Hello Folks,
Michael asked if I could jump in here and maybe point out a few facts on the knife in question. I guess the easiest is to just post an article I wrote on these back in 1997 or so. If there are any questions I would be happy to help out in any way. In addition if anyone has any production dates or numbers I would be glad to hear from you as well.
All the best
Frank Trzaska
The MC-1 Hook Blade - Snap Blade Knife
During World War II the United States Army Air Force issue knife was the Jiant Jack Knife I wrote about in the February 1997 issue. These were procured in large numbers during the war. When the Air Force was declared a military branch of their own, the knives went with them. Thus the first issue knife of the United States Air Force was the Jiant Jack Knife made by Colonial of Providence, Rhode Island and United of Grand Rapids, Michigan. With the advent of long range bombers and in flight refueling, many hours were spent flying over water. During the Korean War, bail outs were a common occurrence and in many of these instances aircrewmen had become entangled in the riser or canopy lines. While on land they can usually free themselves of the canopy, but in the water it is very different. A man entangled in these lines can find it near impossible to release his chute. At this time the crews were using the B-4 and B-5 parachutes. While they had one Capewell Release mechanism the other side was still attached to the wearer. Most aircrews of the time carried a standard hunting knife for just this emergency. This also creates problems while ejecting, such as hanging up in the controls or worse. It was found that most of these knives were lost on the parachute opening shock which left the wearer with nothing. Last but not least it was found that in these types of engagements, the crew member, hacking to free himself of the canopy also punctured his now inflated life raft or vest. In 1956 a memo went out looking for a new aircrew knife to replace the aging Jiant Jack Knife. This memo suggested many requirements for the knife, chief among these was the requirement to be used with one hand. The immediate response to this was the fixed blade knife. That is the route the U.S. Navy took with the development of the Jet Pilots Knife by Marbles Arms Corp. The U.S. Air Force took a different route.
Many of the men who had been around for some time still carried the parachutist auto opener or the earlier M2, produced by Schrade during World War II. The original development work on the MC-1 was accomplished jointly by the Engineering and Development Branch along with the Aircrew Effectiveness Branch of the Aero Medical Laboratory. In military terms the knife was known as the MIL-K-25594. The MC-1 would be much like the Parachutist knife, but with a twist. This new knife would also have a second blade, one designed only for cutting parachute canopy lines. This line cutting blade was a blunt, hooked shape with the cutting edge on the inside. It could be hooked around the line and a hard pull would sever the cord, one handed. This could also be accomplished behind the head, out of the range of vision, safely. Contrary to popular belief the line cutting blade was meant to be left in the open position at all times. Rumors and speculation have abounded for years as to why the clip point blade was the spring loaded one. Was it a mistake by the designers or by the companies who made them? Neither, it was designed and built that way for a specific purpose, to be opened quickly with gloves on. Actually it's main reason for being was to puncture a life raft if it were to accidentally open while in flight. One-man life rafts were attached to the aircrews survival pack that they sat on. You can imagine what it would be like to have it open in the cramped confines of a cockpit.
The line cutting blade, designed from the beginning to be in the open position at all times was generously rounded so as not to hurt the air crew member in the event of a rough parachute landing. The clip point blade on the other hand needed to be closed to avoid this same scenario. In the event of a problem where the man could not use his other hand the main blade was spring loaded to help accomplish this task. Look at the placing of the bail, it is attached to the pivoting end of the clip point blade. It too was put there for a reason. In this case the MC-1 was designed to cut canopy lines first, a lanyard was attached to the mans flight suit and to the bail of the knife. By simply pulling on the lanyard, the knife could be extracted from it's pocket on the inner thigh and be ready to cut immediately. Actually the line cutter blade is the MC-1's main blade, although through the years the clip point blade has earned this popular title. The MC-1 is basically a parachuting knife. It was not intended to replace the machete in the survival kit. It's use as a survival knife was merely secondary. This information is in the official design report and in the utilization records. Sorry folks, the controversy is over.
In conjunction with the Strategic Air Command the placing of the knife pocket was tested. The natural boot or lower leg area proved too hard to reach in the cockpit. The sleeve was thought to be awkward to reach or if an arm was broken it would be impossible. It was therefore decided to place the pocket on the inner thigh. This was a natural for seated flight with the pilot having his hand on the stick within inches of the knife and easily opened even in the water with either hand. The knife is inserted into the pocket with the hook blade open and facing downward. The tie down lanyard is then coiled with the aid of a pencil and inserted following the knife. A snap cover is attached to the suit to prevent the knife from falling out if flight is inverted. This inner thigh pocket was added to most flight suits starting in mid 1957. The MD-1 anti exposure suit then in contract had the pocket included in the original specifications, this is the first suit to incorporate the MC-1. It was leather lined to prevent any damage to the wearer on rough landings. Over 50 jumps were made in the testing of this pocket, all were successful I might add.
