Any special tool is subject matter for jokes like the ignorant like me. I was a pilot in the 82nd and every month or so we would have a few jump missions and be asked to bring newspapers and tape pad the pointy places in our doors. The first time I was positive they were joking, even as while still taping. My stoke almost me forget the name of static line. From the low altitude and how fast they drop , and how hard they hit it seemed no malfunction could ever be salvaged. I am still have that recollection from 40 years ago . The troopers had confidence in their skills and equipment , it had to take real guts, but without that confidence would have said they were not scared spitless, I would only assume they were too crazy to possess a survival instinct. I saw only Ka-Bars and the like personalized taped rigs.
Here I am in 1964 shortly after I arrived at Ft. Campbell, KY. Home of the 101st Airborne Division ~ The Screaming Eagles! I was 17 years old at the time and was early on in my 3 year enlistment. I made a total of 35 static line jumps. All with T10 parachutes.
I always jumped with my Puma Whitehunter strapped to my right leg, on the outside of my calf for accessibility. Toby pretty much nailed it with his comment, but I'll add a little bit more.
In the event that your primary chute malfunctioned you would immediately deploy your reserve parachute. Once you pulled the handle, or ripcord, you would feed the pilot chute out and away from your main chute to avoid a potential entanglement. Bear in mind that most conventional static line parachute jumps from fixed wing aircraft are done at relatively low altitudes. I jumped as low as 900 feet, but more commonly around 1250 to 1350 feet. I made helicopter jumps from higher altitudes -- as high as 1800 feet. HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) jumps are free falls and not made utilizing a static line. A static line is the length of nylon line that is attached to the deployment bag on the parachute and hooked to an anchor-line cable that runs the length of the fuselage inside of the aircraft the troopers are jumping from. Once the aircraft has been exited it is the static line that literally pulls the canopy from the jumper's parachute backpack. If the main chute does not open properly the jumper then has mere seconds to deploy their reserve chute.
So, you see, cutting the risers would not be the most expeditious thing to do. And as Toby mentioned there is a quick release that allows the jumper to slip out of the entire harness.
If the main chute and the reserve chute both failed to open properly we were instructed to bend all the way forward, lock our hands behind our knees, then stick our heads between our legs and kiss our ass good-bye! Sigh-O-Nara!
Bottom-line: I jumped with a knife strapped to my leg for much the same reason as I carry a knife on my person today in civilian life. It was just another tool that I might never need. But I always had it close at hand just in case I did. You know the old saying: "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."
Congrats to you Ron. I was just a five jump johnny. I was assigned to a mech Infantry unit in Germany (then west Germany) Had the joys of jumping from the C123 (not C130) and the C141. The rig in the photo is the T-10 Parachute harness. It does appear that you can pull on the two metal releases to free the entire canopy. However you, you're not to do that unless 1) Your reserve chute fails to deploy and 2) the main chute failed completely.
Ron, I can only imagine how jumping in starched fatigues had to feel!
Ah, yes! The "joy" of blasting a 123 with it's shorter fuselage and intensified prop blast. That was like jumping into the barrel of a cannon! And that's what I made my first 5 Jump School blasts out of at Ft. Benning, GA. I only made one jump from the huge C141 Starlifter, a jet aircraft. Most of my jumps were from 130's. Although I did made several jumps from the ancient C119 Flying Boxcar that on paper, much like the bumble bee, should not have been able to get off the ground. We also jumped from C124's which were double decked inside. Coming down the stairs and hooking up on the run was always a whole lotta fun! <grin> I also made quite a few Hollywood jumps from UH1B helicopters, or Hueys as they were called. You could jump 4 men at a time and the jumpers would hook into D-rings on the floor of the chopper. Those were always the most fun because a "Hollywood Jump" meant no equipment other than the parachute. You'd just swing your legs out and onto the strut and then step off. No prop blast! Those jumps REALLY were fun. Even though I'm 66 now I would make a chopper blast in a heart beat if I was given the opportunity.
That's a great picture of you. Can you believe it that we were so young and studly once upon a time! Below is a pic of me that is on my town's Veteran's Wall. It is the pic that was taken of me in Jump School wearing a T10 mock-up...
I snapped that pic last year when I was showing our 2012 Club Knife, the Geppetto Whittler, around my town. We are fortunate to have such a lasting tribute to my town's fellow Veterans. I am proud to have served my Country. Here are a couple more pics of the Veteran's Wall to give you a better idea of what it looks like...
