Question: purpuseful marks

[IronJohnLogan]

I am wondering if there is any historical provenance for men marking their knives/tools during WWII for their personal endeavors. Such as the hash marks one sees on wild west gunslingers pistol grips....
I am working on a commission re-handling a serviceman's grandfather's Western Co shark pup that the grandfather carried during WWII in the Pacific Theatre. We are planning on re-stacking the handle with period plastics that match the campaign ribbons that his grandfather earned while carrying the knife, and we are trying to find a way of symbolizing the bronze stars he earned while still keeping the overall feel of the knife historical.

Hope all of you here can help or give some awesome insight into the best way to do this!
Thanks

[sactroop]

Looks like a 66 blade pattern, probably an L66. Can you read the tang stamp on the knife?

[IronJohnLogan]

I do not have the knife in hand yet (still in research phase), so this is as close as we get. I believe it is an L66 but I could be wrong

[Sgt. BARney]

How about inlaying some bronze stars into the plastic on each ribbon? You could make some from brass or bronze - might give it a "trench art" look. The stars could set flush with the surface of the plastic, or allowed to stick up above it slightly.

 

Maybe wrap twisted wire around the handle to represent a campaign star. You see that on some old sword handles, and I always thought it looked nice.

[usmce4]

WWII was before my time, when I was in, '62 - '67 some of the guys used to engrave the names of places or battles they were in on the back of their sheath. But Sgt Barney's suggestion sounds good too.

Art