Stranger Things (Traditionals only. No modern knives or demogorgons.)

[Cambertree]

Great idea for a thread, Jake - a lot of fun to see all these fascinating and curious knives.

Here are a few less common, wartime variants (not mine) - dating from the Second World War, and produced for British Commonwealth forces, I think.

These two knives are sterile (unmarked), and presumably intended to equip Commandos, and possibly other 'partisan' users with handy tools for sabotage, and other 'behind-the-lines' functions.



The Parkerised knife with pressed steel handle, has a thick, sturdy punch, that would easily penetrate sheet metal fuel tanks, storage drums, and the like.

The other knife features a strong, hawkbill shaped tyre sidewall cutter, which would also make short work of slashing open soft material quickly, like enemy stores of grain bags, opening gaps in tent walls etc.



Both main blades are optimised in shape for piercing, as well as their standard cutting function.



This small Joseph Rodgers knife only offers a piercing function. It's intended to be included with emergency inflatable life rafts, which may need to be swiftly deflated and hidden, on making it to shore.



As a sidenote to these knives, here is a page from my grandfathers WW2 field notebook - he was a combat engineer in the 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Forces), in the South Pacific theatre - which identifies eleven priority targets for 'Demolitions in Raids' - Petrol/Gasoline dumps and water supplies are number one and two on the list.



(Interestingly, his notes also identify four non-priority targets, 'unlikely to have serious effect' - roads, culverts, aerodromes and telegraph equipment.)

 

[knarfeng]

Here's a Puma Fishing knife. It has a scale built into the knife.
Hang the fish from the blade and hold the knife at the midpoint. Used to be a strip of leather there. (Lost in a youthful accident.)

 

[Jack Black]

Great idea for a thread, Jake - a lot of fun to see all these fascinating and curious knives.

Here are a few less common, wartime variants (not mine) - dating from the Second World War, and produced for British Commonwealth forces, I think.

These two knives are sterile (unmarked), and presumably intended to equip Commandos, and possibly other 'partisan' users with handy tools for sabotage, and other 'behind-the-lines' functions.

View attachment 759074 View attachment 759075

The black oxidised knife with pressed steel handle, has a thick, sturdy punch, that would easily penetrate sheet metal fuel tanks, storage drums, and the like.

The other knife features a strong, hawkbill shaped tyre sidewall cutter, which would also make short work of slashing open soft material quickly, like enemy stores of grain bags, opening gaps in tent walls etc.

View attachment 759076

Both blades are optimised in shape for piercing, as well as their standard cutting function.

View attachment 759077

This small Joseph Rodgers knife only offers a piercing function. It's intended to be included with emergency inflatable life rafts, which may need to be swiftly deflated and hidden, on making it to shore.

View attachment 759078

As a sidenote to these knives, here is a page from my grandfathers WW2 field notebook - he was a combat engineer in the 2nd AIF in the South Pacific - which identifies eleven priority targets for 'Demolitions in Raids' - Petrol/Gasoline dumps and water supplies are number one and two on the list.

View attachment 759087

(Interestingly, his notes also identify four non-priority targets, 'unlikely to have serious effect' - roads, culverts, aerodromes and telegraph equipment.)

Fascinating post Chin

 

[Cambertree]

Fascinating post Chin

Thanks Jack - nice work on that fascinating array of knives you posted earlier, too. Great stuff, my friend.

In fact, I'm going back to reread this whole thread, shortly.

Let's see some more strange 'uns, folks!

 

[supratentorial]

Thanks Jake. Wish I owned either one. The same friend also has this Nagel Reblade:

I seem to recall that you had/have some of these wrench knives as well? (Again, not mine.)

They are unusual for most folks. To a tool knife collector, they're classics.

 

[afishhunter]

Thanks Jake. Wish I owned either one. The same friend also has this Nagel Reblade:

I seem to recall that you had/have some of these wrench knives as well? (Again, not mine.)

Please forgive my ignorance.
On the Nagel, is that square hole for an oxygen bottle or a water spigot?

 

[Mike Robuck]

It's a prestolight key for lighting headlamps on early cars. I have a picture of another one somewhere.

 

[afishhunter]

Cool. I never would have guessed that.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks Jack - nice work on that fascinating array of knives you posted earlier, too. Great stuff, my friend.