And now that I've thoroughly hi-jacked this thread I will close by thanking you for sparking some good memories from long ago. Cheers to you and your good friend Mike, without whom this trip down memory lane would have never been possible.
Just to remain hi-jacked, one of my buddy's (no a Colonel in the Army) went to jump school with me. His dad jumped into Normandy with the 82nd. During Ground week, the "black hats" asked all of us cadets why we thought we had a right to be there. I recall my answer being some snarky like "my mommy said i could come" The black hat laughed and dropped me for about 50 push-ups. (but he laughed) My buddy mentioned because his dad had jumped into Normandy with the 82nd and we wanted to make his father proud. Wrong answer. My pain was over in about a minute, My buddy pain lasted for the next three weeks.
And when it came time to get his wings, they asked for all those who had a relative that was given wings to stand up first so they could be "pinned" first. The black hat came up to my buddy and commented "you're still here" My buddy smiled and said yes. The Black Hat commented, Well I guess your father's going to be proud of you. He placed the wings on buddy's chest and then said "Blood or Regular" and before my buddy could say anything the Black hat punched him right in the chest and drove the pins into his skin.
He smiled, and said, your daddy wouldn't have been proud otherwise, smiled shook his hand and said "congratulations". Later that day, my buddy said, "it wasn't the pins that hurt, It was the punch. I thought he hit me with a hammer" The whole left side of his chest was bruised. There were too little dots in his chest were the wings had been pinned.
No blood wings for me. Which was fortunate, I went through jump school with a bruised Sternum.
As for the Nickel knife, i took one of those cheap indian feather knives popped off the indian head and then took two "Jewelry quality Buffalo Nickels and ground them down to fit the spots. It required taking off the raised lip around the nickel and then grinding the nickels to half their thickness. Epoxy resin holds them in place.
As for the Russlock, I'm seriously thinkign of that being my Case pattern to collect because I believe it is unique to Case. (that and their little Jr. Scout Knife)
Charles mention of the St Louis World's Fair reminded me that I have this souvenir knife. It was made in Germany and marked A.J. Jordan which was a St. Louis-based importer.
A.J. Jordan (Andrew Jackson Jordan) - Trademarks; AAA1, Adolphus, Old Faithful, also owned Twentieth Century Cutlery Co. - Agent of Friedman & Lauterjung - St Louis MO - made in; England and Germany - Type of firm; Wholesale Manufacture - c.1870-1926
While I was in Kosovo as a UN police officer a Captain from the Ukrainian Police Service who was also a UN police officer there, gave me an auto which was made in a Ukrainian prison by a prisoner. This little knife works flawlessly. (Same post will be posted on the Switchblades Past and Present.)
Two things, The Rough Rider scout knife is $13 and I'm willing to toss it over a tree limb. The Case Scout Jr. is 3 3/8 in long and half the weight of the rough rider. I doubt it is heavy enough to pull the line over a tree branch. Plus its around $60.
The Bear & Son Scout knife is much bulkier and better suited for EDC use. However it need some breaking in when you first get it due to pivot grind on the main blade. Also it has the ugliest Delrin scales I've ever seen on a knife.
My guess is a German, French or maybe Swiss gentleman's knife. I see the cork screw for the wine consumption and the bottle opener/fruit knife, letter opener and light duty punch. The scissors look a great deal like the Victorinox style. Tobias has a good idea about the fly fisherman's knife. Let us know if you find out anything on this one.
A friend of mine who was in counter-intelligence during the Cold War said the few symbols that are on the knife are a set or series number and they are Russian which leads me down the Russian rabbit trail.
The hooked or curved knife blade, I think is for cutting the wrapping on top of a wine bottle. The knife seems really nice and in great shape. It looks like everyones guess, is that it's European.
I've heard the pattern called a butler angler' knife or a gent's angler knife.
The corkscrew and label cutter blades are there for after the fishing. The other blades, (scissors, pen like punch and scissors) is for making lures. and then the standard blades of a pen knife. Russian, huh? That could be interesting.
I checked out that site Tobias. I must say those knives are the closest to what I have than anything else I've seen. Now I really am more curious as to what the heck I have! Thanks for hooking me up with that site. maybe they'll be more familiar with it.
All of this detective work is just another way to enjoy the hobby of knife collecting. I certainly enjoy, the hunt for the history of this knife and other knives also. Our Manager, Steve Hanner, has figured out the orgin of quite a few knives. Lets see what he has to say.
