Military Clasp Knives

[TsarBomba]

Watch out for this :thumbup:

Looks like the "1950" version to a T, except yours is much cleaner (for now ). A sheared backspring is a dealbreaker, for sure, but this one seems to be fully intact. It just needs TLC, and I've already started on my shopping list for my "ghetto" knife workshop, so I'd love to take on the challenge. Also, Jeff and BladeCommander have inspired me to tackle a couple rehandles, so I'd like to move on to phase two: Choosing scale materials. Thanks for sharing another lovely clasp knife!

 

[Jack Black]

Looks like the "1950" version to a T, except yours is much cleaner (for now ). A sheared backspring is a dealbreaker, for sure, but this one seems to be fully intact. It just needs TLC, and I've already started on my shopping list for my "ghetto" knife workshop, so I'd love to take on the challenge. Also, Jeff and BladeCommander have inspired me to tackle a couple rehandles, so I'd like to move on to phase two: Choosing scale materials. Thanks for sharing another lovely clasp knife!

That one went back, I only had it for 24 hours. The spring was intact when I bought it, but it broke almost immediately. Hope you have better luck, and look forward to seeing what you do with it :thumbup:

Here's my Libert, which used to be a regular carry, and is overdue for some pocket (or more usually belt sheath) time :thumbup:

 

[TsarBomba]

That one went back, I only had it for 24 hours. The spring was intact when I bought it, but it broke almost immediately. Hope you have better luck, and look forward to seeing what you do with it :thumbup:

I expect it will be more of a carry knife -- depending on pull. of course -- and spell my '45 W&SB built somewhere in your neck of the woods so that it can be a display piece for a while -- he's an old man and he needs a lot of leisure time.

Interesting how in the 5 years between the two knives the caplifter "innovation" occurred. Assuming the backspring holds together the Winand is the better carry option for that reason. I will be sure to thoroughly examine both springs if I can just get a yea or nay from the current owner and soon-to-be ex-owner.

Will you teach me the ways of those wacky English lanyards? Something more than a simple paracord braid or leather wrist loop seems appropriate for these knives.

 

[Jack Black]

I expect it will be more of a carry knife -- depending on pull. of course -- and spell my '45 W&SB built somewhere in your neck of the woods so that it can be a display piece for a while -- he's an old man and he needs a lot of leisure time.

Interesting how in the 5 years between the two knives the caplifter "innovation" occurred. Assuming the backspring holds together the Winand is the better carry option for that reason. I will be sure to thoroughly examine both springs if I can just get a yea or nay from the current owner and soon-to-be ex-owner.

Will you teach me the ways of those wacky English lanyards? Something more than a simple paracord braid or leather wrist loop seems appropriate for these knives.

These knives make great carry knives IMO :thumbup: Your W & SB must have been one of the last produced without a cap-lifter, (more correctly 'bottle-opener'), as it was introduced in 1945. The old works where your knife was made still stands in Sheffield. Sadly, cutlery is no longer produced there, but it's still worth a visit if you're ever in the area (I can post pics if you've not already seen them).

I usually carry my clasp knives in a leather belt pouch with a chain clipped to the bail and to my belt loop. I sometimes carry a whistle on the belt end of the chain. However, I've generally seen them just clipped to the belt, I might carry mine in a similar fashion if I didn't live in a country where the mere sight of a knife wasn't likely to cause people to feint in the street and the police to be called Maxpedition make a key-ring belt attachment which would work, and for a more traditional look, I'm sure that something similar could be easily made out of a strip of leather and a 'D' ring/'carbine hook' :thumbup:

 

[John A. Larsen]

Jack Black, Great photos! I have a probably fairly recent clasp knife, almost exactly the same as the Belgium one posted, but marked:
Stainless
J. Adams
Sheffield

It is a BEAR to open any blade other than the Marlin Spike. John

 

[Jack Black]

Jack Black, Great photos! I have a probably fairly recent clasp knife, almost exactly the same as the Belgium one posted, but marked:
Stainless
J. Adams
Sheffield

It is a BEAR to open any blade other than the Marlin Spike. John

Thank you John. That's Jack Adams. I'm afraid they don't wear in much either! :thumbup:

Jack

 

[TsarBomba]

These knives make great carry knives IMO :thumbup: Your W & SB must have been one of the last produced without a cap-lifter, (more correctly 'bottle-opener'), as it was introduced in 1945. The old works where your knife was made still stands in Sheffield. Sadly, cutlery is no longer produced there, but it's still worth a visit if you're ever in the area (I can post pics if you've not already seen them).
...
I usually carry my clasp knives in a leather belt pouch with a chain clipped to the bail and to my belt loop. I sometimes carry a whistle on the belt end of the chain. However, I've generally seen them just clipped to the belt, I might carry mine in a similar fashion if I didn't live in a country where the mere sight of a knife wasn't likely to cause people to feint in the street and the police to be called Maxpedition make a key-ring belt attachment which would work, and for a more traditional look, I'm sure that something similar could be easily made out of a strip of leather and a 'D' ring/'carbine hook' :thumbup:

I believe you posted a photo or two of the old works but I'm always game for a BF history lesson from the best! :thumbup:

I think you peeked into my head again. In my Friday office-bound malaise I had been idly thinking about running by a craft shop and possibly a hardware store to pick up a spool or individual lengths of small-gauge chain, a bunch of utility clips in various styles, and some leather strips. I am kicking around the idea of making some "chainyards" for my TL-29s, and I figured while I was doing so I could use the leather to strap up a few scouts and possibly one or two of my modern folders. Of course, the contrast of the black scales and the steel of the chain/clips work just as well on most clasp knives. Carrying the Camillus today really served as some inspiration to get out to the stores and see what jumps out at me. Besides, paracord is boring. Now I just need to make it to five o'clock.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks TB I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with my friend :thumbup:

I shall try to gather some more pics of the old Butcher Works :thumbup:

 

[Etchy]

Hello
Cheers for the info' about the Dur-O-Lam Jack much appreciated :thumbup: I noticed in the article it also mentioned Winand (as in Colin Winand presumably) I always wondered how a Belgian knife had a name like that.

