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#140761 - 04/26/16 11:20 AM Need Help Identifying Knife **
RJC Offline
Just dropped in

Registered: 04/24/16
Posts: 2
This was my fathers knife who recently passed away. He obtained the knife from his father. I don't know that much about knives and I'm trying to figure out what I have. I came across this forum and have been trying to learn a little about the Randalls. The sheath is clearly a Randall, but the knife blade doesn't bear the Randall stamp (or any mfr stamp). There is the name "A. Most" on the blade. Any help identifying what I have would be greatly appreciated:


Attachments
------randallknife1.jpg

------randallknife2.jpg

------randallknife3.jpg

------randallknife4.jpg

------randallknife5.jpg

------randallknive6.jpg

------randallknive8.jpg



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#140762 - 04/26/16 12:01 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: RJC]
Captain Chris Stanaback Offline
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Registered: 09/14/05
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Loc: Central Florida
Although the blood grove is much shorter on your knife, as well as the overall blade length, the blade looks similar to a USN Mark 2. These knives were military issue and various mfg. made them. Camillius was one of the key makers of this type of fighter. I recently was surprised by Bill Schulz (at the latest stock sale) and was made a gift of Bill's Mark 2! He had the knife re-handled..."at Randall!" and his name etched into the blood grove on the offside. (A story on Bill and a couple of his knives is coming to a "KNIFE KNEWS" near you)
If you do a search on military knives from WWII, Korea and VietNam you should find more examples. Ronnie may offer his opinion as well. It is not a Randall knife and the sheath not original to the knife. Looks like an early Johnson, from what I am seeing.
Hope this helps, Capt. Chris
PS: Do you know what the date of this knife is, i.e. when it started it's life?
CCS


Edited by Captain Chris Stanaback (04/26/16 12:02 PM)
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#140800 - 04/27/16 10:07 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
RJC Offline
Just dropped in

Registered: 04/24/16
Posts: 2
[quote=PS: Do you know what the date of this knife is, i.e. when it started it's life?
CCS [/quote]
My Grandfather passed away sometime in the 50's, so the knife would have to predate that timeframe. Sorry, but I really don't have any better information.

Thanks for all the good info in your reply!

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#140801 - 04/27/16 10:27 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: RJC]
JE6245 Offline
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Loc: Tallahassee FL
That sheath is early 60's I believe so it seems likely it was something you're father may have picked up at some point. Very interesting knife/sheath package.
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#140803 - 04/27/16 10:59 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: RJC]
Captain Chris Stanaback Offline
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Registered: 09/14/05
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If the knife was made/carried/used/all-of-the-above prior to 1961 or 62 then...for sure the sheath is much newer than the knife. It is a Model #3 sheath and the knife would be better fitted in a Model #5 shaped sheath. More than likely, the sheath and re-handle were done later on in this knife's history and the sheath was probably chosen because the knife fit in it OK...if not correctly. Hope this helps.
Best, Capt. Chris
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#140824 - 04/27/16 11:16 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
Ronnie Offline
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I don't think it's a MkII blade Chris because the "blood groove" is much to large. Also most of the manufacturers of the MkII marked on their blades their company name. Even the guard marked knives had a stamp on the blade. This knife has no stamp. Chris you are right that it is very similar to the MkII blade. There were many knife companies that made blades similar to the MkII shaped blade. (Western, Marbles, etc.) This must be one. Also I believe they refer to these type of blades as "theatre made" knives.
Hope this helps.
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#140989 - 04/30/16 09:22 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Ronnie]
Captain Chris Stanaback Offline
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Loc: Central Florida
I knew it wasn't a MkII Ronnie. I just thought you probably had one in your collection and could share a photo with us. I know how much you adore posting photos!!!
Thanks, Capt. Chris
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#141017 - 04/30/16 06:39 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
Eric Offline
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Registered: 11/18/15
Posts: 1668
Loc: Michigan
WWII Mark 2 Fighting Knife


Attachments
------mk2 (2).jpg

------mk2a (2).jpg


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#141018 - 04/30/16 06:44 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Eric]
Eric Offline
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Registered: 11/18/15
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Loc: Michigan
This Western Baby Shark (5" Blade) has a similar blood groove.


Attachments
------Western (2).jpg


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#141095 - 05/02/16 12:17 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Captain Chris Stanaback]
Ronnie Offline
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Registered: 02/13/11
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Loc: NW Mississippi
Originally Posted By: Captain Chris Stanaback
I knew it wasn't a MkII Ronnie. I just thought you probably had one in your collection and could share a photo with us. I know how much you adore posting photos!!!
Thanks, Capt. Chris

Nope nothing like that but thanks for asking. As for pictures I'm back in the dark. Suddenly this thing just stopped letting me download pictures to this forum.....and this forum only.
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#141096 - 05/02/16 12:19 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Eric]
Ronnie Offline
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Registered: 02/13/11
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Loc: NW Mississippi
Originally Posted By: Eric
This Western Baby Shark (5" Blade) has a similar blood groove.


