a searchable note than to rummage through the piles for something I may not have remembered correctly. Saves time and looking foolish all in one fell swoop.

   

The So Called Delta Knife

Lets start of with something that isn’t, the so called Delta Knife. It is actually a Hunting knife made by Hercules Forge Co. and distributed by Royal Engineering Co. 1335 Folsom St. San Francisco California. I have an actual flyer they mailed out to hunting and fishing outfitters announcing the new knife and the price, $36.00 per dozen. The letter I have was sent to Williams Cutlery Co. in Los Angeles California, go figure right! The list price was a suggested $6.00 per knife complete with leather sheath, $4.00 to the dealers and the $3.00 price listed was for distributors and jobbers. They included a sentence showing approval of the OPA with a fixed price ceiling. The letter is dated August 26, 1944 so the Vietnam Delta knife was made and sold most likely to the fathers of the boys in Vietnam if anyone actually did carry one there. Most likely story is some Brown Water Navy sailor had one his parents gave him and the legend began. That part is speculation, the rest is fact. Here is a scan of the letter and the flyer.

 

 

 

 

Vulcan US Divers Knives

The first appearance of the Vulcan knife was in the 1958 US Divers catalog, page 18, part number 4221 and it sold for $8.95. It was a plain straight edge knife with a thin handle.
The second design was in the 1959 US Divers catalog page 18, also part number 4221, and it sold for $7.95 ( a reduction of $1.00!) It had a more rounded handle and serrations on the blade for sawing. Not an issue military knife but strictly a commercial / private purchase item. They do show up in veterans belongings and were certainly carried and used by some. I was told directly from a Vet he purchased on in Miami and carried it on the plane with him returning from leave home.

The knives were not well made and subject to rusting pretty badly. The scabbards, designed like the older Navy Mk1 types were prone to splitting at the seams. They were strictly look a likes, not made from the same materials or the same standards. To combat this in the event you plan on using them, oil the blades well and keep them oiled. The scabbard could be repaired or prohibited from splitting by wrapping it with electricians tape. Still they seem to split after several dives. I have found several over the years with this modification, a liberal application of electrical tape wrapped around the scabbard body.

The Vulcans were replaced as the knife of choice by the "Swimaster" knife made by Newport Divers Joe Lamonica. It was designed after the M4 bayonet and kept up the appearance of being an issue military knife but alas they were not.

Just and FYI, These knives were used by Lloyd bridges in the TV series Sea Hunt, they had a contract with Voit/U.S.Divers to supply gear exclusively for the show. It ran from 1958 - 1961. If you can find some clips of that show you may see them in use.

 

 

The Invader Knife.

Somewhat of an enigma in that they may have been made by the same company that made the EGW knife but I don’t think so… The Invader knife is patterned after the EGW knife but it is different. Other than not having the EGW KNIFE stamped on the ricasso the Invader has a different blade profile, a notch at the ricasso that will not work as a bottle opener, a different fuller and a different grip configuration. Although they are similar when you place two next to each other you can see the difference. May be just a model difference but different just the same.

 Again I have a sales flyer for the Invader knife, this one also from 1944 showing a retail price of 6.00 each complete with a leather sheath. This knife was being sold by the RETLAW Company, 1472 Broadway, New York, NY.

It takes a bit of looking and some study handling many of the knives but you can see the differences in them. Just pointing it out…

 

 

 

Footnotes Matter

I have said it for years, fact are stubborn little things the just refuse to give up. They will come around and sneak up on you if you are not careful. The above snips are examples of some legends and tales that just seem to grow after being told and retold over and over again. I recently read a article by Clayton Cramer titled Why Footnotes Matter and was astounded by the fact uncovered to prove a book wrong. A book titled Arming America was a best seller and received the Bancroft Prize in History. The writer twisted every section and inventory cited in the book to his own opinion. The prize was revoke after the expose and he resigned his professorship at Emory University because of it. While this is an extreme we can plainly see that opinions should be stated as such and well facts... they just won’t let go.

