Extra salty Kingston USMC pocket knife

[103OVI]

I picked this up a while ago, but I just remembered where I put it. It was well used by a previous owner, but they must not have been a marine, because it looks like they removed the marking with a grinder. This thing was rode hard and put away wet, emphasis on the put away wet, because any steel on this thing has turned almost black, and the brass looks just as bad. I opened it as far as it will go, but the can opener is stuck, and the punch has snapped off. It also looks as though someone used it as a hammer. It still holds an edge though...

[Flashlarue]

An old work horse that's been there and done that.

[Misfit 45]

What a shame. Intentionally grinding out the Marine Corps name like that, is almost like denigrating the flag. OK, I'm exaggerating, but it still bothers me.

My very first Marine Corps utility knife was not quite that bad. The hole punch was broken off. I found it on a trail in the California Redwoods during our honeymoon. I've kept it for 43 years. I cleaned it up a bit, but frankly, there are a lot better ways to whittle a stick.

 

Marv

[schmooser]

Ive got a very similar example with the logo ground out. Posted it before here, will find the link and add it here.

[schmooser]

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/308507-2-new-mil-k-examples/?fromsearch=1

[sactroop]

In my attempts to learn more about the evolution of these knives I've run across some different pieces of evidence that while they can be compelling to a small degree, so far they remain mostly inconclusive and more like teasers than actually defining things.

I ran across a post war advertisement with an illustration of the "United States Marine Corps" marked knife for consumer sales by Imperial Knives Associated Companies.

Also I've seen a few examples of the plain scales Kingston knife with a "Boy Scouts of America" light etching on the main blade. I've seen the same on other knives from the (Imperial Knives Associated Companies), with similar etchings. Some of those knives would be possible candidates for WW2 production knives while others appear to fall into post war production. Also I've seen this etching on PAL knives.

From things I've read from other sources it does appear that selling off undelivered left over stock of usable pocket knives to the Boy Scouts was a known practice. One of these sources believes the left over stock was depleted or nearly depleted before the end of 1947. (???)

JMHO, but at this point I tend to suspect that most of the defacing the branch of service marking on knives and other items was done by a previous owner most times, although there is evidence that in some cases surplus parts bought and assembled by a third party may have had the markings removed as part of their assembly process.

[schmooser]

I tend to agree, the erased-logo examples are most likely military surplus.