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WWII 4 Piece USMC Pocket Knife


dramos
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Hello all,

 

I have had this pocket knife for a year or two. It is the four piece utility knife made for the USMC by Imperial.

 

Blade is marked...

 

First Line: Imperial

Second Line: Prov. RI

 

As you can see it isn't in the best shape, but it still opens easily and is solid.

 

My question for you all is have you ever seen these with an original hanger? The hanger snap is marked RAU Fastener, and I know that RAU was a large contractor of military snaps and fastening material, especially USMC camouflage material. The knife was purchased with the hanger from a longtime picker/junker/antique dealer friend of mine. He got it as is, I believe from a garage sale. I realize this is a story, but for what I bought it for I can't imagine there was any other reason to add the hanger.

 

I have never found anything online to prove that this is in fact an original hanger/clip, however what got me thinking this was something I read in "Grunt Gear" by Alec Tulkoff.

 

On page 233, the pocket knives are mentioned with a few photos. The excerpt from the book reads as follows...

 

"A January 15, 1942 memo from the Marine Corps Quartermaster to the Depot Quartermaster, Philadelphia stated that an order of 2,040 knives, pocket had been authorized. The Depot Quartermaster was to manufacture sufficient lanyards for the order of pocketknives. These lanyards were to be distributed equally between the Philadelphia and San Francisco Depots. The type of pocketknife is unknown, but it is believed to have been the bone-handled variety with a circular "USMC" shield."

 

I know that not all of you have this book, but for those that do please take a look and tell me what you think. I know the clip does not look like a traditional lanyard, but is it possible that this is what they are referring to? Anyone ever seen one of heard whispers about it?

 

-Doug

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  • 2 weeks later...

First off, the hanger depicted is not a "lanyard". The lanyard referred to in the book is likely something more like a string or thin rope, much like the para cord issue with the airborne knives. I have collected Marine Corps for a long time and have never seen a hanger like this associated with this knife. Plus, the hanger really doesn't display the same level of age as the knife. Sorry, but IMO the hanger has nothing to do with this knife. Kevin

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Doug first off congratulations on the knife. I'm still looking for an example to add to my collection. I stayed quite about this because I had nothing to add, and was hoping to learn more from others on the forum. Glad you came back on this thread to remind me to comment on the knife itself.

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First off, the hanger depicted is not a "lanyard". The lanyard referred to in the book is likely something more like a string or thin rope, much like the para cord issue with the airborne knives. I have collected Marine Corps for a long time and have never seen a hanger like this associated with this knife. Plus, the hanger really doesn't display the same level of age as the knife. Sorry, but IMO the hanger has nothing to do with this knife. Kevin

 

Kevin,

 

Thank you for the input. Yes, I do realize this is not a traditional hanger, which is why I stated that in the original post. However, it strikes me as odd that they would be so specific in regards to "lanyards" and then have it just be a piece of leather string.

 

I have never seen anything like it and can't find a damn thing online other than the vague portion of the book. Its too bad there was not some kind of mock up next to the QM request.

 

-Doug

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Doug first off congratulations on the knife. I'm still looking for an example to add to my collection. I stayed quite about this because I had nothing to add, and was hoping to learn more from others on the forum. Glad you came back on this thread to remind me to comment on the knife itself.

 

Thank you! It is a very cool knife, such a classic look put into military use. Fingers crossed someone will know!

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Though I do not have a specific answer to the question at hand, I do think it might be possibly over analyzing. You have to consider that the US Government purchased four bladed jackknives on a average of about .70 cents each. To fabricate a special lanyard would not be economical to the actual cost of the knife itself to lets say like the 1917 pistol lanyard that has a metal clip crimped to a shellacked woven cord. To make such an article, that would cost about .15 cents or more, its not worth the expense. It's possible, that is the complex type lanyard your thinking about.

To my knowledge, no complex lanyard was ever procured or fabricated for a jackknife. I do understand that the quote says the Phila. Depot will make them, but this I think you have to consider as "passing the buck". This meaning that when they are delivered lanyards will be provided and applied locally. All jackknives procured during the war effort being procured by the Navy Department, which the USMC was under, required a clevis for attachment of a lanyard. The key factor here is that the contractor was not required to supply one.

Here is an example of one excerpt from a US Navy specification.

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The chain or cord would had been supplied and applied locally once the deliveries were executed.

Here is another excerpt from a Navy supply catalog addressing lanyards, this is just a simple 3-foot cotton cord being specified.

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This purchase of pocket knives by the USMC, I view, follow Navy department criteria. Whom ever drafted that document made it sound more in depth than it actually was, the wording makes you want to read into it too far. I also believe if lanyards were ever made for this order I'm willing to bet it was just a cotton or leather cord threaded through the clevis and the two ends tied in a knot.

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Dustin,

 

That is wonderful. Thank you for such an in depth response. Everything you say certainly does make sense, especially the reference to the cost to make such a clip would be far to high.

 

Are the screenshots you supplied something available online, or do you have a book?

 

-Doug

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Hello Doug, the screenshots are records from my personal archive. I clipped out the pertinent information relative to the discussion.

Several other observations about your knife that I failed to include in my previous response is that I'm certain that this is not the 2,000 authorized in that memo. Your knife looks to be manufactured of all steel components, jackknives manufactured previously to WWII and into utilized brass in its components, the change to steel occurred much later in the year 1942 into 1943. Your knife was procured under the specifications of the US Army engineer type, these are identified most commonly by the USA stamped shield. Imperial made theirs identical but with a slightly different can opener having that ball instead of a bent tang like on the Camillus version, and obviously changed to style of shield.

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Hello Doug, the screenshots are records from my personal archive. I clipped out the pertinent information relative to the discussion.

Several other observations about your knife that I failed to include in my previous response is that I'm certain that this is not the 2,000 authorized in that memo. Your knife looks to be manufactured of all steel components, jackknives manufactured previously to WWII and into utilized brass in its components, the change to steel occurred much later in the year 1942 into 1943. Your knife was procured under the specifications of the US Army engineer type, these are identified most commonly by the USA stamped shield. Imperial made theirs identical but with a slightly different can opener having that ball instead of a bent tang like on the Camillus version, and obviously changed to style of shield.

 

Dustin,

 

I very much appreciate the clarification! I have wondered about it since I bought it and you have helped tremendously.

 

Thank you.

 

-Doug

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