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The Jet Pilots Survival Knife


gunbarrel
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I agree everything looks pristine, other that what has already been pointed out.  From the pictures I don't see anything that stands out that would make me think it wasn't an original, but you have the advantage of having it in hand.  The finish on the blade looks like one that just left the factory.  The leather only shows the signs of time working against it.  This reminds me of a phrase I've heard from some who working in different manufacturing professions.  "Lunch box special".  I don't know where the knife has been, and it's not talking, so take that speculation for what it's worth, not much.

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FTLewisBrat

Thanks for the insight.  It wouldn't surprise me if on the way to that final peening process it fell into somebody's pocket back in the day.... at least (up until this point) that's the best explanation I've heard.

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  • 5 months later...

Hello everyone have consulted here over years and finally joined.  Really appreciate all the knowledge.  Hope the pictures i added took.  Rather confusing I believe We looking at a 6” screw pommel JPK thats possibly New Old Stock, bits of leather come off errytime i remove from sheath.  Cant find any to compare to.  Other then Camillus NY there are no markings anywhere.

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  • 3 weeks later...

BPMark, It is my understanding Camillus phased out the 6" JPK because of complaints from pilots who said the blade was too long. In 1964, Camillus introduced the 5" blade JPK. My Camillus 6" JPK has the last name Haff  written of the back of the leather sheath. Searched  the name on the internet and his full name showed up at the Library of Congress. The knife was issued to Airman 1st Class assigned to the 8th Armament, Electronics Squadron,  US Air Force. His dates of service 1960-1963. He was stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Port, Saigon, Vietnam. He recently passed. I was boots-on-the ground Vietnam in 1970-71, JAG.  Flew in and out of Tan Son Nhut several times. Attached are pix of 1960's knives that were military issue in Vietnam.    

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The 5" JPK above is dated 1968, on the side of the pommel. I have never seen one dated 1962 or 1963, have you? I'm very curious and would like to know of a reference to this.

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2 hours ago, VNAMVET70 said:

The 5" JPK above is dated 1968, on the side of the pommel. I have never seen one dated 1962 or 1963, have you? I'm very curious and would like to know of a reference to this.

 

Recall 1967 was the first date you will encounter on the pommel of the knife. See the first page if the topic post #20 for an example. Prior to the change/ transition the knifes were only manufacture marked in the ricasso of the blade. Some in 67 show both markings of blade and ricasso 

 

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The change to a 5” blade JPSK and date marking the pommel are two different events.  The 5” blade change was directed in 1961. Pommel dating / maker came later as mentioned above. 

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  • 1 month later...

Glad to see this post is still alive after more than 10 years. Thanks Rey; you hit this one out of the park. I too believe the JPK's are the Rodney Dangerfield's of USGI blades. I wanted to share my issued JPK and misc. issued gear from my time in the "NAV" as a  P-3C Orion aircrewmember/mechanic. The JPK is an Ontario 2-90 to replace an earlier one the riggers mis-placed. The utility knife is a Queen 1986 and the TL-29 a Camillus. The JPK I keep seperately from my knife collection due to the sentimental value. Interestingly the JPK pommel is painted black were most were painted grey. Lets keep this one going. 

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Off the top I don't remember exactly when but the pommel sealant color was changed to black.  I'm sure it's somewhere in the forums archives.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Old topic, but my first time posting in this section. My Ontario, dated 1-73. It shows it’s age. I’ve had this for a while. It still has the original stock stamp on the back of the scabbard of course, the sharpening stone is broken. I almost think they came with the top broken 🤣. I’m told the gray paint on the butt cap means it was Navy. Which is where I got it. 

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  The grey stuff on top is more correctly sealant and not paint.  By the 1960's and before the orders for equipment like this was much more centralized by the Government.  The knives that ended up in the Navy had the same grey sealant over the top of the pommel as the one's that were in the Air Force.

I know this because the first JPSK I have was issued to me in 1975 while I was serving in the Air Force and is identical to this one right down to manufacture and the month/year.

