Harlan
11-19-2011, 02:56 AM
These are called M-1938 wire cutters and they were issued to the soldiers who stormed the beaches at D-Day. They were for cutting through the barbwire obstacles that Rommel left as another greeting card. You'll often find them in web pouches with 1944 dates because they made so many at that time. They used many different manufactures for the pouches and also the cutters because they needed so many in a short time.
They covered them in cosmoline and some were coated completely in rubber to protect them from corrosion caused by sea water. When I got this pair I thought it was corrosion at first but it's original old cosmoline that's supposed to be there so I left it.
I've been told the HKP stamp on the cutters stands for the H. K. Porter Company that's still around today making all kinds of electrical tools and components. I've used this pair a couple of times to cut heavy gauge wire and they still cut through it like a hot knife through butter.
~ Harlan
They covered them in cosmoline and some were coated completely in rubber to protect them from corrosion caused by sea water. When I got this pair I thought it was corrosion at first but it's original old cosmoline that's supposed to be there so I left it.
I've been told the HKP stamp on the cutters stands for the H. K. Porter Company that's still around today making all kinds of electrical tools and components. I've used this pair a couple of times to cut heavy gauge wire and they still cut through it like a hot knife through butter.
~ Harlan