Ran across this interesting knife at the flea market yesterday. I am not an active blade collector but I do love my switchblades.

From my little reading these knives were issued to Air Force flight crews beginning in WWII and continuing through 1993 when the AF discontinued them. I believe from the color and texture of the scales that his particular one was Vietnam era or possibly Korea.

Interestingly, the automatic part is the blade. The parachute cord cutter is manually deployed. Apparently, this knife was carried with the cord cutter already open for quick access of the crew member got tangled in a tree, etc. On the ground, the cutter hook could be closed for field use.

The knife is marekd "Schrade Walden NY USA" and "Stainless Steel"

Thas last photo is a few of my other switchblades.

Attached Images

	100_4744.jpg (135.3 KB, 1074 views)
	100_4746.jpg (138.0 KB, 1058 views)
	100_4749.jpg (137.7 KB, 1064 views)
	100_4750.jpg (132.3 KB, 1069 views)
	100_4043 (2).jpg (117.8 KB, 1057 views)

__________________
Randy
Provenance nerd

Cool. I have read about these but never laid hands on one.

__________________
Not in jail.

I had one of those paratrooper knives years ago,lost it.They were great knives

I had some similar knives in RVn. They had same shroud cutter but knife blade was same type as a GI issued pocket knife. I think they were Camilus made. Our supply Sargent got them because nobody wanted the GI knife. At least the blade on the para knives wood take a decent edge. The orange handle sucked. I sent last one I had to a forum member that helped me out several times as a gift.

These were issued to the Marine and Navy aircrews also. My Flight Equipment shop and a parts bin with items for the aircrew survival vests. One drawer was jam full of these. They never interested me, so I never got one. Have several TL-28's & 29's, and K-Bars. But no pilots survival knives or shroud cutters. Guess I should have got a couple............

__________________
USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I've got one, got it when I was in 3rd SFG at Ft. Bragg. Not a bad knife, not a great one either.

We did not think much of them either.

__________________
USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

They wereprobably considered a single-use item.

__________________
Not in jail.

I think paratroopers were a main user. All I've seen were made by Schrade. Not their best quality, but they probably worked, if needed. Most aircrew carried better knives.

Like how the blade is bent when it's open,screams quality

I agree with the single use thought,maybe just use the line cutter and forget it has a blade at all.

__________________
Life's a grave,dig it!

Both Aircrews and paratroopers had better knives available to them. IIRC the shroud cutter was in the survival vest that the aircrew wore when flying. That way it was within reach if needed in an emergency situation.

__________________
USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I have an older Schrade, it holds an edge

Carried them for years and still have several.
Normal carry for AF was in knee pocket with shroud cutter open.
Most of them I ever saw were made by Camillus.
And I never had a very high opinion of them.
The construction isn't that robust and the stainless blade won’t take a very good edge.
Just looked my picture of one of mine. Also Shrade!
The AF aircrew Parachutes had a small survival kit with a knife.
Usually a three blade Stock Knife.
Here’s one.
Now this is an excellent knife and handy to have!

Attached Images

C0ACB4AC-6721-4F97-869C-E17FB4583708.jpg (33.7 KB, 97 views)

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

I had one that was given to me by a pilot when I was an Aircrewman in the Navy, around 1987 or so. Wound up trading it for a Chinese SKS rifle when they were cheap. The guy who I traded it to was underwhelmed with my trade items until I brought out that aircrew switch blade. Apparently, he had been a Air Force Para Rescue guy and had his switch blade stolen from him by an Egyptian Solider while on deployment there in the 1970's. Long story, I guess. This was the only successful trade I was ever able to make with that guy....

estate sale find -

Attached Images

DSCN0587.jpg (166.6 KB, 112 views)

I carried mine with the shroud cutter blade open in a rigger made pouch. It is visible on my right leg below the reserve.

I wish I still had it today.

Attached Images

Paul JUMP.jpg (67.3 KB, 133 views)

__________________
Paul
Salome, AZ

See the pocket on the Left Leg?
That’s was where you carried the Orange Switcher.

Attached Images

1FFB79CE-6FE9-4A9B-9242-F9FBC601ACEA.jpeg (24.2 KB, 93 views)

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

I had a good friend in the surplus business who obtained a couple of these knives, as I recall one had the "Switch Blade" purposely broken and I wrote to Camillus asking if they could make repairs, their reply was "Destroy or burry it." It must have been considered as contraband. Hope I did not miss an opportunity for a money maker.

__________________
Sam
S&WHF 333 S&WCA 2198

That's because laws on "switchblades" used to be full on retard strength stupid,it's better now.

__________________
Life's a grave,dig it!

Good or bad, shroud cutter would be better than falling from trees with KBar in hand.

I always heard them called Paratrooper knives. I think the main idea was to cut shroud lines on the way down. Sometimes, weird things happen when a chute deploys. It can be caused by prop wash, wind gusts, and bad body positions on the way out the door. Suspension lines (What you see sold as "parachute cord") have been known to loop around necks, wind up under arm pits, or even wrapped around legs. When around the neck, it really is nice to have the hook because the line will be real tight and slashing at one's neck with the old Kabar is discouraged.
One time, I actually watched a guy coming down head first with a line wrapped around his ankle. It looked rather awkward. He managed to kick it loose.

