World War I Navy Issue Knife

waynorth said:
They are not razors, MC. You would struggle to shave with that blade. The file/manicure blade kept your nails maintained, and the main blade was designed to cut rope well. The swedge reduces bulk, and eases slicing through deep material.
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Thanks for the explanation Charlie! Very handsome knife.
 
waynorth said:
Whatever gave you that idea??:eek::confused:

You mean sorta like this??:rolleyes:

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Woohoo!!!

Lookin' good! :thumbup:

What are the handle choices???
 
The length is 3 1/2", based on the #15 frame.
That's about 1/4" longer than the old issue knives!
The handles will have three choices of nice jigged bone,
Antique Amber, Antique Yellow and Brick Red.:)


- sorry Philllll!:eek:
 
waynorth said:
The length is 3 1/2", based on the #15 frame.
That's about 1/4" longer than the old issue knives!
The handles will have three choices of nice jigged bone,
Antique Amber, Antique Yellow and Brick Red.:)


- sorry Philllll!:eek:
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Sounds good to me! Can't go wrong with that antique amber!
 
Really fascinating design, thanks for sharing. Interesting how those two very dissimilar blades have a historical connection.

I like the rope details on your bail and bolster. A neat nod to the knife's intended purpose.
 
Beautiful Knives ... the original and the modern repos - Of late this forum has inspired me to attempt a similar thing with the old electricians knives. I have a few now a couple will be left 'as is' but I want to refurbish or rebuild a couple to.
Derek
 
Very cool Charlie! I think I might be in for one of these! The blade is great, I love the downward angle of the edge from tang to tip.
 
I wish I had one to share a picture of! Nice looking knives you have there, those customs are amazing!
 
waynorth said:
It was for WWI that this pattern of knife was made and issued.
Mostly for sailors, it was also issued to members of other military branches.
Mike Silvey, in his "Complete Book of Military Pocket Knives" lists several companies who made them;
Schatt & Morgan, Robeson, Valley Forge, Camillus, Cattaraugus, Union, Imperial, New York and Canton are examples that he has collected. Camillus alone made over 150,000 of them!
I have a penchant for collecting purpose-built knives, and really like this pattern. It is compact and useful, and pleasing to my eye in its simplicity.

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Ken Erickson likes this knife's design so much, he agreed to make a pair of them for me!

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Having the knives made by modern custom knifemakers is a sort of celebration of the great engineering of the time, and a tribute to the simple, straightforward design work from a bygone era!
That is why I have done the same with Harness Jacks, Electricians Knives and Barlows.

Please enjoy these, and post some if you have them!;)
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Beautiful knives! Thank you for sharing.

Cate
 
Gevonovich said:
I have an old NYKCo to share, humble as it is:

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Humble Gev?! :eek: It's a stunner! :cool:

waynorth said:
That is a subject worth researching swonut! I'd like to know that also!
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They were hand cutting (or 'hewing' files in Sheffield well into the the twentieth century! Machining was always more advanced in the US however. A bit of trivia:

THE FILE-HEWER'S LAMENTATION, by JOSEPH MATHER (a Sheffield file-hewer himself)


Ordained I was a beggar,
And have no cause to swagger;
It pierces like a dagger,
To think I'm thus forlorn.
My trade or occupation
Was ground for lamentation,
Which makes me curse my station,
And wish I'd ne'er been born.
Of slaving I am weary,
From June to January;
To nature it's contrary,
This, I presume, is fact.
Although, without a stammer,
Our Nell exclaims I clam her,
I've wield my six-pound hammer
Till I am grown round-backed.

I'm debtor to a many,
But cannot pay one penny;
Sure I've worse luck than any,
My sticks are marked for sale.
My creditors may sue me,
And curse the day they knew me;
The bailiffs may pursue me,
And lock me up in jail.

As negroes in Virginia,
In Maryland or Guinea,
Like them I must continue
To be both bought and sold.
While negro-ships are filling
I ne'er can save one shilling,
And must, which is more killing,
A pauper die when old.

My troubles never ceased,
While Nell's bairn-time increased;
While hundreds I've rehearsed,
Ten thousand more remain;
My income for me, Nelly,
Bob, Tom, Poll, Bet and Sally,
Could hardly fill each belly,
Should we eat salt and grains.

At every week's conclusion
New wants bring fresh confusion,
It is but mere delusion
To hope for better days;
While knaves with power invested,
Until by death arrested,
Oppress us unmolested
By their infernal ways.

An hanging day is wanted;
Was it by justice granted,
Poor men distressed and daunted
Would then have cause to sing:
To see in active motion
Rich knaves in full proportion,
For their unjust extortion
And vile offences, swing.


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File-hewers were also known as Nicker-peckers.

Some further info for anyone interested: http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/matshef/unwin/MSfilecutter.htm

Stan Shaw sometimes adds a manicure blade, and I'm sure he'll cut them by hand :thumbup:

waynorth said:
Whatever gave you that idea??:eek::confused:

You mean sorta like this??:rolleyes:

15%20Rope%20Knife_zps4lxd6iff.jpg
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Very cool Charlie! :eek::cool::thumbup:
 

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NICE!
Charlie -Another Brainwave, these are just awesome! You know...if someone would create a Bail that was carved out like a Rope - now that would really make a Rope Knife stand out! ( As I see in the diagram the Bail with lines ) If I am lucky enough to grab one I just may price a Jeweler to make one up for me?
 
Nice old Sheffield Rope Knife belonging to Paul Iseard of The Famous Sheffield Shop :thumbup:



 
Not for the first time, I went to sleep last night looking at pictures of old Rope Knives. Looking at the dimensions of the WW1 US Navy knives, I was slightly surprised by how small the dimensions were compared to the older (and indeed more recent) Sheffield-made knives , such as the one recovered from USS Cairo (sunk 1862), as well as other US-made Rope Knives. Charlie, do you think that the more pocketable WW1 knives would have been used in the same way as the larger Rope Knives, ie to cut rope by batoning, or perhaps not?

Anyway, congratulations on getting GEC to make another historic pattern, and thanks :thumbup:
 
Illustration of a Rope Knife from Smith's Key(1816) with scored bone covers.

 
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I have been told the blade design is blunt(squared off) to prevent a sharp poke in rocky seas.

This one is 3 11/16" Jack.

George Wostenholm

Wostenholm%20rope%20knife209.jpg
 
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