Those pics of troops wearing the knives are superb, really brings the knives to life & gives them context, thanks for posting those

Perhaps it's just me but I've not come across that many broken springs on the black handles knives but oddly quite a lot on the plain steel ones. I don't see how there could be any difference in the springs used could there?
Cheers
Dave

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks Dave, glad the pics are of interest. The most common pattern I see with broken springs, by far, are the stainless Burma knives. I think I see as many with broken springs as without! I've only ever had two knives where the springs broke, the Belgian knife shown above, and a 1944 Richards British Army clasp knife, in both cases it happened suddenly and undramatically.

All the best

Jack

 

[iSaur]

Thanks Dave, glad the pics are of interest. The most common pattern I see with broken springs, by far, are the stainless Burma knives. I think I see as many with broken springs as without! I've only ever had two knives where the springs broke, the Belgian knife shown above, and a 1944 Richards British Army clasp knife, in both cases it happened suddenly and undramatically.

Jack: Thanks for the pictures. The soldiers in three of them appear to be carrying the big Canadian forces issue knives (see my post #65 on page 4 of this thread). Do you know the provenance? The sample I have is made by Case and, as it happens, has a broken spring on the main blade.

 

[Jack Black]

Jack: Thanks for the pictures. The soldiers in three of them appear to be carrying the big Canadian forces issue knives (see my post #65 on page 4 of this thread). Do you know the provenance? The sample I have is made by Case and, as it happens, has a broken spring on the main blade.

My pleasure Yes indeed, the photos show Canadian troops in 1944 and 1945, though the knife in the penultimate photo is British apparently. The only Canadian clasp knife I've had was a large WW1 pattern, with a 'Keen Kutter' tang-stamp, made by Camillus (gifted to Charlie C) :thumbup:

 

[TsarBomba]

Thanks TB I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with my friend :thumbup:

Despite leaving the spool of suede lace at the craft store in my disorganized fervor and the surprising lack of matching finishes among the chain lengths available at the Home Depot, I managed to come up with a serviceable "chainyard" for my clasp knife -- pictured here next to the fruits of my first real effort at braiding paracord.



I continue to try haggling for the 1950 Winand (and eye another, this one ostensibly from the WWI era and with a Canadian stamping on the steel handles but a SHEFFIELD tang stamp).

 

[Jack Black]

Great work TB, you've done an excellent job :thumbup:

 

[Etchy]

Despite leaving the spool of suede lace at the craft store in my disorganized fervor and the surprising lack of matching finishes among the chain lengths available at the Home Depot, I managed to come up with a serviceable "chainyard" for my clasp knife -- pictured here next to the fruits of my first real effort at braiding paracord.



I continue to try haggling for the 1950 Winand (and eye another, this one ostensibly from the WWI era and with a Canadian stamping on the steel handles but a SHEFFIELD tang stamp).

Is that chain on the black handled one just chain from a DIY store attached to a clip?
Uber cool combo well done :thumbup:

 

[Jack Black]

I reckon Etchy, looks good doesn't it? :thumbup:

 

[TsarBomba]

Is that chain on the black handled one just chain from a DIY store attached to a clip?
Uber cool combo well done :thumbup:

Thanks, Etchy! This was indeed made using a length of chain from a typical hardware/home improvement big box store. I took the easy way out by buying a couple (rather oversized) threaded links to attach the bail and belt clip, but this ultimately gives me the ability to switch to shorter (or longer! ) chain lengths as needed. The current one seems perfect for most tasks without really making the chain droop too low (at least on my 6'4" frame ).

 

[loada]

Gentlemen
Apologies for re-activating an old post (refer http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1094371-Military-Clasp-Knives/page11 ) by Africanus, however I have only just found this thread and am enjoying trawling through it from start to finish.
Just for the record, I suggest that this knife is a one-off. In its original form it was Italian naval knife (probably post WW2), see Post 65 for an example, and has had the marline spike removed. It has also been heavily polished. I have a similar example that I purchased on eBay thinking that I had discovered a rare variation of the common WW1 6353/1904 pattern, only to discover that it was just a butchered version instead. C'est la vie.
Lawrie

 

[Simon_1995]

My apologies for opening up this thread again now that it is so old, I have just found one of the ABL 1951 knives, however the scales were in awful condition, they pretty much fell off within a few weeks, as such I am hoping to produce some new scales for the knife.
Does anyone have any experience disassembling these knives and or creating their own scales, any suggestions/links to any instructive sites or books would be most appreciated.

I have included some pictures of the set up I have, in case the variation would cause any difference in disassembly etc.

Thanks
Simon

 

[Simon_1995]

PS apologies if the images don't work, i'm not sure I used PhotoBucket correctly...