Guest Smiling-Knife Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 OOOOHHH thats nice. Can I have one please? :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smiling-Knife Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smiling-Knife Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smiling-Knife Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 this has posted on another thread, belongs here. William Rodgers, (I cut my way) no arrow mark so probably never issued Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smiling-Knife Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 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: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smiling-Knife Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 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 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smiling-Knife Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardB Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 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 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 This is a Frank Mills, Sheffield Knife, military pattern, no WD stamp, stag handles. I'm guessing pre WW1. :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 My grandsons growing military collection, all Sheffield made, front centre is a Richards civilian copy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smiling-Knife Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 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 :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smiling-Knife Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 This is an example made by Wade and Butcher.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zorro Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 This is an example made by Wade and Butcher.. Two pups out of the same *****!!!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest henk8213 Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vox Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vox Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest henk8213 Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Vox, Thanks for the information. Henk8213. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayleaf Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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