Absolutely!! It sometimes takes you down back alleys and hidden passageways you never knew existed. Peeking into closets and deep dark caverns. All for the quest for information. Exciting, huh??
ken benson
Any special tool is subject matter for jokes like the ignorant like me. I was a pilot in the 82nd and every month or so we would have a few jump missions and be asked to bring newspapers and tape pad the pointy places in our doors. The first time I was positive they were joking, even as while still taping. My stoke almost me forget the name of static line. From the low altitude and how fast they drop , and how hard they hit it seemed no malfunction could ever be salvaged. I am still have that recollection from 40 years ago . The troopers had confidence in their skills and equipment , it had to take real guts, but without that confidence would have said they were not scared spitless, I would only assume they were too crazy to possess a survival instinct. I saw only Ka-Bars and the like personalized taped rigs.
Feb 28, 2013
Ron Cooper
Here I am in 1964 shortly after I arrived at Ft. Campbell, KY. Home of the 101st Airborne Division ~ The Screaming Eagles! I was 17 years old at the time and was early on in my 3 year enlistment. I made a total of 35 static line jumps. All with T10 parachutes.
In the event that your primary chute malfunctioned you would immediately deploy your reserve parachute. Once you pulled the handle, or ripcord, you would feed the pilot chute out and away from your main chute to avoid a potential entanglement. Bear in mind that most conventional static line parachute jumps from fixed wing aircraft are done at relatively low altitudes. I jumped as low as 900 feet, but more commonly around 1250 to 1350 feet. I made helicopter jumps from higher altitudes -- as high as 1800 feet. HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) jumps are free falls and not made utilizing a static line. A static line is the length of nylon line that is attached to the deployment bag on the parachute and hooked to an anchor-line cable that runs the length of the fuselage inside of the aircraft the troopers are jumping from. Once the aircraft has been exited it is the static line that literally pulls the canopy from the jumper's parachute backpack. If the main chute does not open properly the jumper then has mere seconds to deploy their reserve chute.
So, you see, cutting the risers would not be the most expeditious thing to do. And as Toby mentioned there is a quick release that allows the jumper to slip out of the entire harness.
If the main chute and the reserve chute both failed to open properly we were instructed to bend all the way forward, lock our hands behind our knees, then stick our heads between our legs and kiss our ass good-bye! Sigh-O-Nara!
Bottom-line: I jumped with a knife strapped to my leg for much the same reason as I carry a knife on my person today in civilian life. It was just another tool that I might never need. But I always had it close at hand just in case I did. You know the old saying: "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it."
Airborne!
Mar 1, 2013
Tobias Gibson
Congrats to you Ron. I was just a five jump johnny. I was assigned to a mech Infantry unit in Germany (then west Germany) Had the joys of jumping from the C123 (not C130) and the C141. The rig in the photo is the T-10 Parachute harness. It does appear that you can pull on the two metal releases to free the entire canopy. However you, you're not to do that unless 1) Your reserve chute fails to deploy and 2) the main chute failed completely.
Ron, I can only imagine how jumping in starched fatigues had to feel!
Mar 1, 2013
Ron Cooper
Ah, yes! The "joy" of blasting a 123 with it's shorter fuselage and intensified prop blast. That was like jumping into the barrel of a cannon! And that's what I made my first 5 Jump School blasts out of at Ft. Benning, GA. I only made one jump from the huge C141 Starlifter, a jet aircraft. Most of my jumps were from 130's. Although I did made several jumps from the ancient C119 Flying Boxcar that on paper, much like the bumble bee, should not have been able to get off the ground. We also jumped from C124's which were double decked inside. Coming down the stairs and hooking up on the run was always a whole lotta fun! <grin> I also made quite a few Hollywood jumps from UH1B helicopters, or Hueys as they were called. You could jump 4 men at a time and the jumpers would hook into D-rings on the floor of the chopper. Those were always the most fun because a "Hollywood Jump" meant no equipment other than the parachute. You'd just swing your legs out and onto the strut and then step off. No prop blast! Those jumps REALLY were fun. Even though I'm 66 now I would make a chopper blast in a heart beat if I was given the opportunity.
That's a great picture of you. Can you believe it that we were so young and studly once upon a time! Below is a pic of me that is on my town's Veteran's Wall. It is the pic that was taken of me in Jump School wearing a T10 mock-up...
