M3 knives one butchered other post war?

[Tonomachi]

August 6, 2007

 

Purchased these M3 knives at a flea market. The one in terrible shape was $2.00 and the other with the red plastic spacers was $15.00. There are no other markings on the knife with the red plastic spacers. Is the one with the red plastic spacers a post war non-military civilian purchased knife? The other M3 was probably salvaged from one that had lost its leather spacers and a crude wooden handle was attached and painted black.

 

Thanks,

 

Dennis

[Charlie Flick]

Is the one with the red plastic spacers a post war non-military civilian purchased knife?

Dennis

 

Dennis:

 

Yes, the red spacer Imperial is a post-war knife composed of left over parts. It was manufactured for sale on the civilian market. I don't have a precise date of manufacture/assembly/sale for you but it would be the 1950s or early 1960s. I have two examples in my collection, one with the ricasso marking like yours and one with the later Imperial marking with the stylized crown.

 

HTH.

 

Charlie Flick

[Tonomachi]

Dennis:

 

Yes, the red spacer Imperial is a post-war knife composed of left over parts. It was manufactured for sale on the civilian market. I don't have a precise date of manufacture/assembly/sale for you but it would be the 1950s or early 1960s. I have two examples in my collection, one with the ricasso marking like yours and one with the later Imperial marking with the stylized crown.

 

HTH.

 

Charlie Flick

 

Thank you for the information.

 

Dennis

[Greg Robinson]

Ten years ago I picked up an M3 with M6 scabbard for fifty bucks.....sounds pretty good...right? Well....it was a heartbreaker. A blade dated Robeson in an L&C M6. Scabbard wasn't too bad but the blade had been butchered on a grinder. You could still see those lovely blade markings.. US R C CO 1943....the holy grail of M3 collecting. Still had remnants of that breathtaking blue finish on the guard.

 

I sold the knife to a Robeson collector who wanted the handle for a rebuild project he was doing. And I sold the M6 scabbard so financially I made out fine but it sure hurt my feelings to see that butchered M3.

 

Greg

[pathfinder505]

I just saw an M3 that was marked Kinfolks. Is that a rare maker and what would its value be???

Thanks

[Bank Vault]

nice knives, lucky jerk