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Western G-46-8 Knife with 8” Blade


thorin6
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Picked this up this weekend; I’ve looked at several of these over the years, but never saw one until now that matched condition with a price I was willing to pay. I believe these were mostly private purchase items, although Coles Book III says that thousands were made for the Army and Navy. This one came in a good condition original scabbard, retains about 80% of its original blue finish (mostly gone near the tip), and the leather washers are tight. The guard is a bit loose, and a couple of the plastic washers just underneath the guard have small breaks. The marking is WESTERN over PAT’D. It has been sharpened by someone that knew what they were doing making it very sharp.

 

 

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I think this knife should command a higher price. Western knives with blued blade ,,,don't get better . 46-8 was found on the beach at Nonmindy during the June 6th invasion. Another bit I read......

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One of my favorite type WWII era fighting knives . They have outstanding fit and finish and feel great in your hand with the massive 8" blade .............

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They are beautiful knives. I think the western blue was unsurpassed. The only problem with their knives was the split leather handle. From what I've read it was a flawed design and did not hold up very well to moisture or abuse. After looking at and owning many examples as a collector I agree. Moisture gets in there and rust starts forming on the tang parts and over time it destroys or cracks the handles from the inside out.

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One of the requirements I had in getting one of these was finding a decent sheath. Many of the ones I looked at didn't have a sheath, had the wrong sheath, or had a bad condition sheath which didn't seem to affect the asking price. I've also wondered why the double tang. I've seen several where the leather washers split from the inside and only half the washer was left, much as ccyooper pointed out. I have a near mint blued Western shark knife and the only minus is the "patina" on the tang.

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I agree with everyone! These are great knives, wish I had found one when I was in the army. like the 8" blade. But, the scabbards in my mind leave much to be desired. I don't see how they would hold up to any hard use. SKIP

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I've wondered if there were at least conversations between Boker USA and Western. At the time that Boker was making their double tang knife, the Western patient was actively in place.

 

A good quality U.S. knife sheath during WW2 was the exception to the rule at large. I doubt anyone was concerned with how well they would hold up 70 years after the fact.

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Actually I own a couple of western books somewhere and in one of them it details the double tang. They patented the double tang and thought it was a great design at the time. I'll have to see if I can find the books and reread what it said exactly. If i recall correctly it may have also had something to do with boker changing their m3.

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Let's face it,the only thing you might gain with a double tang is lighter weight. Less steel in the handle,lower cost? You might have a balance problem or better balance.

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I came across this excerpt from a knife forum discussing Western`s role in knife making during the time in question and Bokers Split tang.

It reads as follows: In the 1930s and 1940s, Western States made hunting knives for a variety of cutlery manufacturers and distributors who did not want to tool up to make their own. Some were marked WESTERN STATES (such as the ones made for Adolph Blaich & Co., who sold them to the Navy and Marine Corps exchanges). Others, such as this knife, were marked with a brand of the firm they were made for. Recently in <i>Knife World</i> I showed some knives made by Western, marked with this patent number, that were made for H. Boker & Co. of Maplewood, New Jersey.

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Thinking more about it,a double tang may be more resistant to bending. Maybe someone should sacrifice a 46-8 and a Kabar and do a bend test? Any volunteers?

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Harlow Platts opening paragraph of his patent application December 15, 1931 reads as follows: " This invention relates to the construction of tools, its main object being to provide a novel and simple method of forming a handle for the tool, which is durable, strong and inexpensive and which cannot be displaced or loosened". Patent# 1,967,479 was granted July 24 1934.

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He probably didn`t envision, that lets say, 50 years after his knives were made that they would even be around much less the handles coming loose.

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My Westerns run around 50 to 70 years old. As far as loose parts in the hilt they don't seem to happen anymore frequently than the stick tang knives from the other manufactures. I usually associate loose guards or pommels with shrunken leather.

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