Old Remington 4 Blade Bullet from Byrd Expedition

J. A. Baker Knives

J. A. Baker Knives

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Aug 30, 2013
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I was wondering if any of you gentleman know of any resources that can properly date an old Remington pocket knife I have. Years ago, my mom was friends with Laurence Gould, who was 2nd in command on the 1928-1930 Antarctica expedition under Admiral Byrd. He said this was what he used during the expedition. He gave it to her to give to me somewhere around 1991. He passed away in 1995. I would just like to know if possible the year of manufacture. All I can seem to find is that they were produced between 1922 and 1940. I see some markings on the blade, but they are hard to distinguish. Since the blade surfaces are untouched I really didn't want to clean it to get a better look. Any help would be appreciated. Jeff

 
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Neat knife. I'd recommend looking up the tang stamp in Goins' Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings. If you google search "Remington tang stamps", you will probably find a photo copy of a chart that someone copied from a book.
 
supratentorial said:
Neat knife. I'd recommend looking up the tang stamp in Goins' Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings. If you google search "Remington tang stamps", you will probably find a photo copy of a chart that someone copied from a book.
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Thank you. That helped a lot. Here is the stamp it has. Looks like 1924-1933.

 
Thomas Linton said:
I collect Boy Scout knives, and on the Remington utility knives made for the Boy Scouts, the one-piece can opener disappeared in 1924.

Here is an article on your knife: http://ibdennis.com/Remington Scouts 8106.pdf
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Thank you Thomas. Great article. This is exactly what I was looking for. So between these 2 sources, it looks like the manufacture date is around 1924. Good stuff! I am not much of a collector, but I have always enjoyed just holding this knife and wondering all the "firsts" it has witnessed during that historic expedition. If it could only talk. I was given this knife when I was 18 years old by a man very much deserved of the admiration he received. He received some of our countries highest medals and has buildings and a research ship named after him. I have to say that all that history feels very good in hand, especially in a knife that is very cool on its own merits. Thanks again. Jeff
 
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What is the closed length of that knife, Jeff!
It is a real treasure, because of its history, and because of its condition!
It looks like the big Camp knife!!
Is there a pattern number stamped on it??
 
Daddy was with Rear Admiral Byrd during Operation "Highjump" (1946-1947). Father told us many stories about his time in Antarctica, and that he had been within 50 miles of the South Pole. Selling $3.00 bottles of cheap "Three Feathers" whiskey for $20.00 and making a killing! ;) :D

They used to take plywood sheets and jump ice crevasses using a lug-tread "arctic tractor" and a tow line. One Ensign lost his commission (and three of his middle fingers) when he posed for a picture with his arm around an Emperor penguin. The penguin took instantaneous offense to the embrace and promptly bit through the Officer's arctic mitts removing three of the man's fingers! :eek: Enraged, the Ensign immediately drew his S&W Military and Police .38 Special and shot the penguin to death. :eek: After the Officer's finger stumps had stopped bleeding, the man was promptly shipped back to the States. The charge? Violating standing Navy orders not to molest the indigenous wildlife (specifically, Peguins). :rolleyes: :o :barf:

Trust me, that's one heck of a way to be sent home! :grumpy: :rolleyes:
 
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A fantastic treasure Mr Baker, lovely to see it :thumbup:

Great story Captain. I used to do some design work for a company which supplied sleds and other equipment to Polar explorers, and as a result met a few of them. The British ones were a strange breed! :D
 
True stories are always the best. Some of father's war stories were quite frightening. Since he was Underwater Demolition Team "Frogmen" and part of the Navy Rifle Team, dad told marvelous tales that were true. That's what made them so much fun!

Being fished out of Pearl Harbor after that fateful Sunday morning attack, and having a piece of shrapnel pulled from his head, then being shipped right back out to the fleet ASAP was both frightening and inspirational.

He told me of how drinking hot coffee after spending the morning in the Antarctic cold caused yet another sailor to be sent home... The temperature gradient caused every tooth in the man's mouth to shatter! (They told the men to wait until after they had eaten some Ice Cream to warm their choppers before drinking/eating warmer food/beverages). Some of the men failed to get the message!

Again, true story.
 
Going to be hard to date the knife to the exact year but its in the 1920-1940 range. That is a fabulous knife with a great history. Any Remington collector would love it.
J. A. Baker Knives said:
I was wondering if any of you gentleman know of any resources that can properly date an old Remington pocket knife I have. Years ago, my mom was friends with Laurence Gould, who was 2nd in command on the 1928-1930 Antarctica expedition under Admiral Byrd. He said this was what he used during the expedition. He gave it to her to give to me somewhere around 1991. He passed away in 1995. I would just like to know if possible the year of manufacture. All I can seem to find is that they were produced between 1922 and 1940. I see some markings on the blade, but they are hard to distinguish. Since the blade surfaces are untouched I really didn't want to clean it to get a better look. Any help would be appreciated. Jeff

Click to expand...
 
The pattern is an R4243, the Camp Knife. What an excellent knife to have, and what a great story to go with it!

Regards,
Ron
 
Thanks guys. The folded length is 4 7/8". Here is a photo of it opened with a ruler next to it for comparison. I think it is about perfect size for a folding camp/hunting knife. I am half tempted to make something similar, but maybe a drop point main blade and leave everything else the same.

 
What a fantastic knife and story, JABK! :thumbup:
I've really enjoyed this educational and entertaining thread! :cool:

- GT
 
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