18" Knife - Short Sword - Bowie ?

[Randy Druckenmiller]

Here's another unknown blade in my collection.
18-1/2" overall with a 14-1/2" carbon steel blade, 1-3/4" wide hammered bronze D guard with stacked aluminum and black? grip.
Blade is 1-1/2" wide with the numbers 1775 stamped on one side. Blade has a few nicks but is still sharp on both sides. Not sure if it's an original or maybe a refurbished broken sword? Trench knife? Anyone ever seen anything like it?

[sunnyd]

Homemade so-called 'theater' knife likely re-purposed from an old sword or bayonet.

[not2sharp]

Homemade so-called 'theater' knife likely re-purposed from an old sword or bayonet.

With the date stamped on it, it is more likely just a fantasy fake intended to decieve.

n2s

[HoosierQ]

Not an awlful lot of plastic to be had in 1775 unless those black spacers are horn. Aluminum not so common either and VERY expensive in 1775. Somebody crafted up a dandy little sword there out of odds and ends I'd guess.

[Gastonknife]

Homemade so-called 'theater' knife likely re-purposed from an old sword or bayonet.

I would agree. Probably from WW2 and someone stamped 1775 on it somewhere along the line - maybe even when made. Why?- who knows. Not a fake -it is what it is. Fantasy, sort of - many theater made knives were just made to kill idle time, enjoyment, or even replace a knife someone lost. Plenty of war scrap materials available and people used it.
That is actually a pretty nice example....much better and larger than most I've seen.

[bernard_levine]

Closer to WWIII.

BRL...

[Gastonknife]

Closer to WWIII.

BRL...

OK, I'll play along.
Please do tell...........this should be interesting.........what do you think it is?

[Kevin Karstaedt]

Definately a "theater" knife... i have about 300 of them..several verrrrrry similar to this but that guard is awesome, quite a fatty for a theater piece, definately on the cool and funky end of that style every single one is unique so identifying a maker is close to impossible without some family passdown history.. the 1775... not a clue, looking at the stamp its been there a while but who knows, could be the maker added it once home for the kid to play pirate with etc..and the fad of theater knives spans a pretty lumpy time period from ww1 through vietnam ish...

[brownshoe]

I used to work for the sewer department and we shared quarters with the water department. We were usually bored since we didn't have a lot to do until something broke down, then we worked hard and long. Some of the water boys made "theater knives" so there could be some that were made as late as 1979

[DJD]

I made one about like that when I was a teenager in the 60's.

DD