SARGE Posted January 7, 2007 Share #1 Posted January 7, 2007 Gents, It seems that there are several types, and makers, of 1918 US Knuckle knives. I thought I would show this one that I received as a gift last year. My in-laws were having some tile work done in their house and one of the workmen had this knife in his tool box. My father-in-law talked him out of it for a cup of coffee or a cold beer or some such treat and promptly mailed it to me. Gotta love those in-laws! This knife is one of the ones made in France in 1918 by Au Lion. It looks to have been ground dug but is in decent condition. No scabbard came with it but hey... the price was right! It is thought by some that these French manufactured knives were possibly the only ones that really made it into the fight during WWI as most of the others were still on the boat from the US. I don't know. It does seem that this one is ground dug and very probably did see combat. It just goes to show that interesting militaria is still out there waiting to be discovered by us collectors. Anyone else with similar knuckle knives to show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordfish Posted January 7, 2007 Share #2 Posted January 7, 2007 Well, It sounds like the price was right. She's a little salty, but none-the-less a legitimiate piece. I love the Mark-I's. They are great pieces and have really come into thier own regarding price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Robinson Posted January 7, 2007 Share #3 Posted January 7, 2007 CONGRATS!!!!!!!!! It's an honest looking piece and this was you don't have to agonize over whether or not it's a fake. Here's a pic of the LF&C version Model of 1918 Mk 1 that missed the boat to France in WW1 and in WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SARGE Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted January 7, 2007 Swordfish, You are right, there is something to be said for one-look originality. I am not a relic collector by any means but some of these ground dug weapons do seem to speak to me. I can put up with salty. Kabar, That is a keeper! Nice straight prongs on the scabbard (which seem to bend just one to many times and break off) and in great condition. These were also made by O.L.C. were they not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Robinson Posted January 7, 2007 Share #5 Posted January 7, 2007 Kabar, That is a keeper! Nice straight prongs on the scabbard (which seem to bend just one to many times and break off) and in great condition. These were also made by O.L.C. were they not? Oneida (OCL) made a few as did Henry Disston & Sons (HD&S). But those are extremely rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayonetman Posted January 7, 2007 Share #6 Posted January 7, 2007 It is not generally realized that these knives were designed to be worn on the INSIDE of the cartridge belt. It must have been extremely uncomfortable when worn in that fashion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ad82recon Posted January 7, 2007 Share #7 Posted January 7, 2007 Hey Greg..do you remember that "fake" H D and S i sent to you for evaluation....so even fakes exist of the rare H D and S Mk1 knives Nearly got caught with that one.....thanks to the collective help of some of the senior members of this forum a few years ago. Nice picture Gary.... Regards Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SARGE Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #8 Posted January 8, 2007 Kabar, Yes, Oneida Cutlery not OLC. I got my fingers on the wrong keys. I have never seen a HD&S marked one. Bayonetman, Great photograph! I guess the uncomfortableness (if that is a word) of wearing it in this manner is why we see the ones with the left side of the guard ground off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Robinson Posted January 8, 2007 Share #9 Posted January 8, 2007 Kabar, Yes, Oneida Cutlery not OLC. I got my fingers on the wrong keys. I have never seen a HD&S marked one. Bayonetman, Great photograph! I guess the uncomfortableness (if that is a word) of wearing it in this manner is why we see the ones with the left side of the guard ground off. Oneida has an unusual name according to my reference which is M H COLE's "US Military Knives, Bayonets, and Macheres Book III". It's Oneida Community Ltd maker mark "OCL". I think Henry Disston primiarily makes tools. I own an old hand saw made by them. Only example I've seen turned out to be a fake sold by a reputatable dealer to Lloyd which he immediately returned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solcarlus Posted January 9, 2007 Share #10 Posted January 9, 2007 hello. are you the pictures in action? thank you solcarlus my MKI knif. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solcarlus Posted January 9, 2007 Share #11 Posted January 9, 2007 hello. are you the pictures in action? thank you solcarlus my MKI knif. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1sg Posted October 3, 2011 Share #12 Posted October 3, 2011 Thanks for the info on wearing the trench knife. I had wondered about this for many years. Mystery solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joefriday22 Posted October 4, 2011 Share #13 Posted October 4, 2011 Great photograph! I guess the uncomfortableness (if that is a word) of wearing it in this manner is why we see the ones with the left side of the guard ground off. In WW2 soldiers would ground off the left side of the guard so that the knife would fit in a M8 or M6 scabbard. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gecko NZ Posted October 6, 2011 Share #14 Posted October 6, 2011 check this out, http://youtu.be/ixYBFmV5hsU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misfit 45 Posted October 6, 2011 Share #15 Posted October 6, 2011 check this out, http://youtu.be/ixYBFmV5hsU That was incredible!!! What a find, amazing for a whole host of reasons!! Thanks for showing the link. Marv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joefriday22 Posted October 6, 2011 Share #16 Posted October 6, 2011 Painful to watch that guy not knowing what he was talking about. Notice that both sides of the guard were ground off. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gecko NZ Posted October 6, 2011 Share #17 Posted October 6, 2011 Painful to watch that guy not knowing what he was talking about. Notice that both sides of the guard were ground off. Rob i know what you mean but no one can be an expert in every area they obviously had never seen one before and gave their best opinion at the time based on the circumstances where it was found, he got it in the end though, send him a message if you think he missed something, he is really friendly and his videos are very very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joefriday22 Posted October 6, 2011 Share #18 Posted October 6, 2011 i know what you mean but no one can be an expert in every area they obviously had never seen one before and gave their best opinion at the time based on the circumstances where it was found, he got it in the end though his videos are very very interesting. Agreed. I watched a few more of his videos..very interesting. Amazing that human remains are still scattered around like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony-in-NH Posted October 6, 2011 Share #19 Posted October 6, 2011 Kabar, Yes, Oneida Cutlery not OLC. I got my fingers on the wrong keys. I have never seen a HD&S marked one. Bayonetman, Great photograph! I guess the uncomfortableness (if that is a word) of wearing it in this manner is why we see the ones with the left side of the guard ground off. Here is an H.D.&S. MK1 for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gecko NZ Posted October 7, 2011 Share #20 Posted October 7, 2011 Agreed. I watched a few more of his videos..very interesting. Amazing that human remains are still scattered around like that. some of the caves he finds he can never find again, i think the one that blew me away was the foot high tank in the cave, have a look at that one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joefriday22 Posted October 7, 2011 Share #21 Posted October 7, 2011 some of the caves he finds he can never find again, i think the one that blew me away was the foot high tank in the cave, have a look at that one Do you have a link for that one? Thanks,. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gecko NZ Posted October 7, 2011 Share #22 Posted October 7, 2011 Do you have a link for that one? Thanks,. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sauer308 Posted October 10, 2011 Share #23 Posted October 10, 2011 I have one also. I would love to carry it on a regular basis just for effect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sauer308 Posted October 10, 2011 Share #24 Posted October 10, 2011 Again the yellow/orange film is cosmoline. I remember sneaking up into grandpap's attic to play with these relics! Is that blood on there grandpap? "Yeah boy it's blood!" Good lord that had to have been forty years ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joefriday22 Posted October 10, 2011 Share #25 Posted October 10, 2011 Here's mine: Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now