My Father’s Knife

[dave1918a2]

My Dad never carried a knife. Only blade I remember Him having was a Japanese bayonet. Took that to a gun show years ago and asked a fellow what the insignia was. Said it was Naguya(sic) arsenal 1943. Ask Me where I got it as it was pristine. Told the man Dad said He took it off a dead Jxx. All My Dad ever said about Okinawa.

 

[Texas Star]

My Dad never carried a knife. Only blade I remember Him having was a Japanese bayonet. Took that to a gun show years ago and asked a fellow what the insignia was. Said it was Naguya(sic) arsenal 1943. Ask Me where I got it as it was pristine. Told the man Dad said He took it off a dead Jxx. All My Dad ever said about Okinawa.

That'd be Nagoya Arsenal, not Naguya. But you were fairly close.

My father was on Okinawa, but all he shot were mongooses. Didn't bring back any cool stuff. Just some coins and photos.

We weren't close and he never talked much about the war, apart from how hard training was. As a petroleum engineer, he saw no combat. He was a staff sgt.; refused a commission, as he thought that 2nd Lts. got killed off too fast.

He had a Ka-Bar hunting knife, rather curved, like for skinning. Handle was two-tone yellow and tan or orange plastic. It wasn't the orange and white of the Univ. of TX; Father went to OU and was proud of that, ha! Late in life, he bought a Model A knife from G.W. Stone. His widow didn't even tell us when he died or what became of his things. I wanted those knives and a few guns, inc. a six-inch M-28 .357 and a Winchester M-12 Duck Gun. That's the version chambered for three-inch shells. And I did see him kill ducks and doves with it.

I don't recall him ever carrying an ordinary pocketknife, but he had an Italian switchblade with a nice horn handle. I don't know the brand, but it was well made.

I do have one knife by which to remember my father. But he bought it for me, in 1963.

I was reading the Matt Helm novels and liked the German lockblade hunting knife that Helm carried in the books. We found one at a gun shop (Cullum & Boren) when I was home on leave from the USAF. It's a J.C. Henckels product, from their Solingen works. Handle is Sambar stag antler. Their logo (Zwillingswerk) is the sign of the astrological twins, Gemini. I'm a Gemini, so like that aspect.

Besides the main (spear) blade, it has a saw blade and a corkscrew.

I carried that knife for years, as well as a smaller pocketknife, usually a Swiss Army Spartan. It's now replaced by a Benchmade Model 710 or a Gerber Combat Folder, and I have a couple of Puma folders that get time in my belt pouch. One Puma, Model 943, is similar to that old Henckels, but the saw blade also opens bottles. I like the larger corkscrew on the Henckels a little better, though.

I'll get out that Henckels and carry it for awhile, after reading this thread. It's one of my better memories of my father.

 

[Texas Star]

My Dad was combat infantry in World War II in the ETO. He's still kicking at 92 and still carrying around his Boy Scout knife he's had since the '30s. That knife went with him to civil air patrol duty as as young teenager on the Texas coast in 1942 and he's carried it all of my life. I doubt he took it to Europe in the War but I know he took it when he took us kids to Europe in the early '80s. He also has a GI issue pocket knife and an old Fairbain/Sykes dagger with the tip broke off representing some of the stuff he brought home from the war. Never talks about that knife or how the tip broke.

The sharp tip of the Fairbairn tends to break if misused, and an excellent way to break a tip is to throw the knife at your mother's wooden garage. The painful voice of experience...

 

[Texas Star]

I saw "cheap copy". I guess I would have said "inexpensive" or "less expensive copy of xxx", unless I had some evidence that it was the useless junk that "cheap" implies to me. I see a picture of a well worn knife that served a purpose for its owner. The owner died before the knife, so if there was a "lifetime guarantee", it was used. A lot of my stuff will fall in that category, deserved or not.

My skin is getting literally thinner with long term chemo (round 15 was today), so I guess I can be accused of being thin skinned and it would be true.

I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings. Didn't even know you were a cancer patient. My comment on the Herter knife was based on its appearance and handling qualities, vs. the genuine Russell - Grohmann knife, of which it is an obvious spin-off.

I have owned both, and the lack of refinement in the Herter prompted my remark, combined with disdain for them having ripped off Dean H. Russell's design.