 

 

Online Knife Sites

I remember starting this blog many years ago as a place to put all my thoughts and organize my notes. It was a simple matter to me at that time. After almost twenty years of of it I lost steam and a lot of other much younger folks took up the flag and ran with it. Now we have knives all over the net and the old blogs are now replaced with forums and groups that are interactive. A few I visit often and some a just avoid. I would love to surf them all and comment but time does not permit it, I still have a lot of correspondence and interaction and comment when I see something or someone that I think appropriate. In any case for the most part they are doing well and thriving so that is all good. The US Militaria Forum is still going strong with a lot of knowledgeable folks keeping it on the straight and narrow.

 

Facebook now has several groups that are private and are kept on topic by the admins and they are doing a good job of it. Our good friend Greg Aloisio started one on the 1918 Trench Knife and it has shown some dynamite knives on there. (and if you don't already have a copy you need to purchase his two books on Trench Knives and Knuckle Knives. See the listing on my For Sale Page.) And herein lies the lesson on this, you can’t own them all and looking at other people’s collection’s and admiring what they have achieved is one of the best parts of collection. Don’t try to compare, just admire another’s achievement. They hunted better than you, spent more time and dedication to the hunt, it is quite an achievement to admire. Comparisons only rob the joy.

 

 

 

Vendors and Souvenirs

I am told by many multi war veterans’ that as soon American G.I.’s appear in a place souvenir vendors appear just like magic. I had a decorated Sergeant in the Rangers state to me that entire businesses spring up from the ground and in his words “like magic” cater to the every whim of the Americans. Painted machetes are a particular tribute and knives fall into this mix. From Verdun to the Philippines, to DaNang and Iraq it is all true. I have picked up quite a few over the years, the naked lade letter openers and the brass trench art are a few of my favorites. Guys want the mementos, souvenirs and items to bring home and show others. It is a large food chain and we are the end result recipients of this magic, collectors.

 

 

 

July 2020

US Nomenclature Again

Prior to 1922 the US Army Ordnance Dept. named all types of weapons by identifying what it was and the year of adoption. U.S. Trench Knife, Model of 1917 or U.S. Trench Knife, Model of 1918. On April 11, 1922 Ordnance went to a new system of nomenclature that included the name of the item, the caliber if required and then an “M” (example U.S Trench Knife M1917 or U.S. Trench Knife M1918), followed by the year of adoption. Any major changes would be identified as a “Mark” or specifically an “Mk” as used by the US Navy. This adoption was dated April 11, 1922 so why do we have the U.S. Trench Knife M1918 MKI, was this change made prior to the adoption of the rules or was it an ex post facto change in the name? Do you know?

 Then again a change was made in July 30, 1925 to shorten it once more to the “M” designation and a number such as Knife, Trench M3 and all later changes would be notated by an A1, A2, A3 etc. such as Scabbard, Trench Knife, M8A1 as an example. If a design was already in service it did not get a new number designation it retained the same number just the difference in the prefix and the way it was written hence we have the Bayonet, M1905. Experimental items would be designated by a “T” prefix such as the T2 bayonets for a new item and an “E” suffix for a product improvement item such as the M1905E1 bayonet when shortened to the 10” blade length. On May 8, 1958 this experimental designation was changed to “XM” and when and if the item was adopted it would just have the “X” dropped and become a standard “M” series item.

 

 

 

25th Infantry DI

A fun fact. On February 17, 1926 by General Order No. 16 the Regimental Colors were changed for the 25th Infantry. The heraldic bearings are as follows:

The shield is emblazoned with the stone fort of El Caney and the royal palm of Cuba to commemorate the gallant part the regiment took in the battle of El Caney, Cuba July 1st 1898. The crest, by means of the bolo, symbolizes the participation of the regiment in the Philippine Insurrection; the arrow the Indian Wars in Texas and the Dakotas. The Bolo item stuck out to me as a knife collector and amateur historian. I know of the V-42 being used in many DI’s and in the Special Forces items but was not aware of a bolo ever being used, just an item I thought I would record.

 

 

 

What Is It?

I have had this photo for several years and cannot ID exactly what it is. I know it is a machete but what for and why? Designation? How many were made and by whom? Lots of questions but all I have is the lone photo and the caption information on the back of it. So we know it is a machete and sheath belonging to the Combat Development HQ US ARmy Alaska at Fort Richardson, we know it was taken in Alaska and dated 13 February 1958. We know who took the photo and it was unclassified on 4 Dec 1958. Who can tell me more about this item, any test info available?

