The Jet Pilots Survival Knife

[Brian Dentino]

On 5/14/2022 at 12:27 AM, doyler said:

 

Thats an early 6 inche JPK. Correct scabbard as well which are tough items to find if you need ine. Very nice example but the history is the diamind here.... thanks for posting.

 

Had a good friend who was in supply in a carrier back in 1960-63. Loved heating his stories. No wonder he was such a great guy when wheeling and dealing. He would tell me when they needed or ordered  items they would over order. If the needed 50 holsters he git 75-100. Same for knives etc. He said often the items would get "lost" in the way or end up being good trade stock.

Thanks Ron.  Certainly hold this item in high regard due to it being my dad's when he was in service.

[Hombre]

I got this one from a friend today and I must admit that I got confused....

A Camillus Jet Pilot Survival Knife 3-85 but in an Ontario Sheath... Gosh!!

Any opinions at all should be very much appreciated! 

[Vanski]

Nice blade and sheath. What does the writing say on the back of the scabbard?

 

Getting your blade back into a Camillus sheath should not be hard at all. Plenty still around. The PR's (riggers) would mix up stuff all the time. Maintaining originality was rhe farthest yhing from their minds.

[sactroop]

Hombre, this is a true story. I managed to get issued a JPSK while on active duty in 1976 in the Air Force.  The knife a 1974 Ontario was in a Camillus sheath.

IMHO, those Airmen assigned to supply can get a little bored from time to time and I think once and awhile things get taken out and played with and don't always end up exactly where they found them.  I still have the knife and sheath.

[Hombre]

Thank you guys! I really appreciate it!

The writing on the back of the sheath is Swedish and it says something like:  “I traded for this with an American May 13, 94”.

 

Sactroop, thank you very much for sharing your story. One of those things why I love this forum!!

 

After thinking for a while I think I will keep it as it is but should anyway, like to find the correct sheath for this JPSK… Anyone here who can help me with that? That should be great if it was possible!

[Vanski]

Try Frank Trzaska's website: http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/ He is a well known author and collector of everything USGI blades. His email is at the bottom of the for sale stuff. He is a frequent contributor to these forums. 

 

[sactroop]

Hombre, I forgot to congratulate you on now having an example of the earliest pommel dated Camillus, (1-1967) and the latest pommel dated Camillus, (3-1985) JPSK's in your collection.

[Hombre]

Very interesting information! Thank you so very much, sactroop! 

[mds308]

I found this earlier today.  It has a nice honest salty look.  The blade has a Parkerized type of finish and it's dated 1967.  

 

 

[Hombre]

No markings at all on this one... Must be a commercial knife...

Should really appreciate opinions...

[Vanski]

Count the grooves; handle looks wrong and sawback looks way too course to be USGI  IMHO.

[SKIPH]

Stefan- the JPK you have pictured is a commercial Japanese copy. SKIP

[Hombre]

Thank you, guys! I thought it was a commercial one but didn´t know it was made in Japan. The ones I have seen made in Japan have been marked with Japan but this one has no markings at all. 

Is it possible to say when it was made? 

 

Best,

Stefan

[Vanski]

Like a Kiffe Skip?

[Brian Dentino]

On 5/14/2022 at 12:27 AM, doyler said:

 

Thats an early 6 inche JPK. Correct scabbard as well which are tough items to find if you need ine. Very nice example but the history is the diamind here.... thanks for posting.

 

Had a good friend who was in supply in a carrier back in 1960-63. Loved heating his stories. No wonder he was such a great guy when wheeling and dealing. He would tell me when they needed or ordered  items they would over order. If the needed 50 holsters he git 75-100. Same for knives etc. He said often the items would get "lost" in the way or end up being good trade stock.

Funny you bring up your buddy that was in supply!  Let's just say my dad has a few stories of them "borrowing" from the officers supply pantry.....like borrowing ALL their sugar one time and getting dinged for it when they found out!  He worked as a boilerman so he was close to where the "goods" were stored.  Only his UDT commander saved him from getting a demotion for that one!!!!!

[Hombre]

I must admit that I am really confused. As I have been writing about earlier I got a Camillus

3-1985 but with an Ontario sheath. Then just now I saw  this Camillus  5-1984 with the correct Camillus sheath and I can´t see the difference between the two sheaths except that mine have a sticker which says Ontario and the other one have a marking which says Camillus otherwise I can´t see any difference. Please, help me out!  

I will not take away the sticker on my sheath but if I should could anyone se the difference between the two sheaths?

 

Best,

Stefan

[RWW]

The MIL- SPEC, or Military Specification that details how the knife is to be made, also details how the sheath is to be made. There is a very detailed set of drawing in the specification as well as what materials are to be used in making the sheath.  Both Camillus and Ontario were required to make the sheath to the same specifications, so both sheaths should look exactly alike except for the manufacturers labeling.  Google MIL-K-8662 and you should be able to find a copy of the specification and you will see the drawings.

 

 

[Hombre]

Thank you very much for your help, RWW! I really appreciate it!

 

Best,

Stefan

[Bladerunner]

Hello,

 

I purchased this knife in Forth Worth, Texas in 2015, it’s my first Marble’s knife.  I replaced a section of stitching on the sheath near the bottom that had been cut and frayed.  When I purchased it I thought it was odd that it had a military style pommel but thought it looked cool, only later after learning more about the knife did I realize it’s out of place.

The guard is a little loose and the first couple spacers will shift ever so slightly, any recommendations on how to tighten it back up?  Would adding a thin brass spacer to the front help?  I imagine the pommel comes off Lefty Loosie followed by all the spacers?

 

Thanks,

 

Nathan

[Bladerunner]

As an Edit to my previous post, just found a similar knife online with the same spacer pattern and hex style pommel which makes me wonder if mine is the  bastardized?

[sactroop]

Your knife is of the correct configuration for that particular knife.

Long story short, and forgive me if I'm only repeating things you already know, but marbles first created the model knife that became the "Jet Pilot's Survival Knife" in the 1950's but lost the Government contract to Camillus fairly early on.  Marble's continued producing this commercial version of that knife for years.  

It often gets mis-represented as the rare military version and it's hard to tell when that is done deliberately or just someone not knowing better.  

Marble's can be hard to find solid information on many of it's knives.

I tend to think the knife you pictured from the internet maybe a piece that was reworked.  That particular blade style from Marble's often came with different pommel types and shapes.  That isn't the first example I've seen with the hex-nut shaped pommel, but it is unusual.

Sometimes a loose guard can be snugged back up by running some thread under the guard between the spacers.

[MarkMcM]

Hello All, 

 

Out at a gun show this morning, I found a Camillus blade marked 5” JPK in this odd black scabbard.  Any ideas?

 

 

[MarkMcM]

stone marked as follows:

 

 

[VNAMVET70]

Mark, Your scabbard looks like a modified 1967 Camillus Jet Pilots Survival Knife scabbard. Appears it was died black. Then, tan leather pieces were attached top and bottom. The stone appears like an unused original stone. I am comparing your scabbard to my 1967 Camillus JPSK.

[Vanski]

Looks like they were trying to reinforce the original scabbard. Under the tan pieces the holes are probably pulled out.