The Herter knife was a good value at $2.55, which is what I paid for mine, direct from Herter.

I have several of the Grohmann knives, inc. the original, which won a design prize in 1958, and which has been featured in the Met. Museum of Art. I also have the No. 3 Boat Knife and the No. 4 survival model. I was pretty impressed when I saw the No. 4 in the photo of safari gear in Robt. C. Ruark's safari article in, Playboy , I think in March, 1965. I suspect the photo was taken in Abercrombie & Fitch in Chicago.

I doubt that Ruark personally selected the items shown, although they included the Russell's Birdshooter boots that he favored. But it was quite an honor for the Grohmann knife to be chosen, and it is a quality product. I've read that RCAF planes carried that model in survival kits.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Big Folder with a Saw Blade?
Originally a Navy Survival kit knife.
Adopted by AF in 1944.
I have one, mine is a Colonial.
Survival kit knives generaliy weren’t issued to individuals.
Often WWII Survival Kit Knives can be found unused.
I have a Case non-folding AF machete which still has cosmoline.

 

[Onomea]

OP, Repro sheaths that match the originals are available on the net.

Jpage, thanks to Bam-Bam and you, I spent some time on the net looking for repros, thinking, as one approach, I could modify a repro to incorporate the animal motif panel from my dad’s old sheath.

In the process, I’ve come across a sheathmaker who is willing to line the entire old sheath at a reasonable price. This, I think, is surely the best solution.

(Meanwhile, I realized yesterday that the custom sheath I had had made earlier, which since it was made without the Cattauragus in hand has always been a bit too tight, is an excellent fit for my Fallkniven A1, whose sheath I don’t like. This is working out well!)

I’ll keep you guys posted in how the old sheath turns out.

 

[robvious]

My dad always carried a Christy pocket knife. I have one of his and a couple of my own. This is one of my new ones.

I have the same story, different father... I have 3 currently... one goes to my son when he graduates from college... and another when I am gone and it is his turn to carry on the tradition... the other is new and for just in case...

 

[S. Kelly]

The rest of your story is very touching, and your father sounds like quite the man. The above part is most likely not true. Murder evidence must be kept in custody forever . . .

That's just Internet rumor or an urban legend. The OP's story is true and his father probably told the truth. If the above statement is true, then why is Jack Ruby's Colt Cobra in collector hands?

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-12-27/news/1991361032_1_ruby-oswald-gun

From Jack Ruby to Las Vegas: A gun's trajectory - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

This knife was passed down to me by my Mom when I was a teenager. It was my Dad's issue knife from WW2 when he served in the Army Air Corps in 1943-1944. The blade is stamped "U.S. M3 CASE" and he carved his initials in the handle. The sheath is stamped "USM8" and under that is stamped "B M CO". He passed away in 1965 when I was only 9 so I never had the opportunity to hear from him about his service. I do know from my uncle that he had served in the Azores and at a base in Idaho. I also have several of his uniform shirts, his discharge papers, patches and his dog tags.

 

[k22fan]

My father was an engineer who spent WW II working on aircraft production at Boeing so I did not get war stories or fighting knives. He had three practical outdoor knives, an Imperial large toothpick for fishing, a 4" Remington fixed blade for camping and an odd small flat knife for his suit pocket. The Imperial's second blade was a fish scaler with cap lifter, ruler and hook extracting end notch.

The only one I have is the small one. It is all metal. When closed its blade is inside a folded piece of sheet metal which lays between the arms of a U shaped frame. To open the covered blade swings to the side and forward 180 degrees. Its cover is then pivoted back 180 degrees to give the frame sides.

He gave each of us one of the four blade camp/utility knives that most elementary school kids always carried. We got them so young that I do not remember not having it. Now kids that help mom slice up salads in the kitchen would be expelled for drawing a picture of a scout knife in school. I'm sure that makes sense to someone, somewhere.

While I have plenty of knives, I wish I had the Remington, just because it was my dad's.

 

[Texas Star]

My father was an engineer who spent WW II working on aircraft production at Boeing so I did not get war stories or fighting knives. He had three practical outdoor knives, an Imperial large toothpick for fishing, a 4" Remington fixed blade for camping and an odd small flat knife for his suit pocket. The Imperial's second blade was a fish scaler with cap lifter, ruler and hook extracting end notch.

