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Not something you see often outside a museum...


tsellati
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...and this really cool Gunner's Knife was no exception.

 

post-5225-0-88796200-1405870417.jpg

 

Came across this copper bladed knife while the family and I were visiting Fort Ticonderoga the 4th of July weekend. Use of copper eliminated the risk of generating sparks while working around black powder. I wonder if they figured this out before or after someone lost their eyebrows using a knife whose blade was made out of steel or iron :unsure: .

 

Tim

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The photograph may not do the blade justice color-wise, but in person it does have an "orangish" (copper) hue to it. I wonder if these knives were the precursors of the non-magnetic, non-sparking generating UDT knife.

 

Tim

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manayunkman

Is there something on the handle ?

 

Looks like your picture was taken using inside light ?

 

I don't have any proper inside light so I use the shade on a sunny day.

 

That might help get the proper color of the blade -_-

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Is there something on the handle ?

 

Looks like your picture was taken using inside light ?

 

I don't have any proper inside light so I use the shade on a sunny day.

 

That might help get the proper color of the blade -_-

 

Yes, there was very faded white characters (probably letters) ink stamped onto the wooden handle. Unfortunately, I neglected to write down what they spelled out when I was in the museum. Which speaks to your second point about lighting. Yes, this photo was taken through a glass display case inside the museum whose interior room was not well lit from natural light coming through the windows.

 

This was about as good as I could get of this knife. I did take several pictures of colonial swords of various makers and countries and I will be sharing them shortly in a separate thread.

Hope you sword collectors will enjoy them.

 

Tim

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Very cool, Tim! My "powder monkey" knife looks similar, but the blade is made of steel. Made in England, acquired and used by the USN.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/91307-wwi-us-navy-powder-monkey-knife/?hl=monkey

 

Wow, what a great thread and I love the photographs and period letter. Of course, to have such a knife in your collection must be a real dream as well.

Tim

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Thanks for showing.

 

Sorry to highjack your thread, but your post of a museum piece reminded me of the Apollo space missions survival knife as shown in the Washington Air & Space Museum. I have a picture I took of it in the museum on my other computer but here is a link to one on the internet: https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5138/5469315337_6d952de30f_z.jpg

 

Anybody here who is lucky enough to own one?

 

Kilian

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Thanks for showing.

 

Sorry to highjack your thread, but your post of a museum piece reminded me of the Apollo space missions survival knife as shown in the Washington Air & Space Museum. I have a picture I took of it in the museum on my other computer but here is a link to one on the internet: https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5138/5469315337_6d952de30f_z.jpg

 

Anybody here who is lucky enough to own one?

 

Kilian

Interesting knife that was originally posted.Was there any age given to that specific knife? I know there were tools(and I believe knives as well)that are made from a beryllium-copper alloy that are non-sparking and non-magnetic that are used in hazardous environments.

As for the Apollo knives they were made by Case and one of their features was a handle made of polypropylene which was used because it is the only plastic that does not out-gas and is virtually resistant to any chemicals including acid which is why they make storage battery cases with it.

I don't know how many were actually issued to astronauts but in 1972 Case released 2,494 of them to the general public mounted in a wooden display case for $75.They sold out very quickly and show up for sale today very rarely.

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