My Recent Aquisitions: USN Survival Knife, British Pocketknife, Pre-WWI Bolo Knife

[Aragorn243]

First is the USN version of the survival knife. This version comes with the lanyard ring as a requirement for the Navy was that everything can be lashed to the raft. This one also came with a carrier which the Army Air Force version does not. This knife is quite substantial:















This knife I have not found out a whole lot about although it is British issue. This example appears to be unissued, made in 1945 with the broad arrow acceptance stamp. This is not what I would call a heavy duty knife, suitable only for light duty:







The third is an early pre-WWI bolo knife or corpsman knife. I did not acquire a sheath with this one. Blade showing its age. What's nice about this one is the handle is in much better than average shape:

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[browningautorifle]

The second is what's commonly known as a "Clasp knife" and there are many versions of them. I've seen very small ones quite old and very large ones not so old...every thing in between. We still issued a giant one when I joined. It was huge and all but useless...I know men that collect them and have a few dozen. Some have the marlin spike for splicing...

[Sentryduty]

Some have the marlin spike for splicing...

I have one of those, however the main blade is missing, has been since I got it at least. I used to encounter them quite commonly and very few were complete and serviceable.

I have it's replacement too, the C5 knife.

[browningautorifle]

the C5 knife.

Yes, we had them too, made by Camillus. We who knew, bought a Swiss knife and carried on.

[Sentryduty]

The C5 was issued before my time, mine was a Wainwright pick up, found on exercise in some corner of the training area. When I got in, the initial scale of issue was for a Gerber multi tool in silver, later the locking black oxide ones came in, and soon after the SOG was the issued piece. I am not sure what is the standard pocket knife now, probably another local purchase order product.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Nice finds. I passed on a Pal Navy MkII this weekend because somthing did not look quite right. Turns out it was very right and I shoul have bought it. Did buy a miniature Kbar USMC combat knife. Saw it in a stack of junk knives and recognised the leather handle as a Kbar but it was too small, unpiled it and what do you know. Mini Kbar 1/4 scale I would guess with a steel blade & leather handle.

[Aragorn243]

The last MKII I bought didn't look right to me either but I took a chance because it was $28. It too was correct. I know my bayonets pretty well but knives are another story. These three I found on ebay and was able to research them pretty heavily before placing a bid. The staining on the bolo blade is more extensive than I hoped but in person, it does not look near as bad as the photos make it look.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Now I feel better about passing @ $125 . It appeared unused with some tarnish on the pommel & staining on the webbing. I like the bolo as is patina you know.

[browningautorifle]

I like the bolo too, never had one. They don't show up here. I had one corpsman's knife come to me and it needed a replacement handle. I made it from walnut and it was pretty close. Those don't crop up much either here.