Zodiac Killer Knife

[marcinek]

I mean, the Zodiac Killer seemed to be a pretty handy person, ...

...and a psychotic serial killer.

 

[NapalmCheese]

...and a psychotic serial killer.

There is that.

 

[Murdamook]

It's much more likely that C Chaucer1 is a copycat trying to properly recreate the original Zodiac Killer's crimes by using the proper knife.

Good point.

 

[Murdamook]

What occurs to me is that for every 1,000 people claiming to be "operators" and "Rangers" and "spec ops" etc here, 999 of them are making it up.

I fail to see the connection.

 

[Murdamook]

There is that.

Don’t let him dissuade you. I’m sure plenty of bad people are very handy.

 

[Murdamook]

That's pretty far-fetched.

If still alive, Zodiac would be a very old man.

It’s a joke.

 

[DocJD]

Yes, Tanto blades really weren't popularized in the US back then. However, it makes sense that someone in the Navy could have picked one up overseas.

Need to bring in NCIS !

Gibbs and his posse would have this all sorted out in a 1 hour episode .

 

[marcinek]

I fail to see the connection.

The stories many tell about themselves here are often not true.

 

[danbot]

The stories many tell about themselves here are often not true.

Remember that time when I fought off 10 gang members after I told them to get out of my hood?

 

[CPP]

Anyone notice that the op is long gone?

 

[Chaucer1]

No. I'm right here.

There's nothing untoward going on. I'm merely a researcher who was hoping some insight about the knife might provide some context to the killer. Seems like this thread has gone a bit off the rails in that regard though.

Perhaps this can re-rail it: one detail to consider is that the killer had the surgical tape wrapped around the knife where the crossguard would be - at the meeting of the blade and handle. I assume it was a crude attempt at a slipguard, but others have suggested that it means the knife was homemade or haphazardly repaired.

Would tightly wrapped surgical tape be enough to hold a long blade like this in place?

 

[CPP]

In an earlier post I suggested it could the remnant of a cloth wrap as you might see on a Japanese knife

 

[DrHenley]

Perhaps this can re-rail it: one detail to consider is that the killer had the surgical tape wrapped around the knife where the crossguard would be - at the meeting of the blade and handle. I assume it was a crude attempt at a slipguard, but others have suggested that it means the knife was homemade or haphazardly repaired.

The most logical explanation is that it was to prevent his hand from sliding up onto the blade while stabbing. If he had used an actual bayonet, that would not have been necessary, but with something resembling a bread knife it would have been very necessary.
I still maintain that NOBODY would think that an actual bayonet was a "bread knife." It just defies all logic.
Again, I have a carving knife that my wife thought was a bread knife that completely fits the description in the autopsy notes in every aspect. The tip is even shaped like many bayonets and the spine of the knife is sufficiently stiff for deep penetration. You could kill a bear with this knife!

 

[DrHenley]

I have a stout bayonet with a 12 inch blade, riveted wood handle, and a sharpened clip (false edge for about 2 inches).

My bayonet also has a stiff, stout spine.

Would anyone think that it was a bread knife? C'mon people, use a little common sense.

 

[Chaucer1]

DrHenley,

I think you might be on to something. In looking at Old Hickory knives, the top rivet is very close to the blade. I think an inch of surgical tape wrapped around might cover the top rivet. If the handle had three rivets, then the other two would still be visible. So perhaps we are looking for a knife with three rivets with the top rivet obscured by tape?

 

[DrHenley]

Possible, but it's also possible that it only had two rivets. I'm not sure you'll be able to nail down the exact make after all this time. No telling how old the knife was.

 

[Lapedog]

Remember that time when I fought off 10 gang members after I told them to get out of my hood?

Were they children?

Or were you playing Grand Theft Auto?

 

[danbot]

Were they children?

Or were you playing Grand Theft Auto?

They were Brazilian.

 

[danbot]

No. I'm right here.

There's nothing untoward going on. I'm merely a researcher who was hoping some insight about the knife might provide some context to the killer. Seems like this thread has gone a bit off the rails in that regard though.

Perhaps this can re-rail it: one detail to consider is that the killer had the surgical tape wrapped around the knife where the crossguard would be - at the meeting of the blade and handle. I assume it was a crude attempt at a slipguard, but others have suggested that it means the knife was homemade or haphazardly repaired.

Would tightly wrapped surgical tape be enough to hold a long blade like this in place?

Not likely that it was an attempt at a slip-guard. More likely that the front rivet was missing or loose and the tape was a quick fix.

 

[r8shell]

DrHenley,

I think you might be on to something. In looking at Old Hickory knives, the top rivet is very close to the blade. I think an inch of surgical tape wrapped around might cover the top rivet. If the handle had three rivets, then the other two would still be visible. So perhaps we are looking for a knife with three rivets with the top rivet obscured by tape?

How likely is it to accurately count the rivets in a killer's hand while being stabbed?
Wood slab handled knives with two or three brass rivets is the most common type of kitchen knife. Cheap, for sale in every hardware store back then, basically disposable.