disruptors Posted February 22, 2021 Share #1 Posted February 22, 2021 While doing a little research on fighting knives, I came across this knife. Is this a WWII fighting knife? Is it valuable? The pommel is relatively flat with what looks like two pins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead Posted February 22, 2021 Share #2 Posted February 22, 2021 6" blade im assuming? Its ww2, very nice condition. Not extremely valuable but definitely profitable Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead Posted February 22, 2021 Share #3 Posted February 22, 2021 G46-6 is the model number Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted February 22, 2021 Share #4 Posted February 22, 2021 It's a Western WW2 era 6" "Shark Knife". Since I don't collect them not sure what value would be on those, they seem fairly common. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt14k Posted February 22, 2021 Share #5 Posted February 22, 2021 $150Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted February 22, 2021 Share #6 Posted February 22, 2021 It's a little hard to really tell the condition of the knife from these pictures. $150 could be on the low side if the blued finish is as good as the pictures seem to show. Also it has the fold over sheath which is a little more unusual than the more common versions. The 46 pattern Western blade was inspired by the fullered blade of the Marble's Ideal knife. The 6" blade had the nick name "Shark" and the 5" blade, "Baby Shark". Why I've never heard of a proper nick name for the 8" version I'll never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disruptors Posted February 23, 2021 Author Share #7 Posted February 23, 2021 Great information. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovnik Posted February 26, 2021 Share #8 Posted February 26, 2021 Well well, look what showed up on Ebay .... even has the same photos as in the original post of this thread. With 2 days, 13 hours until close, this Western "Shark" has 18 watchers, 28 bids and stands @ $267: https://www.ebay.com/itm/174647510459 I won't bother dragging over the photos which are, as I've already mentioned, identical to the photos posted in the OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disruptors Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share #9 Posted February 26, 2021 It's been online for almost a week now. Since I know very little about these knives, I decided to ask the experts before making the purchase. I decided to stay away from this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt14k Posted February 26, 2021 Share #10 Posted February 26, 2021 That bluing isn't nice enough to be over $180 IMO, but free government money has caused people to not value money as much. Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disruptors Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share #11 Posted March 6, 2021 Any idea who would have carried this knife? Was it issued to a certain branch or specialty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted March 6, 2021 Share #12 Posted March 6, 2021 disruptors- Not sure of any specific unit, but do see quite a few pilots wearing them. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted March 6, 2021 Share #13 Posted March 6, 2021 One clue I ran across a couple of years ago is the fact that the Boulder Colorado public air port was pressed into service by the U.S. Government to become a training station for new Navy pilots getting their single engine certifications. From this point on my reasoning becomes mostly inductive. The Western Knife company suddenly finds themselves right next door to a large contingent of new G.I.s. One of the only potential customer bases available to them by early in 1942. The Boulder air field wouldn't be the only one available to them to be certain they had product available to be sold. I also have come across strong references to places like San Diego and San Francisco becoming marketing hubs for selling their knives to G.I.'s shipping out to the Pacific Theater. It does seem from the abundance of pictures from the Pacific that the Navy pilots liked the Western G-46 knives, especially the 6 inch and even the 5 inch versions quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted March 11, 2021 Share #14 Posted March 11, 2021 Western Shark were very very popular used by USMC and USN pilots in WW2 some screens from USS Cape Gloucester VMF-351 unidentified USMC pilot: Well known photos of VMF-512 via Adam Levis site: VMF-222 pilots: Nice rigger made leg adapter: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted March 11, 2021 Share #15 Posted March 11, 2021 I think the challenge here would be to find images of the flat pommel type as from the original post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted March 11, 2021 Share #16 Posted March 11, 2021 Of course I posted a "standard" ones examples. Here are with flat pommel: TBM gunner from VC-98 VMSB-243 pilots with 6 inch G46? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted March 11, 2021 Share #17 Posted March 11, 2021 Very good Jerry! now that's more in theme with the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disruptors Posted March 11, 2021 Author Share #18 Posted March 11, 2021 Those are great pics. I ended up purchasing this knife after all. I didn't realize how small it was until I put it next to my PAL USMC Fighting Knife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted March 12, 2021 Share #19 Posted March 12, 2021 Next you can pick up a Western G46-8. The PAL will fit right between them. OBTW, That knife is looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disruptors Posted March 15, 2021 Author Share #20 Posted March 15, 2021 I'll have to look into the Western G46-8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted March 15, 2021 Share #21 Posted March 15, 2021 The 8 inch 46 pattern knife shows up at WW2 and continues on almost uninterrupted until 1991 when the Longmont Colorado Factory closes and Western is taken over by Camillus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBURDBUSH45 Posted June 23, 2021 Share #22 Posted June 23, 2021 I’ve become quite obsessed with obtaining the “shark” line of Western knives and am currently in search of the “Big eight” G46-8. Took some time to finally get ahold of these two in pretty good comdition.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccyooper Posted June 23, 2021 Share #23 Posted June 23, 2021 Here is one that is a little different. A blued steel pommel with a bright blade. Knife is numbered (unit/rack?) 1 34 and comes with a unique scabbard that may have been used for diving, etc as it has a fixed retention strap and holes to allow water to escape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBURDBUSH45 Posted July 6, 2021 Share #24 Posted July 6, 2021 It’s definitely interesting some of the “theater made” sheaths and/or scabbards that were or could’ve been fashioned. I recently acquired this G46-8 and it came with what I’m assuming is/was a theater made replacement and/or “patch together.” Though crude, it is quite functional it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted July 6, 2021 Share #25 Posted July 6, 2021 IMHO, it looks like repairs done overtime to an original sheath. I'm betting that the staples at the throat are each individual staples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now