Vietnam USMC Mark 1 Trench Knife

[Still-A-Marine]

I was reading some old notes/articles I had copied over the years and it made me think of a knife I have had in my collection for several years. This is what I was reading from Frank Trzaska's Knife Knotes;

 

Vietnam Knuckle Knives

By

Frank Trzaska



"During the Blade Show ‘98 in Atlanta this past year a talk was given on military knives in Vietnam. The speaker was Mike Farrell a Special Forces veteran. According to Mike some of the knives in use were made up by the company armorer specifically for them. Using a common USN / USMC Mark 2 blade and a 1918 brass knuckle handle from the 1918 Mark 1 Trench knife. These knives were used in the field as well as being "trade bait" for rear echelon types. The handles were original when available but more often cheap reproductions then, and still, available. Don't pass up one of these Mark 2's believing it to be something recently put together. The guards were ground off on one side allowing them to be held in the common leather or hard plastic Navy scabbards. A unique story and a not so unique knife as they had many made from the Vietnam period."

 

 

Here is a knife I picked up in 2008. I don't know if its real or pure fantasy. According to my notes I got it at a garage sale for $25. Looks like a Mark 1 Trench Knife handle with a J & D M5 blade? It was in a PWH M8A1 scabbard. I assumed it was a pure fantasy piece when I bought it. But it had a USMC marking on one side and VN 65 on the other. I had not read Frank's article at the time.

 

Bill

 

 

[Still-A-Marine]

more pics

 

[USMC RAIDER COLLECTOR]

Pretty neat.

[Tony V]

Bill

 

Excellent score! Very nice addition to any collection. Thanks for posting Franks article I do hope many see it as I am sure many of us would just wonder about finds like this. Great infromation.

 

Tony

[Still-A-Marine]

I'd really like some opinions on the handle and blade. Real, fake, etc..

[militariaone]

I'd really like some opinions on the handle and blade. Real, fake, etc..

Greetings Bill,

 

Since you asked for opinions here’s mine at least referencing the handle. As you must know by now, I tend to become fixated on the font’s styles and spacing when reviewing these knives. Your posted handle appears a close match with the “Combat Ready” trademarked reproduction. http://www.hand-tools.com/product-detail.php?prodnum=BRK-CO032 If you allow for the heavy grinding/reworking of the handle, ground down skull crusher’s tip, a replaced blade, and the slightly different angles’ of the two pictures’ orientations; I believe the handles’ fonts’ styles and spacing are about as close to an exact match as I may offer. Please, note the comparison image of the two below. Opinion complete.

 

Regards,

 

Lance

 

[bayonetman]

The blade is very likely an M5 or M5A1 made by J&D Tool. Very typical of their work although the radius runout seems a little rough.

 

The handle is not WW1 by AuLion or LF&C. Looks something like this one shown by Frank Trzaska in the Fakes and Reproductions section.

 

[Still-A-Marine]

Thanks Lance and Gary. That was my thoughts exactly. A real J&D Tool Co. M5 blade and a reproduction handle. Frank's notes say most were "more often cheap reproductions."

 

Now the question I have is does it look recent or could it really be from 1965?

 

Bill

[Cromwell]

Imo,not 65 maybe 05.

 

The repros from 1965 were more like a lf&c / rounded au lion style. That version you have is a casting that showed up around 2005.

[SKIPH]

I agree with Cromwell. Much later handle. SKIP

[Still-A-Marine]

Thanks guys. That's what I wanted to know.

 

Bill

[Still-A-Marine]

More information on this knife. The man who made it was in my detachment of the Marine Corps League. I was at his visitation (he passed just a short while ago) and I was talking to his son who is currently a SSgt in the USMC. His father had served in the Marines in Vietnam in 65. He had made three of these knives for his son and two of his buddies in the same platoon. One left Afghanistan early due to a family emergency so never got the knife. That is the knife I have. His son brought it back to him and he sold to me at his garage sale. Anyway he made the 3 knives with reproduction handles.

 

I have since been over to the house and seen his work shop. He had bits and pieces of knives and bayonets all over the place. I tried to give the knife back to the son but he wouldn't take it. He still has and carries the one his dad made for him.

 

So mystery solved. I knew he was a machinist by trade but did not know he dabbled in making knives on the side.

 

Bill

[SKIPH]

Bill- Real interesting story. Thanks for passing it on. SKIP

[1563621]

Thanks for a great story.