M3 UTICA dual marked

[barryeye]

Much to my pleasure this arrived today. Seller was a local chap (New Zealand) and wanted a quick sale. I've known him for a few years and he has a good reputation. I checked with Skiph and with just a written description he confirmed the price was good. It's a well used UTICA with a tight cross guard. A, not the, previous owner has buffed the blade to a near mirror finish but it has no nicks, scratches or pitting. The scabbard has seen far better days but I suspect it is original to the knife. The knife has one great redeeming feature. The blade and the cross-guard are both stamped by the maker. In all a good honest specimen that has that been there, done that appeal. I am very happy with it.

[barryeye]

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[barryeye]

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[sundance]

Nice M3. Congrats!

[Tony V]

barry

 

Nice addition to your collection. Thank you for sharing.

 

Tony

[SKIPH]

Barry- You'll appreciate it even more when you see how rare dual stamped M3s actually are. I ave only seen about 6 in all the years I've been collecting, which includes what shows up on ebay. I own two, a Utica, and Imperial. Count yourself lucky. Something I have noticed. So far the majority of the dual marked that I have seen were made by UTICA. I guess it stands to reason, Imperial & Utica were the top producers of M3s in WW2. THX for the pics. SKIP

[barryeye]

Thanks for that Skip. It was your posts on the dual stamped M3s that inspired me to seize the chance to buy it when I could.

[Peter279]

Beautiful knife Barryeye.

Do you have a photo of the pommel ?

Thank you,

[Bill in VA]

Barry- You'll appreciate it even more when you see how rare dual stamped M3s actually are. I ave only seen about 6 in all the years I've been collecting, which includes what shows up on ebay. I own two, a Utica, and Imperial. Count yourself lucky. Something I have noticed. So far the majority of the dual marked that I have seen were made by UTICA. I guess it stands to reason, Imperial & Utica were the top producers of M3s in WW2. THX for the pics. SKIP

I have a Utica and a Boker dual marked.

[Frank Trzaska]

I just sold a Utica double marked two weeks ago, near mint in the box. Nice piece.

[barryeye]

Thank you al for your comments gentleman. All in all I am happy with this double marked M3 but after a short time I've become bugged by the almost mirror finish that a previous owner has polished the blade to. I have no problem with M3s that have a worn finish or even none of the original finish but this polished steel finish is just unnatural and hard on the eye. I'm contemplating dulling the finish to a worn satin appearance but frankly don't know how to. Any advice would be welcome.

[SKIPH]

barryeye- There are a couple of ways to deal with this. First, is to leave it alone, the shine is part of the knife's history. Or you can put a coat of "Gun Blue" on the blade, which will give it a used look. Keep it to 1 or 2 coats, don't over blue it. Utica parkerized, not blued their blades.Use some "00" steel wool to rub it down, rinse it in hot water, and wipe down with a dry cloth. It will darken some. I suspect most will say leave it alone. It's your knife. SKIP

[barryeye]

Thanks Skip. It is a moral dilemma. I just want to undo a bubba act that might be part of it's history but if a bubba act is acceptable in it's history than an unbubba act must be also? :-) I suspect it was polished in its very recent history. A shine like that can't be old. One non collecting friend suggested wrapping the handle in plastic then going in the garden and sticking the blade into the lawn up to the hilt. Leave it there for days but check the "finish" often. I appreciate that we are just the temporary custodians of these treasures. This M3 has seen a lot of use and no doubt some abuse over the years but the mirror polish is the biggest insult. I truly appreciate your input.

[barryeye]

Peter 279. As requested here is a photograph of the pommel. As you can see it has done some work in its time.

[Peter279]

Great !
Thank you barryeye.

[Bill in VA]

Thanks Skip. It is a moral dilemma. I just want to undo a bubba act that might be part of it's history but if a bubba act is acceptable in it's history than an unbubba act must be also? :-) I suspect it was polished in its very recent history. A shine like that can't be old. One non collecting friend suggested wrapping the handle in plastic then going in the garden and sticking the blade into the lawn up to the hilt. Leave it there for days but check the "finish" often. I appreciate that we are just the temporary custodians of these treasures. This M3 has seen a lot of use and no doubt some abuse over the years but the mirror polish is the biggest insult. I truly appreciate your input.

Ref. “Unbubba” it... it’s only original once, so one could argue that’s an oxymoron. It is what it is. It’s your knife to do with as you see fit, of course. If it was me, I’d not only leave it as-is, but would use it as intended instead of holding on to as a collectible. There’s something satisfying about owning and using a classic piece of kit, whether it’s great grandpa’s damascus skinning knife, driving your Model A, hunting with a classic shotgun, etc. I’d have no compunction, and much satisfaction, using that as my camp knife. Regardless, enjoy your knife.