Yes but the blade will be marked with the Western trademark stamp. But the blades do look an awful lot alike.
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#141116 - 05/02/16 10:08 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Ronnie]
W Polidori Offline
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Ronnie,

Seems to me that many knives back in that day had similar influence. Marbles Ideal is one example.
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#141138 - 05/02/16 02:57 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: W Polidori]
Ronnie Offline
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Loc: NW Mississippi
Yes they did Warren.....many knives.
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#141172 - 05/02/16 07:53 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Ronnie]
Eric Offline
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Registered: 11/18/15
Posts: 1668
Loc: Michigan
Here is a Rarer Marbles Mark 2 Bowie 7" Blade. They didn't make to many of these. It has a similar wide blood groove.


Attachments
------Marbles 7 Blade.jpg

------Marbles 7 Blade a.jpg


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#141188 - 05/02/16 10:56 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Eric]
W Polidori Offline
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Registered: 02/09/16
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Loc: Central New York
Eric,

Thanks for posting this. I collected Marbles knives before I got into Randle and others. This is exactly what I commented on earlier. Many of the knives have similar lines and features. IMO the Marbles knives were more refined and overall better qualiy.
In the near future I'll start a new thread on Marbles knives which I collected for years.
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#141197 - 05/03/16 06:49 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: W Polidori]
Eric Offline
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Registered: 11/18/15
Posts: 1668
Loc: Michigan
Warren, I collected only the Military related Marbles. I would love to see a thread on Marbles, especially the older MSA marked examples.

Here is a Marbles Pilot Knife circa 1958. It also has the wide blood groove.


Attachments
------1958 Marbles Pilots Knife.jpg

------1958 Marbles Pilots Knife With Sheath 1.jpg


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#141209 - 05/03/16 07:58 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Eric]
W Polidori Offline
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Registered: 02/09/16
Posts: 5791
Loc: Central New York
I never had the military knives just field knives. I'll put something together soon.
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#141245 - 05/03/16 01:33 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: W Polidori]
cliff14094 Offline
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Registered: 09/15/05
Posts: 162
Loc: western N.Y.
The blade looks a lot like an Ontario made AF Crewmans.

Cliff Lacey
RKCC CM-26

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#143958 - 06/23/16 08:44 AM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Ronnie]
Lofty Offline
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Registered: 02/06/16
Posts: 656
my guess is a WWII knife, made local for a departing GI or a theater made knife by a rear echelon shop, based on the immensely popular Marbles Ideal. The knife seems to predate the Jet Pilot knife given that owner died in the 1950s when the 6" Jet Pilot a very new thing and hardly in need of a rehandle. The Mk2 and Jet pilot both based on the Ideal pattern. Whether an original blade or rework of existing blade might be observed by ricasso symmetry or any sign an original mark ground away and replaced by Mr Most's stamp.


Edited by Lofty (06/23/16 08:57 AM)
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#143993 - 06/23/16 08:13 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Eric]
maxpastor Offline
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Registered: 07/31/14
Posts: 849
Loc: South West
Eric,

that is a very nice 58 model Marbles. they only made 500 for the Navy and Marbles never did get a government contact. they had a bid in for 5000 units, but it was for small business only and they were deemed large business sooooo. No contract. the 7" Marbles is a civilian model to resemble the Camillus Pilot knife. It was a shame that Marbles could never receive a government contact, but that is the government. both are very nice knives. I've been a Marbles collector for 50 years and I love these knives.


Edited by maxpastor (06/23/16 08:13 PM)
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#143997 - 06/23/16 09:38 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: maxpastor]
Lofty Offline
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Registered: 02/06/16
Posts: 656
My underatanding of the 6" Jet Pilot history is that Marbles did the design which was accepted, and factory and Gladstone giddy with pride. Then the contratct to produce was given to Camillus which bid lower per unit, and after a lot of hard feelings, Marbles decided then and there to never bid on a govt contract ever again.

This still does not explain a grandfather owning the knife who died either before the knife produced or just at introduction. The 1958 knife was brass handled?


Edited by Lofty (06/23/16 09:41 PM)
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#144166 - 06/29/16 03:44 PM Re: Need Help Identifying Knife [Re: Lofty]
Lofty Offline
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Registered: 02/06/16
Posts: 656
i am still thinking this one over. First such knives they made were tenite handled and hex butted, then leather.

They had sawteeth from very first supplied spec.

They were stamped.

Seems far easier to believe a man by the name of Most made a brass handled knife inspired by Marbles design which predated WWII and knife made perhaps for WWII itself, the owner dying in 1950s, which fits far easier and with no forcing or incredible mods to a knife which existed, unless Marbles made such a hunter back at that time.

Camillus was a major maker of Mk2 and Mk3 knives during WWII and was anything but "a small company". They plain underbid on a far cheaper rough and ready version of the highly finished Marbles product.
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