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I recently asked about this over the BladeForums and over 100 people viewed the thread, but not one stepped in with an answer or a theory.
A lot of WW2 vintage and subsequent rope knives are "US Coast Guard Approved" Camillus and Kutmaster seem to be the most prevalent with this stamp on their reverse tang.
All the knives I've seen are stamped with the same "1944" so I'm certain this was something like the year of the USCG's approval and has nothing to do with date of manufacture -- other than that we can be pretty sure that manufacture was not PRE-1944.
But, what is "Q5" ??
Tags:
Jim,
Check out this article
http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/current_knotes.htm
look about 3/4 of the way down under the heading THE COAST GUARD MARKED KNIFE. Apparently it just noted a change in the pattern
Jim,
Check out this article
http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/current_knotes.htm
look about 3/4 of the way down under the heading THE COAST GUARD MARKED KNIFE. Apparently it just noted a change in the pattern
Hey guys:
Jan, thanks for that link to Frank Trzaska's www.usmilitaryknives.com -- after reading about the USCG knife I spent another 30 mins or so browsing around his pages.
Gerald, yeah, I too came up with the thought that the "Q" could stand for "Quartermaster" -- it's a nice fit for the situation.
Do you personally have any knowledge about there actually being a "#5" Quartermaster at the USCG??
My experience/knowledge is limited in this area. I have another similar, "Lifeboat" jack knife by Kutmaster. The obverse tang stamp on that knife reads: "APPROVED / U.S.C.G / 1944-796 / KUTMASTER / Utica, N.Y., U.S.A." I was thinking that the "796" was maybe Kutmaster's pattern/model number, but it might also reference, maybe, a paragraph in the USCG's "purchase order" or similar.
I love a good mystery!
Jim I have no knowledge of USCG, but i sent time in the Marines ordering part and everything went through the Quartermasters office.
Class V is used for Ammunition of all types, bombs, explosives, mines, fuses, detonators, pyrotechnics, missiles, rockets, propellants, and associated items. Supply classes are almost always marked in Roman Numerals. The Class II store is normally where the pocket knives are sold, if they aren't sold in the PX/BX. I can't say what class pocket knives fell into during WWII but since at least the 1960s they were Class II-B, Ground Support Material.
While I have no way to no for sure, I'd bet the Q5 is a Camillus pattern number for the knife, Especially when you see Kutmaster stamped 796 and the later Camillus Stainless Steel Camillus knives w/ can opener were stamped S 702. Again pure specualtion on my part.
I'll need to peruse those web pages. What I can say is Michale Silvey's book, "Pocket knives of the United States Military sheds absolutely no light on the subject.
Tobias.
That class information is interesting, thanks
Here is the short list for US military Supply Class codes:
Class I - Food, rations, and water
Class II – Clothing (includes Field gear, tentage, sleeping bags, personal tools, etc.)
Class III - Petroleum, oils, and lubricants
Class IV - Fortification and barrier materials (including barbed wire and such
Class V – Ammunition (from grenades, bullets all they thru Nuclear bombs)
Class VI - Personal Items (Alcohol, cigarettes, etc.)
Class VII - Major End Items (Weapons, Weapons systems, Tanks, vehicles, nulcear Subs, air craft carrier, jets, etc.)
Class VIII - Medical supplies, and related medical repair parts and equipment
Class IX - Repair Parts (for any of the other class codes.)
Class X - Miscellaneous supplies
As you can well imagine, each class is further divided into numerous subcategories. From what I remember (and it has been a while) Class X also included items procured from foreign military forces as well as from the local economy.
Okay, I decided to go right to "the source" and emailed Frank Trzaska and asked him for some clarification about the "Q5": I'm pasting his reply here:
Well that's about as definitive as you can get. Thanks, Jim.
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