In 1969 in my unit in Germany, we had a Bn. Sgt. Major that was one of the first Command Sergeant Majors after the rank was created. Scariest man I ever saw while in the Army, including Drill Sergeants and Tac Officers in various schools. Think about the character portrayed by Sam Elliot in "We Were Soldiers Once", and DOUBLE it. He had two stars on his wings.
He carried one on his belt in a pouch made from parachute risers. That was not really within regulation at the time, but I don't think anyone had the guts to mention it.

__________________
Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Here’s mine, NIP (New In Paper).
Belonged to my Dad, a USAF pilot for 30 years. He had another one that he wore in his flight suit, and never used.

Attached Images

	778079A8-96E0-458E-B4A0-1FFF2F09C4E2.jpg (72.6 KB, 42 views)
	5D24072F-3069-464D-A8C1-D4E56B569810.jpg (48.0 KB, 55 views)
	039B5AD4-6D81-4721-A80A-547C6A098E33.jpg (43.7 KB, 66 views)

__________________
George

I always thought they got the spec backwards. The shroud cutter should have been the automatic, the GP blade manual.

Any comments on this from folks who actually jumped?

__________________
Formerly Model520Fan

they could have both been automatic. I have a pen knife around here somewhere with two blades and both are automatic. two separate buttons

Kind of like the "demo" knives.

Everybody wanted one, till the got
one...lol

On the GROUND... wait till you're on the ground,
before cutting shroud lines, or popping harness
(unless your name is OHL...)

Way back, in the AF before we had releasable Shroud Lines which would convert your parachute to Steerable,
We had a hanging fixed blade Shroud Cutter hanging on the Shroud-lines.
The appropriate Lines which you were supposed to cut were marked.
Every time I went to a Refresher Class and heard that, it chilled me!
The idea of cutting on the item which was lowering me to the ground was hard for me.
Then they came up with snap releases.
You unsnapping freed some rear shrouds and allowed the chute to be steerable.

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

Unless you were a kid like me, and it was all there was. (I don’t remember where I got it, but it had to be something my pop bought for me.)

__________________
Not in jail.

I have a near mint condition Camillus one in my collection. Are they newer or older than the Schrade?

Have added a couple since this picture

Attached Images

IMG_1776.jpg (126.8 KB, 49 views)

__________________
_______________
Super Snooper

Hard to tell.
Several makers including Schrade, Camillus and Colonial made them
For a number of years.

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

That’s the way to display a knife!

__________________
“Look life in its iron face”

(( Well, folks, I'm baaaaaaack! Did you miss me? Of course you did! I just spent 3 cold,
hellish, food-deprived, sleep-deprived days in "S&W Forum Jail" for saying something un-PC.
But I just can't help it, that's the way I roll...anyhoo, I digress... ))

Here's the latest model of paratrooper switchblade from Colonial knife company:

More here.

Attached Images

	100_0770.jpg (77.9 KB, 43 views)
	100_0771.jpg (76.2 KB, 39 views)

__________________
So very Politically Incorrect

Here's the latest model of paratrooper switchblade from Colonial knife company:

It appears to be screwed together.
The old model was riveted together with not very strong rivets.
I have seen the old ones in pieces after they were subjected to a little heavy usage.
That’s why I developed a low opine of the old one.

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

[Big sarcasm] "Heck, nothing is too good for our troops as long as it's dirt cheap and really flimsy!" -- U.S. General Larry "Offshore Bank Accounts/Three Vacation Homes in Hawaii" Jones. [/Big sarcasm] . What a fine American he is. But, seriously, though, is "the lowest bidder" the right person for the job? Seriously? Nope!


-----------------

__________________
So very Politically Incorrect

Are these knives being commercially manufactured? I would like to pick one up.

I was told by a Korean War Navy Aircrew member that the reason the blade was "automatic" was so when some stumble foot accidentally deployed the life raft while the plane was still in flight, you could quickly deflate the life raft.

That’s Larry Duval in the flying suit.
Can’t tell if he’s got a Switcher or not, but I can see the leg pocket which intended to carry the switcher.
Larry appears to be explaining airplanes to the Dude in Civvies.

Attached Images

72D006CA-E654-40D5-B832-5DE94434CC1B.jpeg (77.6 KB, 42 views)

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

Yes, see the link in my post...




-------

__________________
So very Politically Incorrect

That's the story we heard- contractor screwed up.

I was issued this knife right out of flight school. I never carried it- easily the crappiest knife I'd ever beheld. Loose wobbly blade, weak spring- I can't speak to how well it held an edge because I never used it.

I think I have a couple of them thrown in a box somewhere.

We had what we called Army pocket knives; they had aluminium scales, and a couple of different tools besides the blade. I think it was a good knife, very sturdy. Very few of them made it out to the grunts in the field. There was one knife per each "engineer's pack" (IRRS) but these were usually seen. The engineers removed them for themselves, or at least that's the story in the I an the rest of the grunts had. I think they were made by Camalius (sp)but that was 50-something years ago. No one in unit would carry them if they'd had a choice, because almost everyone sent home for good belt knives. Mine was a Marble.

