A few automatics not NFA

[alanten]

I've acquired a few Schrade automatics in the last year or so, and would like hear from from the more knowledgeable members as to which ones are military issue.

[Aragorn243]

I don't know if any of them were military issue. Used by individual soldiers, probably but issue?

[jond41403]

I agree with Aragorn, those would most likely be considered too gimmicky to be reliable in combat. I would imagine the military would always pick fixed blade whether a bayonet or fighting knife. I'm no expert though, but I could just see that little spring assisted button getting crudded up with sand and dirt etc. I know this is just a pocket knife but it looks like it could be easily made unreliable if sand or dirt got into that button or little lock slide.

[browningautorifle]

Now, you guys know those for sure were issued to paratroops? I'm not sure which exact ones, Schrade for instance and several others. I have a wreck of one here that came from a vet. The late Jim Flavin had a full collection of them. There were also orange color handle automatic issued I think to pilots later... I just don't have the complete info the OP asks for to help him. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you two are suggesting...

Here's a thread to get started...

WWII Airborne Switchblades - EDGED WEAPONS - U.S. Militaria Forum

Info on MC-1 Parachutist Knife? - EDGED WEAPONS - U.S. Militaria Forum

WWII Schrade Cut. Co. M2 Paratrooper Automatic Knife.

[jond41403]

BAR has a point. I wasn't even thinking about paratroopers.

[Sapper740]

British paratroopers and aircrew were issued gravity knives that could be opened or closed with one hand by rotating a thumb lever 180 degrees and then letting gravity extend or retract the blade. The knives had black Bexoid checkered grips and were either sterile or had the manufacturers name George Ibberson and Co. and their trademark violin icon with a manufacturers code of C.O.S.D./2194 on the blade.

[Peter Laidler]

C.O.S.D = Combined Operations Stores Dept. Not sure if it applies to these knives but it did apply to some other 'sensitive' equipment. One that I can think of that isn'r sensitive any more was the old SS20 night sight (and others) that fitted to the Sterling L2A3 and the L34 guns. Those had a COSD prefix and even if you had the part number and submitted a demand for one. All you'd get back was a snott-o-gram asking why.....

[Sapper740]

C.O.S.D = Combined Operations Stores Dept. Not sure if it applies to these knives but it did apply to some other 'sensitive' equipment. One that I can think of that isn'r sensitive any more was the old SS20 night sight (and others) that fitted to the Sterling L2A3 and the L34 guns. Those had a COSD prefix and even if you had the part number and submitted a demand for one. All you'd get back was a snott-o-gram asking why.....

In his book David Gordon did mention that gravity knives were also issued to SOE and OSS members which could account for the C.O.S.D. stamps.

[martin08]

Here is my MC-1. Interesting automatic knife

[browningautorifle]

Apparently the orange ones were a later issue. I thought they had also been issued to pilots but maybe not. Yes, interesting. Initial parachutes had no capewell fasteners to release the harness so a jumper could be dragged when landing. The knife was to cut your lines and survive. The late ones like this had a shroud cutter in the hook to cut single lines if you got hung up.