How large were British slipjoints during WW1?

[Jack Black]

By the time WW2 came around, the British Army issue clasp knife was considerably smaller, (though still solid enough to be 'soldier-proof'), but the Navy Knife is still a lump. Possibly that reflects the importance of having a large blade to hand in case of emergency (the knives were carried on lanyards), and one robust enough to be hammered through wet rope, but also the importance of a larger marlin spike. On the WW1 and WW2 Army Knives, the most important tool might have been the can-opener (and there were similar issue can-openers without the blade). Because of the way sailors are fed, a can-opener is considerably less important on a Navy knife.

The Canadians stuck with a large Army knife during WW2, but the sergeant in the last black and whiter photo below is carrying a smaller British issue knife

 

[danno50]

Here is a WWI knife made by Camillus for the Canadian navy.

 

[Jack Black]

Here is a WWI knife made by Camillus for the Canadian navy.

View attachment 1689489

That's very nice Here's a couple they made for the Canadian Army during WW1, the latter was gifted to Charlie

 

[danno50]

I like those two, Jack. I have not been lucky enough to find one of the Keen Kutter stamped army ones.

 

[Jack Black]

I like those two, Jack. I have not been lucky enough to find one of the Keen Kutter stamped army ones.

Thank you Dan, it's strange that I found them both over here