Military Clasp Knives

Jack Black said:
Welcome to Traditionals Dr Jones, Pertinux's knife was originally a Belgian issue knife, like you'll find earlier in this thread. It was customised by another member here (Glennbad), and is replete with ebony wood covers. While I don't think you'll find another knife like it, there are absolutely loads of the basic military issue knives of all types knocking about the flea-markets and antique stores of Europe, as well as on the internet. Did your grandfather's knife just have a blade and marlin-spike (ie no tin-opener blade), and was the blade a Sheepsfoot (like the one Pertinux has)? If so, you can probably find knives of the same type earlier in this thread.
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Hi Jack Black/ Members. Thank you. Yes from memory my grandfathers knife just had the spike and blade, no can opener. It had either a German Iron Cross or a Nazi Swartzsticker on the ricasso, which was slightly rubbed but clearly visible. It was real. Below link is almost exactly what it looked like from memory. I can confirm this was the blade shape as well. It was so used it had an arch in the blade. The knife was as strong as hell, as mentioned still being used on heavy duty tasks almost half a century later. One of the pins had failed though, tang stop was loose. I appreciated your mentioning Glannbad. I will keep him in mind if I consider modifications, should I choose to go that way.

I brought a new German BUND knife today. Stamped on blade was "TSR Rostfrei" and "BUND" on black plastic handles. Has brass pins and liners. Haven't received it yet, but I'm really hoping its a genuine contemporary German Navy issue. Apparently comes from a German military surplus store retailing to public. If I don't have faith in it or cant authenticate it, I will relentlessly search for a minty original.

After months of research and years of experience with zero tolerance, Chris reeves, Strider and Spyderco I gave up, as I believe there is nothing like the knife my grandfather owned. Its good to be back to a knife I saw at the bottom of a dirty tool box for decades while growing up, that I once dismissed and now long for. Its funny where life take you, thank you :) Merry Christmas!!!

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...DmAs8Q_AUIBygC&dpr=1.25#imgrc=jYtVrzhRkvNzhM:
 
pertinux said:
... I tried to respond to your email (which I received before reading your post here), but my message failed to send to the email address provided. You didn't miss much; I really can't add anything to what Jack (our resident Military Clasp Knife expert) has written:



Good luck with your search!

~ P.
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Hi Ms. Pertinux, thanks for your reply. My apologies for not receiving your email. I will check my IT system. All good thank you. Enjoy your beautiful, treasure of a knife and thanks for posting these pics ;)
 
DrIndianaJones said:
Hi Jack Black/ Members. Thank you. Yes from memory my grandfathers knife just had the spike and blade, no can opener. It had either a German Iron Cross or a Nazi Swartzsticker on the ricasso, which was slightly rubbed but clearly visible. It was real. Below link is almost exactly what it looked like from memory. I can confirm this was the blade shape as well. It was so used it had an arch in the blade. The knife was as strong as hell, as mentioned still being used on heavy duty tasks almost half a century later. One of the pins had failed though, tang stop was loose. I appreciated your mentioning Glannbad. I will keep him in mind if I consider modifications, should I choose to go that way.

I brought a new German BUND knife today. Stamped on blade was "TSR Rostfrei" and "BUND" on black plastic handles. Has brass pins and liners. Haven't received it yet, but I'm really hoping its a genuine contemporary German Navy issue. Apparently comes from a German military surplus store retailing to public. If I don't have faith in it or cant authenticate it, I will relentlessly search for a minty original.

After months of research and years of experience with zero tolerance, Chris reeves, Strider and Spyderco I gave up, as I believe there is nothing like the knife my grandfather owned. Its good to be back to a knife I saw at the bottom of a dirty tool box for decades while growing up, that I once dismissed and now long for. Its funny where life take you, thank you :) Merry Christmas!!!

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...DmAs8Q_AUIBygC&dpr=1.25#imgrc=jYtVrzhRkvNzhM:
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I think I know the knife you are looking for Dr Jones! The knife you linked to is not German, but a British WW2 era Navy clasp knife.

british-ww2-royal-navy-clasp-knife-[2]-586-p.jpg


Might I be correct in thinking that the blade did not have an iron cross or swastika on the tang, but rather a MALTESE cross, like the one below, which is the mark of Joseph Rodgers of Sheffield?

154138d1390793732-rodgers-cutler-their-majesty-date-joseph-rodgers-adv101.jpg


Joseph Rodgers made many of these knives, and in fact my own grandfather gave me one as a boy. It's the only knife I've ever lost, and I too am always on the look-out for a good example. They are not uncommon however, and hopefully you will be able to find one, if my hypothesis is correct ;)

A lot of these knives ended up as tool-box knives.

For your further information, Joseph Rodgers also made smaller army clasp knives. You can see examples of all these patterns by reading through this thread :thumbup:
 
Since Jack was so kind as to refer back to this thread, it might be worth injecting some working pictures for future reference. For my part, here is my Wade & Butcher clasp knife produced in 1945. The carbon steel is very clean -- only some very light spotting and some light patina on the marlin spike -- and despite what I've read online this one seems to have been issued with a pretty sharp master blade. Like many of these knives, it snaps like a gator and really tests the keratin content of your fingernails (especially that can opener, yeeowch! :eek:).



