Old Cub Scout and Army Air Force Camillus folders questions

[storyofmyknife]

I picked these up at an antique shop today and I don’t know much about them but was hoping some of you here might.

https://imgur.com/a/HkAiUbs

https://imgur.com/a/hHZv12O

The top one I believe is a WWII Army Air Force knife, the middle is a Cub Scout knife that I think is from around the same time, and the last one is from frost cutlery. I don’t think that one is anything too special, but I liked it so I picked it up too.

So any information any of you know about these would be great, and I do have a few specific questions.
1. Are they worth anything?
2. Are the long pointy pieces on the right side supposed to be a leather punch?
3. What is the forked piece on the top one for?
4. Is there a good way to clean off the excess dirt and what not without removing the patina or damaging the knife? (Maybe with some pb blaster for any rust, then a toothbrush and dish soap for excess grease, then put some pivot oil back on?)
5. Would sharpening them be considered a bad thing?

Also I can’t take more pictures if it would help, just tell me what I need to show,

 

[Arathol]

The AAF knife is WW2 issue. The forked tool is a can opener. The pointed tool is an awl.
The BSA knife is 1960s to early 70s.
Use a bit of oil on them, get rid of any active red rust and don't worry about much else. Some WD40 might remove any gunk in the pivots. When you are done, sharpen them up and use them....

 

[screened porch]

And we can't talk about value below a gold membership.

 

[SteveC]

While the AAF appears to be WW2 era I don't believe it would have been for the Army Air Corp. The knives contracted for the Air Corp was a Cattle knife pattern.

 

[storyofmyknife]

While the AAF appears to be WW2 era I don't believe it would have been for the Army Air Corp. The knives contracted for the Air Corp was a Cattle knife pattern.

I was doing some reading, and the army air corp was the predecessor to the army Air Force, or the AAF which started in 1941. While both did still exist until 1947, the AAF had the primary role. So yes I agree it’s not the army air corp knife, but it looks like the same one as the second to top (army engineer and marine corp knife) so maybe they used that same pattern but with a different engraving on the plate.

 

[SteveC]

I was doing some reading, and the army air corp was the predecessor to the army Air Force, or the AAF which started in 1941. While both did still exist until 1947, the AAF had the primary role. So yes I agree it’s not the army air corp knife, but it looks like the same one as the second to top (army engineer and marine corp knife) so maybe they used that same pattern but with a different engraving on the plate.

Certainly possible I guess. Most of the wartime knives had bone handles so maybe late war or post WW2 production.

 

[storyofmyknife]

Certainly possible I guess. Most of the wartime knives had bone handles so maybe late war or post WW2 production.

I found a thread on a different forum sight, and someone there said that they switched to the black plastic in 1944 due to a bone shortage. There was a lot of good info in that thread. It’s an old thread, but I could post a link to it if that’s allowed. I can’t remember if it is so someone let me know.

 

[Arathol]

The AAF knife has the old style can opener. From what I have seen military production switched to the Imperial safety opener in 1944, so more than likely wartime issue.

 

[Hickory n steel]

The frost cutlery is basically a copy of the Schrade LB1.
If it was made in Japan it might be decent enough, but otherwise it'll be a pretty cheap knife of minimal quality.

 

[storyofmyknife]

The frost cutlery is basically a copy of the Schrade LB1.
If it was made in Japan it might be decent enough, but otherwise it'll be a pretty cheap knife of minimal quality.

Yeah it is made in Japan. It’s got bone handles and brass liners. It’s also got some nice scroll work on the little loop. I know it’s not anything super fancy, but for $5 I thought it was worth it

 

[DirtDawg]

Yeah it is made in Japan. It’s got bone handles and brass liners. It’s also got some nice scroll work on the little loop. I know it’s not anything super fancy, but for $5 I thought it was worth it

For five bucks I'm afraid that little guy would have followed me home too.