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M-3 Knife/.45 Holster combo


GIl Sanow
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I have observed in WW2 combat photos several times, soldier (usually officers) wearing what appears to be the M-3 knife above/behind the .45 auto holster. You need to look closely, but 1LT Gene Hill, my former neighbor, isd seen wearing his the same way, somewhere in China while serving as an advisor to the Chinese Army. You can see it also being done by Tom Hanks in SPR.

 

My question is -- HOW did they rig the scabbard and holster to make this work? Can anyone show a live example? We woiuld certainly want to see the backside of the combo on the pistol belt. Thanx.

 

G

GeneHill.jpg

GeneHill__3_.jpg

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Gil:

 

Piece of cake. The key is that the scabbard was not used. The M3 (or other blade) was simply slipped in between the body of the M1916 holster and the hanger piece assembly. It slides right in.

 

Now, whether that was really a good idea is another matter. It certainly looks cool, and frees up space on the pistol belt. But it also leave the bare blade right up next to your upper thigh. In my view that is not desirable.

 

BTW, there was an experimental holster/scabbard assembly created during WW2 to hold both the pistol and the fighting knife. It was not adopted.

 

I don't have my camera charged now or I would take a pic of this set up for you. I am sure that some one else will do so.

 

Hope this explanation makes sense to you.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

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Hey Rey:

 

I agree, your pic does show the soldier with an M8 scabbard. It looks like he has the pistol belt running between the scabbard loop and the knife, and the body of the scabbard slid down between the holster body and the hanger piece assembly. I guess you could do it either way, as long as your sheath/scabbard was not too thick to slide down into the holster back.

 

So how about this guy? I don't see any pommel strap around the handle of the blade. Does he have the blade in a scabbard or just slid into the holster?

 

Charlie

 

M3_Knife_Metz_12_15_44_.jpg

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I've seen photos of American GI's doing the same thing with a British F-S Stiletto. With the sharp point those things had you definitely would want to keep it in the scabbard.

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It occurs to me also that if the holster, preferrably a new one, was wetted enough to allow the leather to stretch, the scabbard could be forced into the space menioned above, the allowed to dry. But I have never seen any details to prove.

 

I think we are approaching an answer, but has anyone ever set ine up this way for reenacting or seen a live vintage setup?

 

G

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It occurs to me also that if the holster, preferrably a new one, was wetted enough to allow the leather to stretch, the scabbard could be forced into the space menioned above, the allowed to dry. But I have never seen any details to prove.

 

I think we are approaching an answer, but has anyone ever set ine up this way for reenacting or seen a live vintage setup?

 

G

 

I've seen period photos of a well known US Army doctor who is show carrying a .45 pistol and F-S stiletto rigged up as described in this thread.

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I have a combo like described. USMC M61 belt with .45 holster and KaBar knife with scabbard.

It is a very salty rig and I picked it up this way in a LA fleamarket years ago. The colt was no longer inside its holster but I supected that the seller did remove if just before going to the market.

I will post a picture tomorrow because all my webbing is in footlockers and I have to search for it.

 

Andrei

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So how about this guy? I don't see any pommel strap around the handle of the blade. Does he have the blade in a scabbard or just slid into the holster?

 

Yikes! Charlie, looks to me like that one is just slid into the holster!

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craig_pickrall

In SPECIAL FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY by LTC Sutherland on page 578 there is both a front and rear pic of a .45 holster with a V42 Stilleto in the long drop scabbard stuck in behind the holster. Unless someone beats me to it I will post a pic later tonight.

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QUOTE(Charlie Flick @ Sep 29 2007, 08:28 PM) *

So how about this guy? I don't see any pommel strap around the handle of the blade. Does he have the blade in a scabbard or just slid into the holster?

Yikes! Charlie, looks to me like that one is just slid into the holster!

I would say that he uses the scabbard. You can see the web hanger of the scabbard between the handle and the belt. The strap is not closed, but the springs within the scabbard will hold the knife in its place. To hold the scabbard in place it seems to me that the guy strapped the holster and the scabbard tips together. Just have a look at the strap that goes through the eyelet at the tip of the holster.

With best regards, Jens

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To hold the scabbard in place it seems to me that the guy strapped the holster and the scabbard tips together. Just have a look at the strap that goes through the eyelet at the tip of the holster.

With best regards, Jens

 

I don't think so. From the throat to the tip, the M8 and the M8A1 scabbards are not long enough where the tip of the scabbard and the tip of the pistol holster could be tied together while the knife stays completely enclosed in the scabbard. If this was done, half of the knife would be sticking out of the scabbard, the way it's showing. Then, why bother?

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I've seen period photos of a well known US Army doctor who is show carrying a .45 pistol and F-S stiletto rigged up as described in this thread.

 

GREG,

If Im not mistaken wasnt the picture of med Capt. a surgeon from the 509th Parachute Infantry?I know I have seen some V42s from Force guys carried this way too.

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Here's a couple more examples:

Ketchens.jpg

CaptCool.jpg

 

 

Cal me stupid but that guy in the first pick looks like he is wearing a German cap with that round thing or what ever it was called on the front.

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Note the bend of the knife - USMC KaBar- due to wear alongside the pistol.

post-467-1191242299.jpg

 

post-467-1191242316.jpg

 

The marking on the reverse of the scabbard is :

 

Mc Carthy, F.R. PhM 2/c

837-55-73

 

If someone could help ID this marking, that would be greatly appreciated.

 

Andrei

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Note the bend of the knife - USMC KaBar- due to wear alongside the pistol.

post-467-1191242299.jpg

 

post-467-1191242316.jpg

 

The marking on the reverse of the scabbard is :

 

Mc Carthy, F.R. PhM 2/c

837-55-73

 

If someone could help ID this marking, that would be greatly appreciated.

 

Andrei

 

 

Looks to me like his name, rank (Pharmacist Mate, 2nd Class- Probably a corpsman) then his service number because its one digit short of being a SSN.

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Thanks a bunch Kyle !

That is a great help. This rig was buried deep in one of my footlocker and this thread reminded me that I had it.

I would have never figure by myself a corpsman.

Any chance that he had served in Vietnam ? As far I as can remember he was not listed on www.militaryusa.com

but this site is not fully exhaustive.

Cheers,

 

Andrei

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Note the bend of the knife - USMC KaBar- due to wear alongside the pistol.

post-467-1191242299.jpg

 

post-467-1191242316.jpg

 

The marking on the reverse of the scabbard is :

 

Mc Carthy, F.R. PhM 2/c

837-55-73

 

If someone could help ID this marking, that would be greatly appreciated.

 

Andrei

Ooops ! The correct serial number is : 837-55-37

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Hmmmm -- I think we are about there. Certainly the F-S scabbard would fit easily since it is narrow. The Ka-Bar does too, but I think that scabbard is thinner than the M8. Sure would like to see the latter in place, up close.

 

Thanx guys.

 

G

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