An interesting knife

[johan_steele]

Last weekend I picked up an interesting knife made from a damaged M1842 bayonet. Essentially it is a very effective trench knife. It's a copy of one found, I believe, near Petersburg. Simple, robust and ruthlessly effective.

 

[UCVRelics]

That is one nasty looking knife.

 

[Mike Serpa]

I wouldn't want to be on the business end of that. Do you know the handle material?

 

[johan_steele]

I wouldn't want to be on the business end of that. Do you know the handle material?

I'm not certain.

 

[UCVRelics]

Post a photo of just the wood as I know someone who will know what kind of wood it is.

www.civilwarwitnesspens.com

 

[Mike Serpa]

I'm no expert. Does it look like a softwood to anybody?

 

[johan_steele]

It's not a softwood. I almost think it might be white oak but the grain is off.

It's in the museum right now. I'll try to get a shot of the handle this weekend.

 

[1867crete]

Man I bet that thing could do some damage.... boy there's a conversation starter at roll call!!!!!

 

[JOHN42768]

Could do some serious amount of hurting

 

[johan_steele]

I'm no expert. Does it look like a softwood to anybody?

The handle is ash.

 

[Mike Serpa]

The handle is ash.

Ok, thanks!

 

[originalrebelyell]

Nice looking knife it looks like it could get the job done

 

[mofederal]

It would certainly get the job done. It is very similar to ones I have seen carried in WWII.

 

[sailorruss]

Triangular blades were banned by the Geneva Convention after WW1. My great grand father had the Model 1917. It was great treat seeing as I had never met him. The UK, France, and we used it too. When WW2 started I'm sure there were a few "left over" or dad sent his boy off to war with one. Mainly the un-issued M-1918. Like the one Lee Marvin carried in the Big Red One. They were given to special units, airborne what have you, as the flat blades were not made for much more than killing.

 

[vmicraig]

Triangular blades were banned by the Geneva Convention after WW1. My great grand father had the Model 1917. It was great treat seeing as I had never met him. The UK, France, and we used it too. When WW2 started I'm sure there were a few "left over" or dad sent his boy off to war with one. Mainly the un-issued M-1918. Like the one Lee Marvin carried in the Big Red One. They were given to special units, airborne what have you, as the flat blades were not made for much more than killing.
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I was actually getting ready to reply with a similar set of pics of my grand-dad's trench knife. He carried the same model. The "knuckle duster" hand guard could be used as an effective punching tool and differs from other models of trench knives issued over the same period, but that blade...oh my! Triangular, deadly and not of much use for anything other than killing! One certainly has to wonder if johan_steele's cool find (or one like it) was indeed the spark used to develop the WWI trench knife line? Certainly possible.

 

[sailorruss]

I was actually getting ready to reply with a similar set of pics of my grand-dad's trench knife. He carried the same model. The "knuckle duster" hand guard could be used as an effective punching tool and differs from other models of trench knives issued over the same period, but that blade...oh my! Triangular, deadly and not of much use for anything other than killing! One certainly has to wonder if johan_steele's cool find (or one like it) was indeed the spark used to develop the WWI trench knife line? Certainly possible.

You can read a ton of books, but the tactile makes that true connection in your mind. And these things would make a hole in you that was hard to close. Funny, they didn't use the bayonet often, but it seemed a slide backwards in WW1.

Those dusters were actually not an offensive weapon at first. It was made to keep the knife in the hand, making sure it couldn't be taken from the man using it. I'm not sure if that was policy or no.

What unit was your great grandfather in? Mine was the Rainbow.

Oh, why does not one talk about saps, knuckles and other private purchase items? They have been dug in more than a few camps.

 

[Jordan M.E. Williams]

Man I bet that thing could do some damage.... boy there's a conversation starter at roll call!!!!!

Private Smith, why is your bayonet in half and why do you have a rolling - pin tucked in your belt!

 

[sailorruss]

"Trench art."