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An Unissued Imperial Pilot Survival Knife


Charlie Flick
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Charlie Flick

Guys:

The pilot/aircrew knives have always been a favorite of mine, and the Jet Pilot Knives in particular. However, the earlier Pilot Survival Knives of the 1950s have not gotten as much attention as the JPKs. Frank Trzaska did much to properly identify the Pilot Survival Knives for collectors when he wrote about them in Knife World some years ago. This illuminated the subject as Cole's Book III had them incorrectly listed as Navy Mark I variants.

This Imperial Knife Co. example is one that I picked up long ago. As it was in its original wrapper I could not resist it when I ran across it. As can be seen the wrapper (which was already opened when I made the buy) is dated August, 1954. I had some time this weekend to take some pics of it so here are a few.

Imperial Pilot Survival Knife package.jpg

The blade marking.

Imperial Pilot Survival Knife marking.jpg

Imperial Pilot Survival Knife left.jpg

Imperial Pilot Survival Knife right .jpg

Regards,
Charlie Flick

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Charlie, beautiful knife. I really like it that you have the packaging. I've thought for a long time that the sheath with the notch in it was standard issue and correct with either a strait guard or bent guard pilots knife. Some of my knife friends thought those sheaths were only correct for the pilots knives that had the bent (M3 style) guard.
Since both types of sheaths exist and so many of the knifes show up either naked or with an after market sheath it's been hard to know.

 

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Charlie

 

OUTSTANDING :twothumbup: I am sure this will be a first view for many of us. Thank you so much for taking the time to photo and post a fine JP.

WOW!

 

Tony

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Frank Trzaska

Charlie,

Beautiful knife and love that packaging! Thank you for posting it with the nomenclature showing!

 

All the best

Frank Trzaska

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Charlie Flick

You guys seemed to enjoy seeing the packaging on the Imperial Pilot Survival Knife above, so I thought you might like this pic as well. It shows the sealed packaging for a Shrade-Walden Cutlery Co. Pilot Survival Knife dated October 1956. I wish this one was in my collection as well but it already has a good home at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola. (Photo credit NMNA).

Regards,
Charlie Flick

Pilot Survival Knife Schrade-Walden Cutlery Co credit NMNA ed.jpg

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  • 5 years later...

Always good to see the packaging, makes me check things a little closer at gun & militaria shows. Thanks for showing all those

little beauties. SKIP

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  • 4 years later...

I have acquired this knife at a thrift store and read this story a while back and would like to share a few photos of this knife and welcome any info on this knife being I can't find not a whole lot on this except this thread on this site...

 

 

Thanks...

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Charlie Flick
1 hour ago, Geno said:

 I can't find not a whole lot on this except this thread on this site...

 

Hello Geno:

 

Welcome to the Forum.  You will like it here.

 

As it happens there are in fact several very informative threads on the Pilot Survival Knife here on the forum.  Here is one that I thought might be especially useful for you in your search for more information on these interesting blades.

 

 

Regards,

Charlie

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Charlie Flick

Besides being handsome, useful blades the Pilot Survival Knives are fun for collectors as they have several variants to chase, apart from the 3 manufacturers (Imperial, Schrade and Camillus).  There are bent guards like the M3 style vs. straight guards; variations in the markings such as the CAMILLUS and CAMILLUS N.Y. versions, and the IMPERIAL with a crown vs. the IMPERIAL in block letters; differences in the coloration of the end spacers; and the two types of sheaths.  There are even civilian versions of this knife.  Most collectors would be satisfied with nice examples of the blades by the 3 makers while the fanatics among us (me included) like to seek out the versions with the small, some would say insignificant variations.

 

Regards,

Charlie

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I know what you mean Charlie, it's like eating a great cookie, just can't stop with just one... lol 

Been collecting for some years and have a few I have found but always looking for something unique... We all want to find something that is hard to attain. I will post in the proper locals in this forum...

 

 

Cheers, 

Geno

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