In fact, I'm going back to reread this whole thread, shortly.

Let's see some more strange 'uns, folks!

Thanks a lot pal

I picked up another of these unusual TEW Pruners today, don't even have a name for this pattern unfortunately.

 

[r8shell]

Thanks a lot pal

I picked up another of these unusual TEW Pruners today, don't even have a name for this pattern unfortunately.

View attachment 759395

Uh, Jack... I know you don't care for drooping, canted blades, but it seems you're going too far compensating in the other direction .

 

[supratentorial]

Thanks a lot pal

I picked up another of these unusual TEW Pruners today, don't even have a name for this pattern unfortunately.

View attachment 759394

View attachment 759395

 

[Jack Black]

Uh, Jack... I know you don't care for drooping, canted blades, but it seems you're going too far compensating in the other direction .

 

[Cambertree]

The 'Western Castrator' pattern, produced by Sheffield manufacturers for the Australian market, had several variants. These two knives, feature dual, full length castrator/spey blades, and are made by Southern & Richardson. Joseph Rodgers also made versions of this pattern.

Handy for when you might be marking dozens of animals in a day.

 

[supratentorial]

Cambertree Thank you for sharing the photos. In particular, I don't recall ever seeing the Rodgers raft knife.

 

[Cambertree]

Cambertree Thank you for sharing the photos. In particular, I don't recall ever seeing the Rodgers raft knife.

Thanks Jake.

Yes that Rodgers raft knife is very interesting. It looks like it may be designed to float, too.

Another pic:



I wonder if anyone knows anything about which manufacturers may have made the two 'sterile', WW2 knives posted above?

Here's a couple more curious variants from my friend, @1500international's superb collection. (Sorry my photos aren't the best - phone camera & indoor lighting.)

A two bladed Premium Stock Knife, made by J. Dirlam & Sons, one of the Solingen makers who exported to Australia.





Now this knife is interesting in that it has a split/tapered backspring for the secondary spey blade, between the main backspring, and steel inner scale:



I didn't take a pic of the closed blades nested in the channel, unfortunately, but I suppose this construction allowed room for both blades to be in a straight line with the handle when open; not krinked, or offset ground, to accommodate each other.

Here also, is a late period (1960s?) Joseph Rodgers Lambsfoot knife, which is on a swell centre/coke bottle type frame.



Jack Black has a knife with a similar frame, and a spearpoint blade, which has no kick on the tang at all! This says something about JR's terminal decline, at that time - I believe Jack thought this, and his knife were possibly thrown together from disparate parts.

 

[r redden]

The strangest thing about my collection is me but I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread.

 

[Stropping Young Lad]

Thanks Jake.

Yes that Rodgers raft knife is very interesting. It looks like it may be designed to float, too.

Another pic:

View attachment 759981

I wonder if anyone knows anything about which manufacturers may have made the two 'sterile', WW2 knives posted above?

Here's a couple more curious variants from my friend, @1500international's superb collection. (Sorry my photos aren't the best - phone camera & indoor lighting.)

A two bladed Premium Stock Knife, made by J. Dirlam & Sons, one of the Solingen makers who exported to Australia.

View attachment 759982

View attachment 759984

Now this knife is interesting in that it has a split/tapered backspring for the secondary spey blade, between the main backspring, and steel liner:

View attachment 759983 View attachment 759985 View attachment 759986

I didn't take a pic of the closed blades nested in the channel, unfortunately, but I suppose this construction allowed room for both blades to be in a straight line with the handle when open; not krinked, or offset ground, to accommodate each other.

Here also, is a late period (1960s?) Joseph Rodgers Lambsfoot knife, which is on a swell centre/coke bottle type frame.

View attachment 759987

Jack Black has a knife with a similar frame, and a spearpoint blade, which has no kick on the tang at all! This says something about JR's terminal decline, at that time - I believe Jack thought this, and his knife were possibly thrown together from disparate parts.

That tapered backspring knife is awesome.

 

[Mr. Chips]

I have shown this one before, but it is unusual. I have never seen another one like it. William Rodgers, Sheffield

Unusual lock

 

[WValtakis]

Insert "~original" just after ".jpg" in your links to get them to work

~Chip

 

[supratentorial]

Cambertree That German knife may be the most unusual construction I've ever seen!