World War II Theater Trench Knives

Meerkat4848

Meerkat4848

Joined
Oct 14, 2013
Messages
108
Hey All,

Just picked up a mega cool WW2 Camillus Theater knife. Looking for info on this type of stuff. Most of what I'm reading says the handles were made from left over or captured airplane parts. How true is this? And how were the boys able to fashion these knives?
 
Meerkat4848 said:
Hey All,

Just picked up a mega cool WW2 Camillus Theater knife. Looking for info on this type of stuff. Most of what I'm reading says the handles were made from left over or captured airplane parts. How true is this? And how were the boys able to fashion these knives?
Click to expand...

Correct: some/many WWII knives were made fron the cockpit 'glass' of wrecked aircraft.

Google (picture) 'wwii theater knife' - the pics/knives are legion.

Due to the nature of these knives, its tricky to determine, which are genuine WWII-made knives.

As always - caveat emptor.
 
My grandfather had a knife made from a file he brought back from the WW2 European theater. The handle was made of oval cut pieces of what was supposedly cockpit glass. Stacked like the leather stacked handle knives. It was a very real handmade sticker/fighter. It disappeared after a family member with addiction problems had been staying at the house. I can't forgive that person for selling that knife.
 
Meerkat4848 said:
Hey All,

Just picked up a mega cool WW2 Camillus Theater knife. Looking for info on this type of stuff. Most of what I'm reading says the handles were made from left over or captured airplane parts. How true is this? And how were the boys able to fashion these knives?
Click to expand...

Hello?!? Pictures! Sheesh!
 
Not trying to tell you what to do but a family member, even with addiction problems deserves your forgiveness. I would bet your very grandfather who brought the knife would want you to. Especially if that person has tried to improve their life. Please do not see this as me telling you what to do but as someone who has been close to those very problems myself it is very hard for someone without them to understand what they do to a person.
 
A "trench knife" usually refers to a knife with knuckles on the grip. Punch, stab, bash, etc. They're also typically associated with WWI, although I'm sure they were used plenty in WWII.

A "theater knife" typically refers to something made "over there" in the field. Something from scrap, a rehandled knife, a repurposed bayonet, etc. I don't think the term would apply to a factory made knife unless it was repurposed in the field somehow. I may be wrong.
 
Lapedog said:
Not trying to tell you what to do but a family member, even with addiction problems deserves your forgiveness. I would bet your very grandfather who brought the knife would want you to. Especially if that person has tried to improve their life. Please do not see this as me telling you what to do but as someone who has been close to those very problems myself it is very hard for someone without them to understand what they do to a person.
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I was more interested in what dear old Dad's fist did to my face at 8 years old. And Mom's. And my two half brothers. I last saw him after a Nye County Sheriff's Deputy stopped him from strangling my Mom along a country road where she met him to try and get me back after I was kidnapped. Save your advice about what's deserved, and that's being real, real polite. It's up to God to forgive.
 
Thomas Linton said:
I was more interested in what dear old Dad's fist did to my face at 8 years old. And Mom's. And my two half brothers. I last saw him after a Nye County Sheriff's Deputy stopped him from strangling my Mom along a country road where she met him to try and get me back after I was kidnapped. Save your advice about what's deserved, and that's being real, real polite. It's up to God to forgive.
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Have to agree with you on this one Thomas. I saw my parents completely destroyed from a younger brother 'struggling' with addiction. 10 years of absolute hell for the entire family.
Forgive??? F@ck that.
 
If my grandfather had been alive he'd have knocked the crap out of this person.
 
The handle of these knives were usually three colors. Red, transparent, black (dark brown). Red is brake lights of motor vehicles, transparent - glass cockpit, dark brown - battery casing from the tank. Well, aircraft-grade aluminum. Often added spacers made of brass. This is a shell casing and shells.
 
When I think about trench knives I think of like the Mk.1 trench knife. They USA mk.1 has that Fairburn Sykes (sp?) style blade with the knuckle duster brass handle. There was a British one with a clip point style blade that was oddly installed edge facing in.

Theatre knives from what I've seen are made by a soldier while he is in theatre. I've seen all types from mostly WWI and WWII.

Would a knife made in the USA "home made" be a theatre knife if made for a soldier to bring to theatre?
 
Spasibo Rostovsky. I'm using a work computer right now but I have the knife with me. Need to figure out how to upload the pictures I haven't taken yet with my iphone and posting it on here. I'm interested in your opinion once I have done that.
 
I will once I figure out how to. Have knife with me and just need to take the pics and upload. Thanks for your patience. I think it will be worth it!
 
Sadly, this is one of the reasons I am now in possession of this cool knife. Some unappreciative family member just either didn't value it or it was stolen or left in a box in a storage unit. Whatever the reason I hope to give it to my son after I'm done admiring it. Thanks for your response and I'm sorry it brought up negative memories.
 
I have a book of theater made knives of WW II by Bill & Debbie Wright, love this one.
Sorry, I cannot up load a picture of it right now.
 
These knives were made in handicraft workshops of the front using what was lying under their feet. After the war, this design has gone to prison.
 
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