 

 

Differences in Cole III

I know I discussed it before but did you know there was a change made to a page in M.H. Coles US Military Knives, Bayonets and Machetes Book III between printings 2 and 3? If you have the earlier version you are missing some info and if you have the later version you too are missing some drawings. The following pages are different:

Page 106 has an added scabbard (SBL M6) in the later edition

Page 114 the pommels or Latch Plates to be more specific are drawn differently in each

Page 184 the early edition shows two knives while the later edition shows Howard with a knife.

Page 214 the early edition shows knife company logos and the later edition has the cover of Newsweek 1942.

 

There may be other differences but these are the ones I am aware of. You need both!

 

 

Model of 1905 Bayonet Browning

In a letter from Colonel Stanhope E Blunt, Commanding Rock Island Arsenal to the Chief of Ordnance he acknowledges the revisions requiring certain bright surfaces to the bayonet guard and pommel to be “browned” for purposes of invisibility while in the scabbard. The blades were to be left bright. I always wondered why the exposed parts were browned (blued) and not others, it was for camouflage purposes!

 

 

 

Hickman Pocket Knife

Here is a scan of the Hickman Pocket Knife Patents Letter. Often associated with a Nazi knife and always a fake at that, this design was submitted to the USMC during WW II for procurement by the inventor but was never adopted. A unique and novel design it has gained a bad reputation among collectors through the years and as I stated above always a fake. Just a mention to add to my notes.

 

 

 

Fairnault Sidearm or Trench Knife

Another what is it but this time without a drawing or photo to even know what it looks like. In the NARA archives Record Group 165 / Office of the Chief of Staff, Correspondence, 1918 to 1921 / 1453-1457 / Box 195 a single letter date June 27, 1918 was found from Henry Jervey, Acting Asst. Chief of Staff asking that the letters and papers be returned to Mr. Edwin Fairfax Naulty of Philadelphia in regards to his new weapon, the Fairnault Sidearm or Trench Knife. His request for adoption of the weapon was denied. Mr. Naulty states 10 are in use by the Marine Corps in testing and the Secretary advised him to approach those Marines for a letter to help his position. Never found any more info on it so wonder what exactly it looks like and if I ever seen one? There was a blueprint and it is cataloged as a “work of art” in a copyright entry. Still can’t find it. Anyone?

 

 

 

Nine Million Bayonets

In a post war production page from the Ordnance Dept that list

Bayonets M1905 and M1 – 4,490,000 procured

Bayonets M4 and Trench Knife M3 – 4,851,000 procured

 

That would be 9,341,000 bayonets procured in 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945. Makes one think why are they so hard to find and why are they so expensive when we do??? And someone was asleep on the job, they skipped the M3 and M6 scabbards.

 

 

 

The Invader Knife

So after a few years of owning the flyer I listed last month I seem to have found and answer within 3 weeks of the post. I just picked up a copy of “The Sporting Goods Dealer” for 1946 and found it. Another ad but this one is from The EGW Knife Co. and they are advertising their knife as the Invader Knife. This is a direct ad from EGW not like the flyer listed last month from a reseller. So I guess that ends the mystery and pretty quickly as well.

 

 

 

Adolph Blaich Inc.

A page later in the “The Sporting Goods Dealer” catalog I see an ad for Adolph Blaich Inc. (pronounced Blake) asking for manufacturers to contact them about handling their lines. The name is important to early WW II knife purchases, especially Western Cutlery to the US Marines. This is  the Western Cutlery Distributor that supplied the L76 and L77 knives along with the Western Boy Scout type utility knives to the Marines. This is the Western / USMC connection.

 

 

 

Factoid

The govt. gave servicemen in WW2 $10,000 life insurance policies. If they were killed their families often used the proceeds to pay off their mortgages. This was why a soldier who was killed in action was said to have “bought the farm”.  

 

 

 

If you wish to be placed on the mailing list to be notified when the Website is updated, drop us a line. E-mail us here trz123@comcast.net  

Check out our books for sale, some good ones, new and used have just arrived! 

 

Book Listing

Return to Home Page

Return to Index Page

Frank Trzaska trz123@comcast.net