Carry-on, Trooper!
Mar 1, 2013
Tobias Gibson
Just to remain hi-jacked, one of my buddy's (no a Colonel in the Army) went to jump school with me. His dad jumped into Normandy with the 82nd. During Ground week, the "black hats" asked all of us cadets why we thought we had a right to be there. I recall my answer being some snarky like "my mommy said i could come" The black hat laughed and dropped me for about 50 push-ups. (but he laughed) My buddy mentioned because his dad had jumped into Normandy with the 82nd and we wanted to make his father proud. Wrong answer. My pain was over in about a minute, My buddy pain lasted for the next three weeks.
And when it came time to get his wings, they asked for all those who had a relative that was given wings to stand up first so they could be "pinned" first. The black hat came up to my buddy and commented "you're still here" My buddy smiled and said yes. The Black Hat commented, Well I guess your father's going to be proud of you. He placed the wings on buddy's chest and then said "Blood or Regular" and before my buddy could say anything the Black hat punched him right in the chest and drove the pins into his skin.
He smiled, and said, your daddy wouldn't have been proud otherwise, smiled shook his hand and said "congratulations". Later that day, my buddy said, "it wasn't the pins that hurt, It was the punch. I thought he hit me with a hammer" The whole left side of his chest was bruised. There were too little dots in his chest were the wings had been pinned.
No blood wings for me. Which was fortunate, I went through jump school with a bruised Sternum.
Mar 1, 2013
Jan Carter
This has been a very exciting discussion guys! Thanks for the stories and for your service. keep it hi-jacked!! I love it!
Mar 2, 2013
Tobias Gibson
Sometimes you just feel like posting pictures.
Mar 6, 2013
Tobias Gibson
Mar 6, 2013
Jan Carter
and we always feel like looking at them. That RR is just a beautiful piece but the nickle knife is a piece of "Knife Jewelry" as Sue would say
Mar 6, 2013
Tobias Gibson
And yet even more
Mar 6, 2013
Ron Cooper
That amber bone Russlock is really nice! Heck, they all are!
Mar 6, 2013
Tobias Gibson
As for the Nickel knife, i took one of those cheap indian feather knives popped off the indian head and then took two "Jewelry quality Buffalo Nickels and ground them down to fit the spots. It required taking off the raised lip around the nickel and then grinding the nickels to half their thickness. Epoxy resin holds them in place.
As for the Russlock, I'm seriously thinkign of that being my Case pattern to collect because I believe it is unique to Case. (that and their little Jr. Scout Knife)
Mar 6, 2013
Featured
Craig Henry
The Russlock is a neat knife! I wish I had one. lol
Mar 7, 2013
Billy Oneale
I only have one Russ lock. It's not one of my favorite patterns, but it was the collector club knife.
Mar 7, 2013
Billy Oneale
Here is a little better picture.
Mar 7, 2013
Featured
Craig Henry
That's nice Billy! I like that bone.
Mar 8, 2013
Ron Cooper
That's a really interesting blade on that Russlock, Billy. It's a beautiful knife, all the way around!
Mar 8, 2013
Jan Carter
Just a few shots from the Spirit of Steel show
Mar 11, 2013
Jan Carter
Billy,
The drop point Russlock was a pattern Donnie and I collected. I have long looked for the mosaic fathers day
Mar 11, 2013
Jan Carter
More from the show
Mar 11, 2013
Featured
Craig Henry
Great pictures! Thanks!
Mar 11, 2013
Billy Oneale
Mar 11, 2013
Tobias Gibson
Very nice. I always wonder how a "hobo" cold afford some of the hobo knives out there!
Mar 12, 2013
Michael Lee Bibbey
Very nice pearls I've always wondered about the patterns do to many,many shapes they produced. Thanks for taking the picture Jan
Mar 12, 2013
Ron Cooper
Great pics, Jan! I especially love looking at the art work on those old knife boxes. Thanks for sharing all of them!
Mar 12, 2013
Featured
Charles Sample
Jan
Compare this knife that my grandmother got at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis to the little shoe knife in your picture.
Mar 14, 2013
Featured
Craig Henry
That's really cool Charles!
Mar 15, 2013
Smiling-Knife
Charles mention of the St Louis World's Fair reminded me that I have this souvenir knife. It was made in Germany and marked A.J. Jordan which was a St. Louis-based importer.
