Anderson Fighting Knife

[Tony-in-NH]

Picked this one up a while ago. Finally got around to taking pictures of it. It is a shame it does not have a scabbard.

 

 

 

[Misfit-45]

Hello I hope you don't have one of these. The butt end of the sword blade was usually made into a bowie shape.

 

Here is a quote from Frank Tzaska in Knife Knotes VII.

" most interesting group of Anderson knives just came onto the market. And as quick as they appeared they were scooped up by our friend Bill Stone. These knives were never completed. They had the handle cast on but never finished. The thong holes are not drilled nor are the casting edges trimmed. Most notable is that the blades were never finished. This shows us how the Anderson knives were originally built. After the handles were cast in place the blade profiles were created through grinding. These four knives are the only ones I have ever encountered in this state and must be considered extremely rare in this condition. Our hopes are that they are bought by collectors who intend to keep them that way. It would be a sin to see them "finished" off as a regular Anderson knife and then sold. These four really need to stay in the unfinished shape they are in."

 

These Andersons were squared off at the tip. Yours looks modified. I HOPE I'M WRONG! Please correct me if I am.

Marv

[Tony-in-NH]

Hello I hope you don't have one of these. The butt end of the sword blade was usually made into a bowie shape.

 

Here is a quote from Frank Tzaska in Knife Knotes VII.

" most interesting group of Anderson knives just came onto the market. And as quick as they appeared they were scooped up by our friend Bill Stone. These knives were never completed. They had the handle cast on but never finished. The thong holes are not drilled nor are the casting edges trimmed. Most notable is that the blades were never finished. This shows us how the Anderson knives were originally built. After the handles were cast in place the blade profiles were created through grinding. These four knives are the only ones I have ever encountered in this state and must be considered extremely rare in this condition. Our hopes are that they are bought by collectors who intend to keep them that way. It would be a sin to see them "finished" off as a regular Anderson knife and then sold. These four really need to stay in the unfinished shape they are in."

 

These Andersons were squared off at the tip. Yours looks modified. I HOPE I'M WRONG! Please correct me if I am.

Marv

 

 

As far as I know it is not one of those 4. You also might want to look at pg 51 in KNIVES of the United States Military WORLD WAR II by Silvey.

[Still-A-Marine]

This is going to be interesting to follow. I've only seen a few Anderson knives and then not in person. Of the few I have seen the butt end was always finished out in a bowie cut. There are examples of other makers who finished out the blade in the spear point just like the one in this post. Could it be that Anderson did both?

 

Either way - cool knife Tony. :thumbsup: Bill

[nuke41]

These four knives are the only ones I have ever encountered in this state and must be considered extremely rare in this condition.

 

There ended up being allot more than 4, I've seen over a dozen of them since they first came to light. I have one of the unfinished ones myself, its as near mint as possible. Tony's spear point hilt section looks fine.

 

Jeb

[Still-A-Marine]

As far as I know it is not one of those 4. You also might want to look at pg 51 in KNIVES of the United States Military WORLD WAR II by Silvey.

 

I knew I saw one somewhere before. Yep page 51 of Silvey's WW2 book. Thanks for posting the knife Tony. Bill

[nuke41]

Here's my uncut Anderson.

[Tony-in-NH]

There ended up being allot more than 4, I've seen over a dozen of them since they first came to light. I have one of the unfinished ones myself, its as near mint as possible. Tony's spear point hilt section looks fine.

 

Jeb

 

 

I was talking to a gentleman at the last Tulsa Gun Show and he said that one individual had about a dozen blades at another show that had been reground into clip points. The grinding was so bad according to him that everyone knew they were fakes.

[nuke41]

The grinding was so bad according to him that everyone knew they were fakes.

 

Funny thing about that is you could give them to a competent knife maker and get a good grinding job on them that would be identical to the originals.

[Charlie Flick]

Tony:

 

Here is what Frank T. says on his site about the Anderson blades:

 

http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/anderson.htm

 

Regards,

Charlie

[Tony-in-NH]

Tony:

 

Here is what Frank T. says on his site about the Anderson blades:

 

http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/anderson.htm

 

Regards,

Charlie

 

 

I saw that. I am not worried at all.

[Misfit-45]

Tony:

 

Here is what Frank T. says on his site about the Anderson blades:

 

http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/anderson.htm

 

Regards,

Charlie

It seems then that Tony has the more recently ground Anderson knife, not the WWII finished blades.

