Numbered V-42

[rmoore456]

Here is my latest pick up. The sheath had been folded and tied with a thong which has broken.

 

 

Ray

[rmoore456]

More.

 

 

Ray

[rmoore456]

Engravings.

 

 

Ray

[SKIPH]

Ray- Cool! Thanks for showing! SKIP

[Tony V]

Ray

 

Very nice addition to your collection. Congratulations

 

Tony

[doyler]

Great piece Ray.

 

Any story behinde it?

[sundance]

Boy, that is nice. Can I ask, was it from a dealer, an individual, an antique shop?

[camillus]

nice knife congrats on your find

[Big Bill]

Beautiful knife wish I could find one like that congratulations well done

[rmoore456]

Great piece Ray.

 

Any story behinde it?

 

It came with an officer uniform which they claimed the man carried the knife. It was obvious they didn't go together. Other than that I don't know anything yet.

 

Ray

[rmoore456]

Boy, that is nice. Can I ask, was it from a dealer, an individual, an antique shop?

 

It came from an auction. It wasn't the estate of the vet. All they said was the owner was selling the farm and moving. I think he was a collector of everything. Lots of trains and other stuff. There was more military, not a lot, but nice stuff.

 

Ray

[byf41]

Nice knife in the correct "long" sheath . Congratulations .

[sactroop]

Glad it found a good home.

[V42]

Nice V42. Rest assured, it has the correct markings as to how Case did them. A large 'U.' and a small 's.' with everything hand stamped included the number's. As they say, textbook.! In case you don't know, only around the first 500 or so V42's had serial number's but seeing as though they did not need any accountability to them, they stopped numbering them at around 500. The highest one I have ever seen was 501. The lowest one I seen was numbered 175. The serial number's should only be on the long ricasso knives, third type, not the short ricasso ones, forth type. A little later in the production run, the workmanship deteriorated in the way the thumbprint was made on the long ricasso one's. They still are good but you can tell the difference in workmanship. The V42 is the highest quality fighting knife made during the war. A great find but they are not pulling as much as they did a few years ago but are holding their own. Overall the knife looks super with the long scabbard which was the second one they used with these knives and the ones you see the most. The first scabbard being a rare bird as is the third type they used. Hold on to it as the value will come back as they are the most desirable fighting knives of WW2. Anymore questions, ask me and I'll answer you.

 

Bill

[odiestreasures]

I have one sn 502. I got this along with a number of items from a FSSF vetern many years ago. It was the one he was issued and carried throughout the war.

 

 

Odell

[rmoore456]

I have possibly id'd the original owner of the V-42. On the back of the sheath is the initials NES and 43. Searching the Force roster I came up with Norman E. Schultz of 4-3.

 

 

Ray

[HOLZI]

Nice V42. Rest assured, it has the correct markings as to how Case did them. A large 'U.' and a small 's.' with everything hand stamped included the number's. As they say, textbook.! In case you don't know, only around the first 500 or so V42's had serial number's but seeing as though they did not need any accountability to them, they stopped numbering them at around 500. The highest one I have ever seen was 501. The lowest one I seen was numbered 175. The serial number's should only be on the long ricasso knives, third type, not the short ricasso ones, forth type. A little later in the production run, the workmanship deteriorated in the way the thumbprint was made on the long ricasso one's. They still are good but you can tell the difference in workmanship. The V42 is the highest quality fighting knife made during the war. A great find but they are not pulling as much as they did a few years ago but are holding their own. Overall the knife looks super with the long scabbard which was the second one they used with these knives and the ones you see the most. The first scabbard being a rare bird as is the third type they used. Hold on to it as the value will come back as they are the most desirable fighting knives of WW2. Anymore questions, ask me and I'll answer you.

 

Bill

 

Looks great Ray, it's too bad that Casey is no longer with us, he'd love to see it!

[V42]

Now I know there is a number 502 out there. Don't think there would be any higher but you never know. They quit numbering them at around 500 but no one really knows for sure just where it ended so it stands to reason there may be up to say number 510 running around. They didn't need any accountably on them so the numbering stopped. You won't see a serial number on the short ricasso as they were made later and only the first 500 in the production run were numbered. All of the long ricasso style.

[rocksome]

Awesome pick-up there, the only thing I seem to pick up are nails in my tires.

[blitzkrieg gsd]

Wow I just saw this thread I'm a big fan of the V42 probably my favorite fighting knife of the era. This one has a look to it that makes me think it saw some action. And it's numbered a early production very nice. Just don't get much better then this one.

[doyler]

Wow I just saw this thread I'm a big fan of the V42 probably my favorite fighting knife of the era. This one has a look to it that makes me think it saw some action. And it's numbered a early production very nice. Just don't get much better then this one.

The numbering was done by the FSSF and not factory applied.These numbered ones most likely all saw action or carried by a Forceman.I have one carried and attributed to a 2nd Regiment man and its in the mid 200 range.I have always wondered if the numbering corresponded to the Regiment or company in some form.I recall one of our members knew one of the Force members tasked in stamping the knives.

 

I am intrested to learn also about the long and short versions of the knifes ricasso as these were ground by hand and have seen variations in grind depth and length.

[Wake1941]

Beautiful knife an excellent pickup. I would love to eventually be able to put one of these into my collection

[blitzkrieg gsd]

Doyler those are some good questions I would like to know the answer to myself. I have always been a fan of these knifes but never knew a lot about the history of them. Where they issued to,certain,units or private purchase pieces how did a guy come to have one? Also did the Army and Marines both have a chance to own one or where they only given to one branch? There's all kinds of questions I would like to have answers to about these bad boys.

[doyler]

They were designed and intended for the FSSF.The scabbard design being long to extend below winter/mountain

clothing being worn.Specifcally the ski parkas.The Force initially was organized and trained to be dropped into Norway to destroy a heavy water plant called Operation Plough.The men often modified the scabbard by cutting them down and I have personally known two veterans and handled their knives which were in the standard M6 scabbard used for the M3 trench knife.

 

THERE were a batch of these attributed to the USS Omaha and often seen in the shorter scabbard like the Marine Raiders stiletto. THE OMAHA knives were said to be part of a shore party or landing force issue.The scabbards are often seen with USS Omaha hand stamped on the scabbard.

 

There is a V42 posted on the forum that a glider pilot had and here in a museum we have one donated by a 113th cavalry vet.Hard to say how the knives ended up in some units or persons hands.There are rumors some were even reissued to some Korean war era Rangers.

 

With the Force being disbanded during the war and many going back to Canadian units and Some of the US men to airborne units in the ETO the knives were taken with them.My numbered one ended up in the 82nd when the vet transferred there.

[rmoore456]

The numbering was done by the FSSF and not factory applied.These numbered ones most likely all saw action or carried by a Forceman.I have one carried and attributed to a 2nd Regiment man and its in the mid 200 range.I have always wondered if the numbering corresponded to the Regiment or company in some form.I recall one of our members knew one of the Force members tasked in stamping the knives.

 

I am intrested to learn also about the long and short versions of the knifes ricasso as these were ground by hand and have seen variations in grind depth and length.

 

Yes, one of the members here knew a Forceman tasked with numbering the knives. From what I have been told there was no record of who received which knife. If he wants to chime in I will let him.

 

Ray