Chuck Yeager's knife

mnblade

mnblade

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Feb 7, 2000
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A little side discussion that jackknife and I were having over in the Multi-tools & Multi-purpose Knives subforum got me to thinking about Gen. Chuck Yeager's pocketknife of choice.

Well, I Googled "Chuck Yeager, knife" and found a very interesting page at www.marshall.edu with a photo of what looks sort of like a Case Little Finn fixed blade. The caption reads: "Chuck Yeager 's knife that he carried on every flight beginning with the World War II and nearly every flight thereafter. It was also carried by Joe Engle on the Space Shuttle."

Check it out here.
 
It is a Western. You can tell by the way the pommel is pinned. Also, the Case little finn used a different kind of embossing on the leather. Also the Case had a true stick tang, totally covered by the leather washer handle.
 
Very cool info. Thanks for the links!. Press On sounds like a book I'll have to read.

Chuck Yeager is a real American hero. And The Right Stuff is one of the rare movies that is every bit as good as the book.
 

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From page 49 of "Yeager, An Autobiography" by Bantam Books, 1985.

"His lower leg is attached to his upper leg only by a tendon. Using a penknife, I cut off that tendon."

Yeager describing his removel of his companions leg after being shot. Yeager uses the term 'penknife' a lot.
 
jackknife said:
Yeager uses the term 'penknife' a lot.
Click to expand...

He sure does. I have that same book. Like "Press On," it's a great read. When it comes to knives, Gen. Yeager would really fit in with the less-is-more crowd around here.
 
Does any body remember a picture of the General with his Vic Executive in Blade magazine. I think it was in the early 90s in the knife I carry section.
I used to have that issue but lost it when I moved years ago.
I just finished reading Press On excellent book.
I was a little disappointed he didn't mention or show his knife but I loved the book.
 
Sweet.
A Western like that is my Dads' hunting knife! He's been through a whole hell of a lot of moose with it. These days we don't hunt much but it still serves as his steak knife a lot of the time.

G.
 
Looks like Western to me too...
Hard to tell if that is a correct Western sheath
I can kind of see the oak leaves??
 
pa knifeguy said:
Does any body remember a picture of the General with his Vic Executive in Blade magazine. I think it was in the early 90s in the knife I carry section.
I used to have that issue but lost it when I moved years ago.
I just finished reading Press On excellent book.
I was a little disappointed he didn't mention or show his knife but I loved the book.
Click to expand...

Yes I recall it and I still have that issue
 
Steve_Holt said:
Very cool info. Thanks for the links!. Press On sounds like a book I'll have to read.

Chuck Yeager is a real American hero. And The Right Stuff is one of the rare movies that is every bit as good as the book.
Click to expand...

:thumbup::cool: I'll second that.

Got any
Beemans%20Gum%20-%201.jpg
?:D
 
I don't know much about fixed blades, and googling "western knife" fixed, isn't helping. Can anyone tell me the manufacturer/model? Or the modern equivalent? Thanks!
 
mnblade said:
Any chance you could scan and post that page? Would be a cool addition to this thread.
Click to expand...

No scanner but I took some pics with a digital camera. The issue of Blade was September 1992. I have also included a pic of the cover of that issue.

018-1.jpg


014.jpg
 
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