Marv

[Tony-in-NH]

It seems then that Tony has the more recently ground Anderson knife, not the WWII finished blades.

Marv

 

 

I want to thank you for your comments on my knife. It is what it is. I make no excuses for it. It stands on it own. I respect others opinions, however on some I place more value.

[Spathologist]

Picked this one up a while ago. Finally got around to taking pictures of it. It is a shame it does not have a scabbard.

 

 

Tony;

 

Nice pickup! I can't quite make out the serial number on the blade...can you tell us what it is?

 

Thanks!

[Spathologist]

Spent too much time farting around in my photo archives and timed out for an edit to my last post, but I've seen many Anderson knives made from hilt sections with spear points and have a half-dozen in my photo archives (I only save images of serial-numbered examples)...

 

Here's #1989, which I first saw in 2002 IIRC, and most recently surfaced at a Greg Martin Auction in November:

 

[pony soldier]

Gentlemen:

On the issue of these Anderson's, I can weight in a little. On Frank's note about the 4 unfinished specimens that Bill Stone scooped up I have to say that I was able to pry them out of him. They are all the unfinished type and they are all Springfield's. I am not able to record the numbers tonite but will post them later.

 

On the spear point type by Tony I can only add that I have pictures of one in the unfinished state and later it appeared reground as a spear point. In both cases the serial number is the same.

 

As for the 4 I have I intend for them to remain in that condition as they are to valuable to fool with. Original specimens are rare and in the altering the words of Will Rodger's, "they ain't making any more of em". When I am about to croak and have to part with them, I intend to send them to an auction as a group only and hope for the best after that for the collecting fraternity.

 

Pony Soldier

[Tony-in-NH]

Gentlemen:

On the issue of these Anderson's, I can weight in a little. On Frank's note about the 4 unfinished specimens that Bill Stone scooped up I have to say that I was able to pry them out of him. They are all the unfinished type and they are all Springfield's. I am not able to record the numbers tonite but will post them later.

 

On the spear point type by Tony I can only add that I have pictures of one in the unfinished state and later it appeared reground as a spear point. In both cases the serial number is the same.

 

As for the 4 I have I intend for them to remain in that condition as they are to valuable to fool with. Original specimens are rare and in the altering the words of Will Rodger's, "they ain't making any more of em". When I am about to croak and have to part with them, I intend to send them to an auction as a group only and hope for the best after that for the collecting fraternity.

 

Pony Soldier

 

 

I guess I eat crow on this one.

[Spathologist]

They are all the unfinished type and they are all Springfield's. I am not able to record the numbers tonite but will post them later.

 

.....?

 

[pony soldier]

Gent's:

 

Here is the info on the four blanks I bought.

 

1913 SN 2890

1913 SN 7521

1914 SN 21346

1914 SN 27900

 

On the blank that was converted to spear point info is 1914 SN 8486

 

Pony Soldier

[robinb]

Here are mine. The top is an LF&C 1918.

[robinb]

[wargunfan]

Good evening gentlemen,

I just purchased a mint Anderson stiletto with the gray handle and an unserialized blade ( I understand these blades were made from a lower section of the M1913 "Patton" saber blade). Can anyone refer me to a good source on the history of the Anderson Knife Company? Any info is appreciated.

[Still-A-Marine]

Good evening gentlemen,

I just purchased a mint Anderson stiletto with the gray handle and an unserialized blade ( I understand these blades were made from a lower section of the M1913 "Patton" saber blade). Can anyone refer me to a good source on the history of the Anderson Knife Company? Any info is appreciated.

Actually they were made from three sections (lower, middle, and tip) of the Patton sword blade.

 

Bill

[wargunfan]

Actually they were made from three sections (lower, middle, and tip) of the Patton sword blade.

 

Bill

Thanks Bill,

Do you know anything about the company? I referenced Cole's books but the info is sparse.

Thanks again,

Mark

[mikedon]

Thanks Bill,

Do you know anything about the company? I referenced Cole's books but the info is sparse.

Thanks again,

Mark

Frank Trzaska wrote a good article on "The Anderson Knife Co." for the June 2006 issue of Knife World Magazine. It includes a lot of information on the history of the company.

 

Frank also wrote another good article on "The Other Knives of Anderson Co." for the December 2015 issue of Knife Magazine.