Just like the pocket knives that never made it to the field, neither were heating tablets for heating up C-rations. I wonder sometimes if they're still a few in some remote NG unit warehouse.

Im have one of the orange handled ones, given to me by a flight equipment guy........in one of my tool boxes now.......not a great knife IMO

Gentlemen:

I just noticed this thread and enjoyed reading it. However, it includes some mistaken information that I’d like to try to correct. I have a slight advantage since, in addition to Smith & Wessons, I have been interested in and studied USGI blades for years.

The orange colored 2 bladed automatic knives (or “switchblade” knives) are not WW2 era knives. While the US military did indeed procure switchblade knives (known as the M2) in WW2, those are a whole different breed of blade.

Focusing on the blades that are the subject of this thread the proper designation is a good place to start. These knives are known as the MC-1 knives. The precise military name is MIL-K-25594. This knife was a U.S. Air Force creation. The USAF was looking for a replacement for the fixed blade and the folding “Knife, Emergency, Aviators” (also known as the Giant Jack Knife) knives of WW2. The work was undertaken starting in 1956 by the Engineering and Development Branch and the Aero Medical Laboratory.

The goal was to develop a knife that could be opened with one gloved hand. It was to be 2-bladed, one a 3 and 1/8th inch clip blade that was spring loaded and the second a parachute canopy line cutting blade that was blunt and hook shaped. The hook shaped blade was intended to be kept in the open position for immediate use while the clip blade was to be kept closed when not in use. The open blunt, hook blade was not thought to be a threat to the safety of the airman. The chief function of the clip blade was to puncture an accidentally deployed life raft while in descent. Not a highly durable design, it was intended as a knife to be used by parachuting aircrew and only secondarily as a survival knife. Essentially, it was thought of as a one-use-only blade. It was adopted by the Air Force in 1957.

The blades and liners are all 440C stainless steel while the push button release and locking mechanism are of brass. The spring for the clip blade is of carbon steel. The plastic grips (or “scales” as knife guys call them) are of “Day-Glo, fire orange” and had pressed jigging to resemble stag grips. Each maker had slightly different patterns to this jigging.

The Government Specification also required that this printed information be packed with each knife: "Warning – This knife may only be issued to the Armed Forces, and is intended solely for use in emergency survival conditions. Unauthorized possession of this knife may constitute serious criminal offenses against Federal, State and Local law."

The Air Force ended up buying these knives from three different suppliers: Camillus Cutlery Co., Schrade Cutlery Co. and the Logan/Smyth Co. The air arms of the other armed services also adopted the MC-1. Over time it came to be included as part of the SV-2 survival vest. It saw extensive use in SE Asia. These knives continued in use until the Air Force discontinued their procurement in 1993. Undoubtedly, they continued to be used for some time thereafter. There is probably a supply room somewhere which still has a pile of them ready for use.

The image below shows examples of the various MC-1 knife versions in my collection. From left to right one sees the Camillus, the Schrade and the Logan/Smyth. Careful examination will reveal some subtle differences between the three makes. It was generally thought that the Logan/Smyth brand was the least durable of the bunch.



Fourth from the left is the canopy line cutter knife with only a single blade. It has a plastic cover over its blade and was carried in the pouch shown.

The fifth knife from the left is the current issue automatic knife for aircrew. While outwardly similar and often called an MC-1, that is technically incorrect. It is made by the Colonial Knife Company. Colonial calls this knife the M724 while the military refers to it as “Knife, Auto Rescue”. It has a National Stock Number (NSN) of 5110-00-526-8740. The Colonial knife is a completely different design and is much more robust knife than the old MC-1. It has a larger blade at 4 and ½”, is assembled with screws rather than pins, has no liners and has durable grips made of nylon Isoplaste. It is intended for use in all military aircraft ejection seat survival kits. It has been adopted by a number of foreign air arms.

While a poor choice for everyday use, a 1968 Navy study on aircrew protective gear surveyed aircrew who had used the equipment. It found that the MC-1 knife performed its intended job well and was well thought of by those whose lives had depended upon the knife.

Much of this information was developed by my friend and well-known USGI knife author/researcher Frank Trzaska. I hope it has been helpful in explaining the history of the MC-1 knives.

__________________
Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

Pilgrim:

I don't know who Larry Duval is/was, and I could easily be mistaken, but the "Dude in Civvies" appears to me to be astronaut Gus Grissom. Grissom, who was killed in the Apollo capsule fire in 1967, knew a thing or two about aircraft. That's Grissom on the left below with Ed White and Roger Chaffee. They died together.

__________________
Charlie Flick
SWCA 729 HF 215

Re: the orange military switchblade:



Yeah, well, like most things that the U.S. military does, this makes no sense (just like Vietnam, aka Walt Rostow's War). Why bother to tool up (or have someone else tool up) to make a "mostly-worthless, one-shot wonder"? They just keep wasting our tax dollars. But no problem, because my money tree in my backyard blooms cash every month...




------------------

__________________
So very Politically Incorrect