Mar 15, 2013
Featured
Craig Henry
What I found is -
A.J. Jordan (Andrew Jackson Jordan) - Trademarks; AAA1, Adolphus, Old Faithful, also owned Twentieth Century Cutlery Co. - Agent of Friedman & Lauterjung - St Louis MO - made in; England and Germany - Type of firm; Wholesale Manufacture - c.1870-1926
Mar 15, 2013
ken benson
Pro sports mostly.
Mar 15, 2013
Clint Thompson
While I was in Kosovo as a UN police officer a Captain from the Ukrainian Police Service who was also a UN police officer there, gave me an auto which was made in a Ukrainian prison by a prisoner. This little knife works flawlessly. (Same post will be posted on the Switchblades Past
and Present.)
Mar 18, 2013
J.J. Smith III
That's cool, Clint...
Mar 18, 2013
Clint Thompson
Thanks J.J.
Mar 18, 2013
Lee Smith
Wow Clint that is sweet.
Mar 18, 2013
Clint Thompson
Thanks Lee. This knife brings back many memories.
Mar 18, 2013
Jan Carter
A lot of detail in that one
Mar 20, 2013
Jan Carter
This is a pretty good article if your thinking about Scout knives!
http://pocketknivesblog.com/4-reasons-why-you-should-own-a-vintage-...
Mar 27, 2013
Tobias Gibson
Two things, The Rough Rider scout knife is $13 and I'm willing to toss it over a tree limb. The Case Scout Jr. is 3 3/8 in long and half the weight of the rough rider. I doubt it is heavy enough to pull the line over a tree branch. Plus its around $60.
The Bear & Son Scout knife is much bulkier and better suited for EDC use. However it need some breaking in when you first get it due to pivot grind on the main blade. Also it has the ugliest Delrin scales I've ever seen on a knife.
Mar 27, 2013
In Memoriam
Robert Burris
Clint, the knife is cool but I also like the "Badges", that are from different arena's. They make my old badge look silly. Thanks for the post.
Apr 10, 2013
Chuck Parham
Does anyone have an idea where this knife came from and/or who made it?? No tang stamps.
Apr 15, 2013
ken benson
This is very interesting. The hook shape lifter/opener(?)I don't know what that is, but it sure looks like a good one .
Apr 15, 2013
Tobias Gibson
It looks like an English or German Gentlemans/fly fisher knife. The lack of markings makes me think England.
Apr 15, 2013
ken benson
Good guess. Maybe blade for tying nail knots?
Apr 15, 2013
Clint Thompson
Chuck...
My guess is a German, French or maybe Swiss gentleman's knife. I see the cork screw for the wine consumption and the bottle opener/fruit knife, letter opener and light duty punch. The scissors look a great deal like the Victorinox style. Tobias has a good idea about the fly fisherman's knife. Let us know if you find out anything on this one.
Apr 15, 2013
Chuck Parham
A friend of mine who was in counter-intelligence during the Cold War said the few symbols that are on the knife are a set or series number and they are Russian which leads me down the Russian rabbit trail.
Apr 15, 2013
In Memoriam
Robert Burris
The hooked or curved knife blade, I think is for cutting the wrapping on top of a wine bottle. The knife seems really nice and in great shape. It looks like everyones guess, is that it's European.
Apr 15, 2013
Tobias Gibson
See http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=27551
I've heard the pattern called a butler angler' knife or a gent's angler knife.
The corkscrew and label cutter blades are there for after the fishing. The other blades, (scissors, pen like punch and scissors) is for making lures. and then the standard blades of a pen knife. Russian, huh? That could be interesting.
Apr 15, 2013
Chuck Parham
I checked out that site Tobias. I must say those knives are the closest to what I have than anything else I've seen. Now I really am more curious as to what the heck I have! Thanks for hooking me up with that site. maybe they'll be more familiar with it.
Apr 15, 2013
In Memoriam
Robert Burris
All of this detective work is just another way to enjoy the hobby of knife collecting. I certainly enjoy, the hunt for the history of this knife and other knives also. Our Manager, Steve Hanner, has figured out the orgin of quite a few knives. Lets see what he has to say.
Apr 15, 2013
Chuck Parham
Absolutely!! It sometimes takes you down back alleys and hidden passageways you never knew existed. Peeking into closets and deep dark caverns. All for the quest for information. Exciting, huh??
Apr 15, 2013