Woodsman's Pal

Anyone know of a definitive source that identifies the types and year or approximate years of production of the Woodsman's Pal?

I picked a nice one up a few weeks ago that my limited investigative abilities indicates is a WWII production item.

It's stamped:

WOODMAN'S PAL
280
TRADE MARK - PAT.APPLIED FOR
VICTOR TOOL CO.,- READING, PA.

It has LC-14-B on the rounded hand guard, a leather grip with a finger groove cut out of the front. It also comes in a green/khaki canvas case with a zipper and US military style hanger. The Pal has black paint on the hand guard and the blade is blued.

Yesterday, I found a second one at a gun show that was hard to pass up because of the price. This one has some slight differences. This one has identical markings as the first but has olive green paint on the hand guard and the blade. It also is missing the finger groove in the leather. This one is in a modern black nylon case, has a lot of use marks as well as heavy pitting in some areas. I was told by the seller that this was a Vietnam era knife, which it very well may have been used but it has what my research says is WWII markings due to lacking a patent number which later versions have.

Here is the first which I believe to be WWII production:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...zir6uw1z-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...warb6s2b-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...cmousmjx-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...mice3tx5-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...qykhkse7-1.jpg

And the second, a little harder to read:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...vh7qagtj-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...gtunejww-1.jpg

Now the second one doesn't have period carrier and is instead with a black nylon sheath with Velcro and a snap.

Woodsan's Pal is still being produced and they are making the military model but it has modern logo's etc and wouldn't be mistaken for one of these.

Closest I can help is one I drew from our Recon stores and kept, it had a hardwood handle and no scabbard. That was back in the end '80s...

I've seen photos of several types of wooden handles. All are supposed to be much later than WWII production and most are supposed to be for the civilian market. They don't have guards on them. I just think it's odd that such an interesting looking object has so little knowledge publically available.

I have no information of these examples, but I can recall the hardwood handled civilian versions were a common sight in the Christmas tree woodlots when I was a teenager, which was not that long ago. They were used for summer shearing and pruning before harvesting would commence in late October.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aragorn243

They don't have guards on them.

---

I believe that would be correct.

From what I remember the earlier ones (like yours) have roll markings with the later ones having stickers indicating mfgr. and no other markings.

That may be possible with some late ones but there are quite a few different markings similar to mine but different wording and actual patent numbers. The 280 is also a different number on some.

It's unfortunate they didn't date stamp them or put acceptance marks on them. That would have been helpful to us now.

I also know there are a variety of sheaths. Vietnam issue and possibly late WWII or Korean issue had a black metal plate that it laid into and was then held in place by some sort of mechanical attachment. The canvas sheaths were rotting in the jungles.

Mine scabbard is dated 64 and I presume had the sticker as in the other photo.
Nice folks at the current company you might inquire if the maintained early records.

That's interesting. Not the original company. Looks like military issue, perhaps a subcontractor. I wonder if the dimensions are the same. It looks smaller. Blade looks to be 2 to 2 1/4 the length of the handle. On mine it looks more like 2 1/2 times the length of the handle.

i bought a mint and unissued WWII type at a show in York a few months back. My friend who has been dealing in militaria for many years gave me a crash course on these so i hope some of the info will help. These were originally issued with 2 or 3 manuals in the inside pocket. along with the manuals, a sharpening stone was placed that had an ink stamp on it. manuals are WWII dated and include a combat use, and i think a non combat use topics. The blade on the one i bought was still covered in wax and i didn't peel it off to verify markings because the heat lot on the "D" ring was WWII. The canvas case came in two different variations for WWII one being plain, and the other being marked with the cross flags of the signal corps. the signal corps ones are worth the most. check your zipper for a "talon" marking on it. Talon was a WWII maker and was not used on post war models.

Zipper is Talon marked.

A new member adding some info re: Woodmans Pal. I picked one up last week that is unusual in that it has saw teeth on the blade! They are opposite the normal edged portion and are darned sharp. The marking on the blade says Woodmans Pal Trade Mark Victor Tool Co. Reading Pa. Pat. Appl'd For. There are no other markings. The handle is stacked leather w/an indent for your forefinger. The sheath/case is all metal with a leather snap to hold the blade in. Condition is pretty good; 7 - 8 on a 1-10 scale. Now, two questions: (1) How common are these blades w/sawteeth? I am 82 and presently have 3 Pals and this is the first one I have seen. (2) Any one have any wild guess as to the value? One of these days I am going to have to unload all the misc. I have accumulated over the decades and would like to price things fairly. If I knew how to do so I would include some photos but, alas, my knowledge for such a complex maneuver is extremely limited. I hope some member(s) can comment on this post and offer me some information. Thanks in advance. Tom in Vt.

Tom, I answered in the thread you started yesterday. https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=55561

I have seen these civilian Saw Backs sell from $30 to $150 with the sheath. So it’s hard to give you a value.

Vincent: So this is a "civilian" model? Not doubting you for one moment, but how can you tell? Are there any reference books I should be looking for to further my skimpy knowledge of these tools? I really appreciate your response; thanks. Tom

Tom,

Military models with have LC-14-B on the rounded hand guard. I have seen a few examples of the sawback on ebay but didn't pay much attention to them as I'm only interested in the military ones for now.

Look for a copy of The Woodman’s Pal – The Planter’s Pal catalog from the Victor Tool Co., Reading, Pennsylvania.

WWII WW2 U s Army Woodman’s PAL 1944 Catalog Victor Tool Co Reading Penna | eBay

I have had one for about 30 years. I'm missing the stone, seems a hard item to find. It came as shown in the pictures.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Knife001-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Knife005-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Knife004-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Knife009-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Knife006-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Knife007-1.jpg

Am I correct in thinking that the blue book on the right of the last photo actually describes hand to hand fighting techniques with a Woodsman's Pal?

One youtuber had described using it as a fighting tool, but I had figured he was just being overly creative and enthusiastic with a military item. In the scheme of hand to hand fighting where everything is a weapon; spade, club, rifle stock etc, it would be very effective, albeit a tad clumsy for fighting work, based on my experience using them in forestry. I think it is an interesting point if the blue book was indeed a hand to hand manual.

Midway USA has the stone.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...2/957793-1.jpg

Woodman's Pal Round Stone Two-Grit Electro-Silicone Sharpener