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Military Knives


Guest Smiling-Knife

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Guest Smiling-Knife

This is my oldest military knife. The pattern 6353 army knife was introduced in 1905 and was made until 1938. The original specifications called for a stag handle. In 1913 the spec was changed to a chequered horn handle. This example was made by Hunter (Michael Hunter?) Sheffield (c1905-1912). It has the Broad Arrow I mark, government issue for India. It is about 5 inches closed and very heavy. The liners and bolsters are steel and the bail copper. This knife is very well travelled. I acquired it a few years ago from a friend in Texas who had acquired it many years ago from a chap in Alaska. How it got there is anyone's guess. I bet it has a few stories to tell.

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Guest Smiling-Knife

Thank-you for the positive feedback zorro. This is the checkered horn version of the same pattern. Made by Geo. Wostenholm circa WWI it is marked with the Canadian acceptance mark on the marline spike.

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Thank-you for the positive feedback zorro. This is the checkered horn version of the same pattern. Made by Geo. Wostenholm circa WWI it is marked with the Canadian acceptance mark on the marline spike.

That looks like the knife I remember my grandad having, He served in ww1 and I assume it was issued to him. Wish I knew where it is now! This is the knife my grand son spotted at a car boot sale, and which started our collection. I think it is ww2 vintage, there are no markings visible so I cannot be sure. I believe other countries were allowed to manufacture copies, so it could be one of these. As usual, please feel free to correct my ramblings, as my wife says my memory is getting that good I can actually remember things that never happened!(or did she?) Wish I could defrag my brain! :huh:

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Guest Smiling-Knife

Hi zorro. That sure looks like an example of a Sheffield made knife circa late WWII or shortly there after. Too bad you don't have your grandad's old knife. That would be very special. Have a great weekend.

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Guest Smiling-Knife

This is another variation of the same pattern shown above. This one was made by Thomas Turner for use by Canadian forces in WWI. It is marked on the handle with M & D for Militia and Defense along with the Canadian acceptance mark; a Broad Arrow inside a C.

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this has posted on another thread, belongs here. William Rodgers, (I cut my way) no arrow mark so probably never issued

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Guest Smiling-Knife

Hi zorro. Looks like a typical WWII made knife. Have you checked the spike? Sometimes the GI mark is there. If not, then as you mentioned, perhaps army surplus sold shortly after the war.

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Hi zorro. Looks like a typical WWII made knife. Have you checked the spike? Sometimes the GI mark is there. If not, then as you mentioned, perhaps army surplus sold shortly after the war.

No, gone all over it again with my BIG magnifying glass, still not giving away any secrets :angry:

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Guest Smiling-Knife

My most recently acquired WWI knife. This one was made by Jos & Rodgers & Sons. It has the War Department (WD) and Broad Arrow on the spike. The scales are checkered buffalo horn.

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My most recently acquired WWI knife. This one was made by Jos & Rodgers & Sons. It has the War Department (WD) and Broad Arrow on the spike. The scales are checkered buffalo horn.

For the stupid amongst us (me); I see a penknife, a spikey-thing, and a dwark-knife with a nipple, the Penknife I understand, wot's the others for and where's the corkscrew ?

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Guest Smiling-Knife

For the stupid amongst us (me); I see a penknife, a spikey-thing, and a dwark-knife with a nipple, the Penknife I understand, wot's the others for and where's the corkscrew ?

Thanks for the reply Richard. The spikey-thing is a marline spike. It was used for prying apart knots primarily. It is commonly found on naval knives as well. The little stubby blade is a tin opener. The ration tin is pierced with the point and the protruding bit rests on the rim of the can as one works it around. This was the common tin opener on British military knives until the design changed just before WWII. Where's the corkscrew? A very good question which I cannot answer. I suppose the powers that be did not envisage the need for one. A soldier stationed in France would probably argue otherwise. I hope this is of interest.

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Thanks for the reply Richard. The spikey-thing is a marline spike. It was used for prying apart knots primarily. It is commonly found on naval knives as well. The little stubby blade is a tin opener. The ration tin is pierced with the point and the protruding bit rests on the rim of the can as one works it around. This was the common tin opener on British military knives until the design changed just before WWII. Where's the corkscrew? A very good question which I cannot answer. I suppose the powers that be did not envisage the need for one. A soldier stationed in France would probably argue otherwise. I hope this is of interest.

Thanks, thats that sorted !

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Managed to get these pics with my old camera,These two kindly donated to my grandsons rapidly growing collection by a very good friend

W & S Butcher, 1943

L Wilson, also 1943

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Guest Smiling-Knife

Great looking collection of WWII knives zorro and zorroIII. The Frank Mills bone-handled knife is circa WWI or earlier and is similar to those included with gift boxes sent to the troops in WWI. I don't think that pattern was ever GI officially but I am not 100% sure about that.

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Great looking collection of WWII knives zorro and zorroIII. The Frank Mills bone-handled knife is circa WWI or earlier and is similar to those included with gift boxes sent to the troops in WWI. I don't think that pattern was ever GI officially but I am not 100% sure about that.

Thanks for looking Steve, thats narrowed it down :)

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Guest henk8213

Dear Sir/Madam,I am Henk van Veen from Holland,and I would like to know is there anybody who can tell me anything about these two knives.

One is from 1943 and without spike made by Wade and Butcher Sheffield.

The other one is from 1949 and with an spike also made by Wade and Butcher.

Regards Henk van Veen.

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Wade and Butcher - tradename of the W & S Butcher Co.

William Butcher:

merchant and manufacturer of edge tools, skates, saws, files

hoes etc, steel converter and refiner,

Eyre Lane’

(Gell’s 1825)

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W & S Butcher Co - Sheffield

The company was started by Samuel and William Butcher in 1820.

They took an American partner named Wade who was the American importer for W&S Butcher products.

Arcus did a survey of the Eyre Lane site in 2005

(See attached PDF)

Butcher_Works_Panels_1-7.pdf

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A bit of a vague question, but do any of you experts know whether Harris Miller, the Sheffield cutlers were involved in the design of a military knife in WW2, specifically for special forces/commando use? There's a story in our family that my grandfather was involved in the design, but that 's as much as I know.

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