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"M3" opinions?


Doughboy1918
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My son picked up this knife for his younger brother to use for reenacting. It is the size and shape of an M3 but lacks grooves in the grip and more importantly, markings. I have read that Case made some M3 knives with smooth handles. My gut feeling is this is one made for the civilian market since it lacks manufacturer's marks and the ordnance bomb. It has a blck spacer next to the crossguard, and has a nice Parkerized finish. Any thoughts?

post-58-1228830357.jpg

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Case is reported to have made some M3's without grooves but I don't think they had plastic spacers. I would say commercial but check with the more knowledgable members of the forum. Dave

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That looks like a Case to me. I have several. Two with straight guards and one with the bent guard like yours. All of mine are stamped Case. I don't know if my blades are pre war or post war. I have seen the smooth handle listed in a few collectors books. I'm sure some of the others can give you more info. Nice looking blade.

Best

RLTW

Rich

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At first I thought this knife was unmarked since the guard was so smooth where the markings should be. Most "scrubbed" M3s I've seen were rather crudely done. I got out my magnifiers and looked closer for markings and I can see the upper part of the "S" in "US", and a small angled mark toward the bottom. I looked through some illustrated markings and that mark on this one looks like the bottom leg of the "L" in the stylized "PAL" marking. Also the spacer is brown and not black as I said before. Does anyone know if PAL made smooth-handled M3s?.

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man, it's hard to say....the pommel looks kind of ground down (from the pic) It's hard to tell but the tang sort of looks to be hammered down over a peen...It may not be a replica it may have just been reworked...

pretty cool though...

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