Case Tested M445R: Ancestor of the Mil-K Knife?

[bobcat87]

The Boy Scout Knife was a huge success in 1911 when it was introduced by New York Knife Co. It was such a huge success that every major manufacturer started making their own version of it and some manufacturers just outright copied it. As a collector of the Mil-K knife, it is obvious that it has its' roots in the Boy Scout Knife. They both possess 4 tools with very specific functions and a bail for attachment. For the most part, it is the same tools...

 

​We all know that Engineer Knives were developed in the time period between WW1 and WW2 after the Boy Scout. Then at some point after the introduction of Engineer Knives in the late 1920's through the 1930's , the "Knife, Pocket, General Purpose" was introduced during WW2. It seems quite logical that in order to devise a metal handled knife, all that Kingston would have to do is remove the bone scales and replace it with stainless. But, it is not quite that simple. What if I told you that the WW2 metal scaled "Knife, Pocket, General Purpose" was not the first metal handled Mil-K type knife? What if I also informed you that it was descended from not only Boy Scout and Engineer Knives, but also from other metal handled knives already in production as early as 1905? The particular example that I am presenting is from the Case Tested era which spans the time period 1920-1940. These knives had handle scales that were thick and made entirely from beautiful nickel silver. It is regarded by collectors as a VERY rare knife. The Case Tested M445R has an amazing family resemblance and appears to be the high quality nickel silver ancestor of the beloved Mil-K. Just look and see for yourself...I invite your comments and discussion.

[bobcat87]

Of course, the Case M445R was a commercial offerring by Case, but this could have been the first design influence for an all metal scout style knife which could easily be adapted and improved upon for military use. The ruggedness and durability is obvious with this design. Here are some more pics...