So What Happened Here?

[thorin6]

Another knife from the estate sale this week (still two more to work on). Only paid $2 for this one, at first I thought it was another 1944 US Army steel 4-blade knife with the screw-driver on the same side as the main blade. It was a little rusty, and as I opened it up I didn't find the can opener and punch as I expected, but two can openers. No markings on either, and no markings on any part of the knife. So how did it end up with two can openers? Any thoughts?

[bellasilva]

That was one thirsty soldier! Honestly no idea but that's pretty neat

[Bodes]

Obviously a manufacturing flaw.....Bodes

[camillus]

maybe it was made on a Friday, nice find

[SKIPH]

Most unique! That's a rarity! SKIP

[thorin6]

Obviously a manufacturing flaw.....Bodes

 

I would hope so; if it wasn't I'd really question what was going on.

As for the knife, I wonder how the mistake was made. Perhaps a can opener got into the punch box and was picked out by mistake, or possibly the punch box was empty, and the worker putting the knife together had to keep the line moving and get paid that day. Most likely this knife went into a shipping container and was delivered to the depot without anyone spotting the "modification." I wonder what the GI thought when he got his knife with the two can openers.

 

[ccyooper]

Neat anomaly. Maybe it was made post war with all the extra parts they had on hand and were sold commercially like the other fixed blade knives,etc.

[blitz67]

I think I would also go with post war, are those blades rusty? They look very low quality.

[sactroop]

Seems more likely to me for it being War time production. The screw driver blade is in the earlier placement at the end of the knife with the main blade. Also the WW2 blades were made of carbon steel and are usually seen either darkened with time if not outright corroded.

The knives that are bail marked ULSTER-48 that I've gotten all seem to be either plated blades or possibly stainless steel, (the back side of all the blades have an "S" stamped on them". I feel like there is a less clear picture of these knives from the end of the War to around 1957.

[Burkhard45]

Looks to me to either be later WWII or Korean War era

[thorin6]

I don't believe this knife to be a commercial version, and except for the 1949 Camillus they weren't produced for the military after 1945 until 1957. Also, as sactroop points out (and I pointed out) the screw driver is on the same side as the knife blade in 1944. It was switched over to the opposite side in 1945 and remained there for the rest of production, both for the civilian versions (as best I know) and for military versions in 1945, 1949, and from 1957 on. The can openers on this one are unmarked; interestingly all my 1944 steel knives have the can openers marked with either the words "Can Opener" or "Can Opener" and "Pat Pend." However my 1945 steel knives all have can openers that are unmarked.

I believe this to simply be a mistake that made it through the inspection process in 1944, however, if someone can show differently, please feel free to present the evidence.