Woodsman's Pal

[Aragorn243]

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:











And the second, a little harder to read:





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.

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.

[browningautorifle]

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...

[Aragorn243]

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.

[Sentryduty]

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.

[browningautorifle]

They don't have guards on them.

I believe that would be correct.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

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

[Aragorn243]

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.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

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.

[Aragorn243]

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.

[Marines55]

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.