The black sealant just comes later in the history of these knives.

 

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19 minutes ago, sactroop said:

  The grey stuff on top is more correctly sealant and not paint.  By the 1960's and before the orders for equipment like this was much more centralized by the Government.  The knives that ended up in the Navy had the same grey sealant over the top of the pommel as the one's that were in the Air Force.

I know this because the first JPSK I have was issued to me in 1975 while I was serving in the Air Force and is identical to this one right down to manufacture and the month/year.

The black sealant just comes later in the history of these knives.

 

What year did the sealant go from the off white/grey to the black?  I think one of the 76 dated knives I have had the black, I know for sure the 78 did.

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1 hour ago, mohawkALSE said:

What year did the sealant go from the off white/grey to the black?  I think one of the 76 dated knives I have had the black, I know for sure the 78 did.

 

One of the problems with the specification changes and even the amendments to the existing specifications are that actual changes don't always begin on the date of the new specification or an amendment to same.  

It wouldn't surprise me if the change in color happened here; 07 Jun 1974, MIL-K-8662E (WEP) adopted.

 It also wouldn't surprise me if was phased in later over time.  The nice thing is the color change would happen with dated pommel knives, so we can narrow it down.

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  • 4 weeks later...

This is my first Jet Pilot Survival Knife... I got it yesterday!

I should really appreciate opinions about it... Good and bad!

 

Best,

Stefan 

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Hombre, Nice score. First year Camillus stamped the date of manufacture on the pommel. The JPKs are my favorite VNAM War knife. The JPK has a lot of character and no mistaking it for something else. Have you placed a ruler against the guard and measured to the point? When new they were exactly 5" long. 

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Brian Dentino

Here is one that I got from my dad who was in UDT while on USS Intrepid and USS America in the Med when he was in from 1964-1968.  He told me he traded for it when he was in.  I believe that this is an early 6" undated knife but would love to know more about it.  Any comments would be appreciated. 

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Brian Dentino
11 minutes ago, Brian Dentino said:

Here is one that I got from my dad who was in UDT while on USS Intrepid and USS America in the Med when he was in from 1964-1968.  He told me he traded for it when he was in.  I believe that this is an early 6" undated knife but would love to know more about it.  Any comments would be appreciated. 

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Let me know if you want pics of something else specific.  After I posted this I decided to get a ruler and this is indeed just under 6" blade length.  Thanks again for the input and thoughts on this knife that my dad carried during his time in the USN and UDT.

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24 minutes ago, Brian Dentino said:

Let me know if you want pics of something else specific.  After I posted this I decided to get a ruler and this is indeed just under 6" blade length.  Thanks again for the input and thoughts on this knife that my dad carried during his time in the USN and UDT.

 

Thats an early 6 inche JPK. Correct scabbard as well which are tough items to find if you need ine. Very nice example but the history is the diamind here.... thanks for posting.

 

Had a good friend who was in supply in a carrier back in 1960-63. Loved heating his stories. No wonder he was such a great guy when wheeling and dealing. He would tell me when they needed or ordered  items they would over order. If the needed 50 holsters he git 75-100. Same for knives etc. He said often the items would get "lost" in the way or end up being good trade stock.

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4 hours ago, VNAMVET70 said:

Hombre, Nice score. First year Camillus stamped the date of manufacture on the pommel. The JPKs are my favorite VNAM War knife. The JPK has a lot of character and no mistaking it for something else. Have you placed a ruler against the guard and measured to the point? When new they were exactly 5" long. 

Thank you very much for your answer, VNAMVET70. I really appreciate it!

 

I have seen on some JPSK that they have white paint on the pommel and I have been wondering why... Maybe a stupid question but if I do not ask I so not get any answers... 

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Not really a paint as much as a sealant.  the earlier knives had a light gray color that eventually changed over to a dark almost black color.  I don't recall exactly when the transition was actually made.  I'm believe it was after the Vietnam time frame.

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