Do I Have a British or Canadian Clasp Knife ?

[Peter Laidler]

When I left my apprenticeship (it was called boy-service) and went into the real world, we were given all of our new kit and the fatherly Company Commander (Major Swanson, Royal Surrey Regt) gave us leavers all a short talk about the real world outside our sheltered world of apprentices and school. Be gentlemanly, abhor violence and war at all costs and all that stuff - and then the next thing the quartermaster walked round and gave us all a razor sharp jack-knife* as shown! Strange world. And shortly afterwards the first of our batch got the chop in Aden!
*We called them jack-knives. I kept mine and gave it to my son a couple of years ago. The good thing about the jack-knife over the Leatherman was that the crunchies were unable to use the jack knife to strip their kit down as they do with a leatherman.
I don't remember our jack knives from the 60's onwards having the spike thinggy as by then, we didn't do a lot of rope splicing, putting bullet holes in the paper targets so that the range day would finish early as everyone got a top score or taking stones out of horses hooves

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Daan Kemp]

The few British navy clasp knives I've seen were dated early fifties. Like the first two photos but with scales, I can't remember the material. That one is missing the scales on both sides. Very robust and useful clasp knife. if a bit large and heavy.

An old sailor told me: in use, open blade and marlin spike, hold in hand with blade ready to cut, spike sticking out the bottom of the hand; good for close in fighting as the spike is under your hand for stabbing and the blade in front for cutting. He wouldn't tell me how he knew this.

The swiss knife is wimpy in for serious work compared to the clasp knife.

[browningautorifle]

The swiss knife is wimpy

Far more useful though. I still have it and several others. It was all about weight. I could use the swiss to strip the .30 cal but not the clasp...

[CINDERS]

Would those with the knowledge be able to assist in the era/vintage of my knife it appears pretty much unused you can just make out the faint /|\ and the No./Letter on the scale pic #1.
TIA....

[browningautorifle]

I think it's WW2 British Navy, here's a thread that you may want to consume... British military clasp knives

[CINDERS]

Thanks BAR