The MC-1 officially started it's Air Force life in 1957. Ironically that following year the U.S. Congress outlawed the auto opener for the common man over the hysteria created by the "gang" films of the time. This "outlawing" is debatable in many circles today and is something we will not get into in this article. The first knives tested were the black plastic handled auto openers produced by Schrade. These knives did not contain the second canopy line cutter blade or have a bail. They were procured in small numbers and dismissed when the line cutter blade addition was agreed on. The MC-1 configuration as it was adopted is as follows: Clip point blade 3 &1/8" in length, line cutter blade 1 & 3/4" in length. Closed length 4 & 1/4", fully opened length 9 &3/16" and in the carrying mode (line cutter blade open) 6 & 1/8". Handles are "Day-Glo, fire orange" originated by the Day-Glo Color Corp of Cleveland, Ohio for high visibility. They have a pressed pattern that resembles jigged bone although in the official specifications it is called stag. The blades and liners are all made from stainless steel as is the bail. The back spring for the hook blade is made from carbon steel. The push button release and the locking mechanism are constructed from brass. The MC-1 in this configuration was made by Schrade Cutlery, Camillus Cutlery Co. and Logan Smyth. The orange tint and the jig patterns make it easy to tell the manufacturer from a glance once accustomed to them. In the "switchblade is illegal" craze, another pattern was produced for a short period. This pattern lacked the clip point blade. Made by Camillus, this folding line cutter was produced for only a short period and made for commercial use only, it was never a military knife, lets kill that myth as well. Civil Air Patrol folks requested them and the factory produced them, its what they do, provide a service.
The markings on these knives are quite simple as I have found only four different versions. The Camillus is a typical three line marking consisting of: CAMILLUS / NEW YORK / USA on the obverse side of the clip blade. The first model Schrade is marked : SCHRADE / WALDEN / NY, U.S.A. on the obverse with STAINLESS on the reverse of the clip blade. The second model Schrade is marked in four lines on the obverse of the clip blade: SCHRADE / WALDEN / NY, U.S.A. / STAINLESS. The Logan/Smyth is marked on the obverse of the clip blade : LOGAN/SMYTH / VENICE, FL. / U.S.A. in three lines with the backslash between "Logan" and "Smyth" actually present. The folding line cutter blade only knife, although not really an MC-1, is unmarked. The quality of the Camillus and Schrade knives is actually quite good for a knife of this type. While not up to the standards of the M2 of World War II, they made a good emergency knife. It is sad to say the same is not true of the Logan Smyth knife. This is a prime example of the "government contract goes to the lowest bidder" syndrome. The overall look of the knife is the same as it's predecessors. Opening the blades reveals the truth. The mechanism is very weak, the blades are not finished very well and the line cutter is extremely dull on most examples.
In April of 1968 a report was submitted to the US Naval Air Systems Command that related the story of 60 crash landings of Naval Aviators in combat over Southeast Asia. The focus of this report was the utilization and effectiveness of protective gear then in use by the United States Navy. From these personal narratives we would learn what was, and was not, used in a survival situation. Drawing on these "in person" debriefings, would help the next aircrew shot down, survive. It also helped to raise the level of equipment engineering needed to provide our men with the best if or when they should ever need it. In a great many of these briefs a knife was used to save the mans life, the MC-1, Hook Blade - Snap Blade Knife was just that knife. The MC-1 was standard equipment for all military aircrews in the U.S. Navy now. Yes they continued to issue the Jet Pilot knife also. In many of these narratives the fixed blade knife was lost but the MC-1 was intact on every mission. By this time the Navy, as with all branches of the military, issued a survival vest to it's aircrews. The SV-2 vest then in use had a pocket sewn into it for the MC-1. The Jet Pilot knife was also sewn into the vest and on a side note these sewn in scabbards are very rare today. In every instance where the man had to use his MC-1, the answer was the same, Great Knife and I am glad it was there. No better tribute could be said.
Just recently a new design was produced by the Colonial Knife Company based off the old MC-1 pattern. These knives are now available and replacing the aging Schrade and Camillus knives still in use in the US military.
