What's wrong with this knife?

[sactroop]

Thought I'd post this one in line with others intended to warn the unsuspecting.  Here's a link to the item along with a few pictures.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Vietnam-Era-Western-Brand-USA-Early-Model-W49-Bowie-Knife-14-5-w-Sheath/193629390347?_trkparms=aid%3D1110009%26algo%3DSPLICE.COMPLISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D228188%26meid%3Db3f6f6ea23e14324be5fb6bcc19ac009%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D254693428477%26itm%3D193629390347%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DItemStripV101WithBbeV2Demotion&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

 

 

I will point out ahead of time that the hilt of the knife has been heavily modified.  That isn't the give away though.

[thorin6]

It's a standard post-Vietnam era Western Bowie, sometimes referred to as the W49 Bowie.  Heavily modified blade, guard, and hilt.  Large brass pins came in post-Vietman.

Just a guess?

[SKIPH]

The modification work to me, was very well done, but it is no longer the "W49" it left the factory as. Price seems kinda high for the condition, and the changes from original configuration. SKIP

[sactroop]

Specifically the stamp on the ricasso identifies it as a Camillus made W49.  Camillus deliberately marked the W49’s (Western/ W49 USA) this diverted from Western’s practice of (WESTERN/ USA  W49, later also followed by a date code number) which was also continued when Coleman had Western from 84-91.

Also the guard on this knife is too thick to have been modified from most typical W49’s.  So either this knife was taken apart and re-assembled with a thicker piece of brass or it likely was made from a very special version of the W49 that Camillus offered for a short time with a thicker guard.

 

 

This makes the manufacture of this knife early 90's, after Camillus purchased the rights and brands of Western at auction. The spacings of the rivets used on the knife handle are before Camillus made changes to it, making it one of the earlier examples.

The sheath of this knife doesn't appear to me to be factory original either. Certainly the upholstery tacks and the double stitching are not original.

Needless to say neither an early example of the W49 or from the Vietnam era as claimed.

I do believe that the first examples of the W49 with the larger cutlery rivets as opposed to pins likely did occur prior to our departure from Vietnam, but that's based mostly on the evidence of one photograph and input from a few veterans.

Still another example of (buy the knife and not the story).

[thorin6]

That is interesting; I did not know that Camillus made a version of the W49.

Thanks for the information.