WwII Corpsman knife advice

[Mike Greces]

Hey folks,
I inherited this WwII USMC Corpsman knife from my dad, who got it from a fríend who served in the Pacific in WwII. It means a lot to me, and I want to someday pass it on to my son, but I also want to use it for it's intended creation of bushcraft.
What is your advice as to the best way to keep it for the next generation as well as be able to use it for a couple more decades? It's all original, only missing one rivet on the scabbard. Handle has been glued at some point, but the knife is in solid shape. The leather scabbard looks as if it was varnished at some point, and I don't know if I should try restoring/ revarnishing it0(is this an original characteristic of the scabbard?). All advice is welcome for this family heirloom.

 

[not2sharp]

It’s simple, the US Corpsman bolo is fairly common. Like everything else from WWII it getting a little more expensive, especially for a nice example. But, a good user can probably be had for $150-200. So why not hang the one with sentimental value on the wall along with some nice family letters or photos, and simply buy another example that you can use without guilt. This way you get to share the experience without damaging a family heirloom.

n2s

 

[Stelth]

Trust your instincts and do what you want.

 

[afishhunter]

"Restore": Heck NO. The knife is 75 to 80 years old. Don't make it look brand new. An 75 - 80 year old knife that looks brand new and unused raises all kinds of alarms and warning flags to collectors.
It also destroys any "collector value" it may have. (watch a few episodes of 'ANTIQUES ROADSHOW' if you doubt this. I saw a episode not too long ago where a guy had a rare hall table. The owner thought the original finish was "ugly", so he stripped it and refinished it. Did a good job, too. Value after he refinished it was $3500. Value if he had left the "ugly" original finish: $385,000. (after hearing this the owner kept repeating "but it was ugly!")

"Preserve" Heck Yes

Remove any red rust; Mineral Oil, or 3 in One on a rag and rub briskly until no more rust comes off. D
If you absolutely have to use something more abrasive, use oiled 0000 steel wool. Ideally you want to preserve the patina. The patina tells the knife's story.
Put an edge on. I'd recommend 12 to 15 DPS. That is what it had originally.
Clean (leather?) handle and sheath with saddle soap, then treat with Mink Oil.

not2sharp 's suggestion above of preserving your family heirloom and putting it on display, and obtaining a different one (even if post WW2 manufacture replica or copy) for use is a good idea.
If you do get a replacement, be aware that there are a lot of fakes out there being sold as "real WW2 issue" at highly inflated prices.
From all I've heard, it's best to consider any military artifact from any war as fake, unless there is irrefutable proof the particular item was there.

 

[killgar]

If I had such a knife, if I wasn't planning on ever selling it or having my children sell it, and if it didn't have a ton of sentimental value, and if I had a use for it, I'd use it. After all, I'm not running a historical knife museum.

Since it wasn't used/carried by a family member, and just owned for awhile by your father, then I wouldnt see much sentimental value in it other than the fact that it was later owned by your father.


As far as any monetary/historical value, if it was in fact used/carried in WW2, that right there could make it valuable to some collectors. If it was used/carried in a historic battle or operation, that would be a higher level of value. And if it were carried by a soldier who became famous or earned some type of commendation, that's also a higher level of value. But if there's no way to verify any of that, then it's just an old knife, indistinguishable from army surplus, just a sharpened piece of steel with a handle. I say, might as well go ahead and use it if you want.

Of course, taking a knife out into the bush always comes with the risk of losing it. I wish I had a dollar for everytime I've heard of someone losing a knife on a camping/hunting/fishing trip, etc, because they put it down and forgot about it. Or a story of someone who went to a regular camping/hunting/fishing area and found a knife that someone had left behind. Something to consider.

 

[skyhorse]

I'd just wipe it down with Ballistol and put a good edge on it.

 

[Hal]

It's a family heirloom - not a user.

I'd leave the edge as is and not even attempt to sharpen it.

Unless your sharpening skills are top-notch, the potential for disaster is pretty high.

Renaissance Wax - was/is made for treating museum pieces. A lot of people here & on gun boards hold it in high regard.