3 replies to this topic

[genef]

Hello,

I hope a member of the forum can identify this pocket knife. The knife was traded by a British soldier to an American soldier during
WW2 for a case of K-rations. The story goes that the knife was carried by a British soldier during WW1.

There appears to be a faint broad arrow on the round pointed blade. The base of the flat blade is marked "SHEFFIELD ENGLAND".
The grips are a black plastic.

A friend found the knife while going through his late grandfathers possessions.

Thanks for the help,

Gene

[Lancashire Fusilier]

genef, on 17 April 2012 - 09:22 PM, said:

Hello,

I hope a member of the forum can identify this pocket knife. The knife was traded by a British soldier to an American soldier during
WW2 for a case of K-rations. The story goes that the knife was carried by a British soldier during WW1.

There appears to be a faint broad arrow on the round pointed blade. The base of the flat blade is marked "SHEFFIELD ENGLAND".
The grips are a black plastic.

A friend found the knife while going through his late grandfathers possessions.

Thanks for the help,

Gene

Gene,
Called by various names, including Jack Knife, it was known officially by the Army as " Knife, clasp, with marline spike and tin opener ".
By coincidence, the knife illustrated ( Fig.3b ) which is very similar to your's, was in fact made by the American Company, ' Keen Kutter ', who also manufactured Pattern 1914 equipment for the British Army during WW1.
The grips on this type of clasp knife were originally made from chequered black horn, and later with the more usual black fibre grips.
Many such knives were made in Sheffield, being the centre of the knife/cutlary industry in England.

Regards,
LF

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[auchonvillerssomme]

I would say that is a WW2 knife, smaller and with a different can opener to WW1.

[Sommewalker]

auchonvillerssomme, on 18 April 2012 - 10:26 AM, said:

I would say that is a WW2 knife, smaller and with a different can opener to WW1.

This pattern of knife appears some time in the late Thirties and remained in production until the early Fifties.  They were made in huge numbers by scores of manufacturers during WW2.  About 1945 the steel bolster on the grip was replaced by a plastic one but there were very few other changes during its production life.  There should be a steel shackle above the marlin spike where there now appears to be just a rivet. - SW