iKnife Collector
In Memoriam
Puzzling no name knife- an antique store find
Okay, I know I usually answer these sort of questions, but this has me puzzled. Perhaps someone recognizes this old gem. I paid $15 for this at an antique store.It has no markings what so ever, and carbon steel blades.It has the same handle length, profile, and overall look as a military issue MIL-K818 knife except for a few glaring differences.The military version had 4 blades and a bail, marked on the handle in the center with US or the military branch as they were issued to USMC, Army, AF, & Navy since WW2..Mine has the same handle minus the military marking, never had a bail, but has a similar main blade and punch blade.The secondary blade is a puzzler. Either an odd blade or reprofiled. It was definitely sharper than the main blade.These were made for the military by a host of companies--Kingston,Stevenson, Ulster, Imperial,Marbles & Camillus that I know of.In addition, this is a 3 blade knife, & all military versions I can find were 4 blade.Any insight welcome.The pictures will show mine first, and an example Camillus military version second.
Wendell Watson
looks like my camillias. army issue.
Mar 23, 2016
Tobias Gibson
The bottom one yes but I've not seen any information of the three blade variety being an issued item. That said, the Army Air Force was issued and three blade stockman knife during WWII. It had bone and later plastic handles. So i'm never one to say that this knife was not an issue item or made available through base/post exchanges.
Mar 23, 2016
Shlomo ben Maved
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I'm familiar with the 2 blade (knife and can opener or knife and marlin spike), 3 blade Navy knives (blade, opener and marlin spike) and the four blade US Army and Air Force knives.
I found these great pictures of the British issue versions at BritishBlades.com. Note that the 3 blade models are all Navy style knives
Ibberson marine knife w/unusual locking lanyard,
Unissued Warris 1945,
A.Wright 1952,
J.H.Thompson 1953.
On the right:
Ibberson.1996 locking knife.
And another Warris 1945
The left hand knife top row is 1943 (without bottle opener), centre top is 1946, and the right hand one is dated 1950, this is the latest British date I have seen on this pattern, although the Dutch made a copy that was manufactured well into the 1950's. The bottom knife is Canadian, and though it is based on the old British pattern that was made before WW1, it is in fact post WW2. Made by Case, it is a 1948/49 model M346, used mainly by the Canadian Navy.
Mar 23, 2016