 
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A nice example of the pattern TsarBomba, those pulls certainly aren't for the feint-hearted are they?! :eek: :D :thumbup: I thought you might like to see a pic of the factory where your knife was made, as it exists today :thumbup:



Also, here's a couple of pics of a hybrid pattern (WW1 blade, WW2 tin-opener) that I've been meaning to add to this thread, made by James Barber of Sheffield :thumbup:



 
1500international said:
Very nice TsarBomba it looks unissued or extremely well looked after.
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I think it had to be, since it's a '45 it may have been sitting in a factory waiting to be distributed to waiting troops all over the world until...they weren't waiting any more. :) The best of both worlds: Manufactured in a fairly desirable year, yet quite literally didn't have to "see the wars" of its intended workload. It has found a happy home. :thumbup:

Jack Black said:
A nice example of the pattern TsarBomba, those pulls certainly aren't for the feint-hearted are they?! :eek: :D :thumbup:
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I've popped open my SAK's scissors to trim up a cracked fingernail due to that baby more than once. I got super lucky to find this one, I think.

Jack Black said:
I thought you might like to see a pic of the factory where your knife was made, as it exists today :thumbup:
...
Also, here's a couple of pics of a hybrid pattern (WW1 blade, WW2 tin-opener) that I've been meaning to add to this thread, made by James Barber of Sheffield :thumbup:
...
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Thank you, the photos are fantastic, and just look at that hybrid spear. Even without the sheepsfoot it's a lot more reminiscent of the naval knives we know and celebrate in that form -- you can tell the handle is much more slender. That marlin spike can make one heck of a self-defense aid in a pinch, though, and the one on mine is ludicrously sharp.

I always appreciate these opportunities to learn about the history of these knives and the people who depended on them. I'm also delighted to learn that these knives had such a presence in the Belgian military after the war -- a simple, reliable and useful tool will always find people to use it. Thank you much, folks! :thumbup::thumbup:
 
Jack Black said:
A nice example of the pattern TsarBomba, those pulls certainly aren't for the feint-hearted are they?! :eek: :D [emoji106] I thought you might like to see a pic of the factory where your knife was made, as it exists today [emoji106]



Also, here's a couple of pics of a hybrid pattern (WW1 blade, WW2 tin-opener) that I've been meaning to add to this thread, made by James Barber of Sheffield [emoji106]



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Jack any ideas on the origin of this pattern. I have seen a couple, but never one that is military marked ?
 
TsarBomba said:
I always appreciate these opportunities to learn about the history of these knives and the people who depended on them.
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I'm sure that the presence of so many of those vicious-looking can-openers in the Allied ranks must have sent a shiver down the spines of even the most hardened stormtroopers! ;) :D :thumbup:

1500international said:
Jack any ideas on the origin of this pattern. I have seen a couple, but never one that is military marked ?
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A number of Sheffield firms produced hybrid knives like this, either with or without marlin spikes, like the one below by Nowill.



As our learned friend SmilingKnife's photo (below) shows here, the knives with the marlin spike are actually slightly longer.

smiling-knife said:
WWII-31002_zpsf9f49457.jpg

WWII-31005_zps26046870.jpg
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It's a WW2 pattern, and may have been produced to use up blades from the previous (WW1) pattern. I've not seen a military marking on one of these knives either, and I've not seen a military serial number ever assigned to them. They must have been produced in some numbers though, as they crop up pretty regularly.
 
Campbellclanman said:
This knife is as tight as the day it was made - and I tell you what - DO NOT.....get your fingers in the way of the closing blade OR Rope Spike - because it will cause a nasty injury - real Bear Trap material here!!
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Jack Black said:
A nice example of the pattern TsarBomba, those pulls certainly aren't for the feint-hearted are they?! :eek: :D :thumbup:
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Another reminder to never let your guard down with that marlin spike. I am very familiar with my "Sheffield rigger" and it's gator-like closing snap. And yet, in a moment of profound foolishness, I didn't pay enough attention and it winged me anyway... :eek::grumpy::rolleyes:



Typing is going to be a bear for a few days. :numbness:
 
Ouch! These clasp knives, and the Navy knife with an even heavier snap, were among the first I was given as a young child! :eek: :rolleyes: I'd get a band-aid on that one! :thumbup:
 
- my father-in-laws RAF issue clasp knife, Wade & Butcher

Anyone know the purpose of the small blade - obviously short and stout for piercing, but what..?!




Wade%20amp%20Butcher%20clasp.jpg
 
Jack Black said:
Yeah, you can open the later one without giving yourself a hernia - with some luck! :D :thumbup:
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LOL! When I first laid my paws on this all I could open was the marlin spike. The knife sat steeping in WD40 for days.

The tin-opener still requires grit and determination

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Got myself a nice simple post war jobbie, but surprised the bottle/can-opener didn't have a sharp edge to it at all...



IMG_0355.jpg
 
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