The only one I have is the small one. It is all metal. When closed its blade is inside a folded piece of sheet metal which lays between the arms of a U shaped frame. To open the covered blade swings to the side and forward 180 degrees. Its cover is then pivoted back 180 degrees to give the frame sides.

He gave each of us one of the four blade camp/utility knives that most elementary school kids always carried. We got them so young that I do not remember not having it. Now kids that help mom slice up salads in the kitchen would be expelled for drawing a picture of a scout knife in school. I'm sure that makes sense to someone, somewhere.

While I have plenty of knives, I wish I had the Remington, just because it was my dad's.

Well, small world: my father was also an engineer working at Boeing when he was drafted. Mother worked at Beechcraft.

After the war, Dad worked in the petroleum industry and Mother became a teacher.

 

[Onomea]

I have had my father’s sheath restored. Sent it off from Japan to a craftsman, Kaleb, AKA “Muskrat Man,” in Ohio last May, took delivery in Oregon in August, and reunited it with the Cattaruagus back in Japan a couple of days ago.

You can see in my earlier post in this thread how the sheath looked before. Here are some pictures of the restored sheath:








Here’s what Kaleb did in his own words:

“I disassembled the sheath and laminated the original front panel onto a piece of 6 oz veg tan leather. I also laminated a piece of 6 oz onto the back panel that wraps around inside the belt loop. Everything is cemented and stitched into place. I opted to stitch all the way around the border to strengthen the old leather and permanently attach it to the new leather so we weren't relying on adhesive alone to hold things together. I also added a welt of 6 oz veg tan so the stitching would not be at risk of getting cut and also reduces the amount the leather stretches while inserting the knife. I thoroughly moisturized the entire rig, and stitched it with brown bonded nylon. I utilized the original stitching holes everywhere possible. When I laminated the new leather onto the back panel, I left it extra long on the belt loop end so it extended further down inside the sheath and could be securely stitched down because the original end was short, worn and fragile.”

It is very nice work, and I am well pleased with the results. I think my father would be, too.

 

[SATX]

Great store Onomea. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Texas Star]

I saw "cheap copy". I guess I would have said "inexpensive" or "less expensive copy of xxx", unless I had some evidence that it was the useless junk that "cheap" implies to me. I see a picture of a well worn knife that served a purpose for its owner. The owner died before the knife, so if there was a "lifetime guarantee", it was used. A lot of my stuff will fall in that category, deserved or not.

My skin is getting literally thinner with long term chemo (round 15 was today), so I guess I can be accused of being thin skinned and it would be true.

I'm sorry to learn of your cancer. Will pray for your full recovery.

I suppose that your point is valid. The knife was a quite good value for the price.

I thought about it and I paid $2.55 for my example in 1966. That was Herter's catalog price.

I later sold it and bought the real Russell-Grohmann version and now also have their No. 4 survival knife and the No. 3 Boat knife. I have both the usual sheath and the flapped Canadian Forces sheath for the No. 3. Mine has a special order black Micarta handle and a wrist thong. The blade also has a brighter polish than usual.

If you have access to, Playboy's March, 1965 issue, look at Robert C. Ruark's safari article. The big color picture of gear has a Russell-Grohmann No. 4 knife. I think they took that photo at Abercrombie & Fitch in Chicago. That was the most famous outfitter for safari equipment then. It says something that the knife was chosen for that photo.

Oh: I wasn't charged any customs duty when I got those Canadian knives and the company gave excellent service.

 

[ameridaddy]

I posted this before, and apologize for the repeat, but it fits this thread -
The longer, triangular-bladed knuckle knife was the earlier version, a 1917 LF&C. It was made from repurposed French Lebel bayonets, and was not effective, hence the development of the French 1918 Au Lion and the same looking American LF&C 1918.

The bronze handled knife is my grandfather's Au Lion, used in France during his 18 months overseas with the 42nd (Rainbow) Division in WW1. Note it has been narrowed a bit from many sharpenings, and is not only good for smashing and stabbing, but sharp enough to be a wicked slasher too.

During the 48 hours of July 15-17 1918, he was in a trench mortar battery dug in near Suippes in the Champagne that had seven waves of German infantry pass over it in the last German offensive of the war. An Indiana artillery observer said "…Our trench mortar battery, composed of volunteers from Baltimore, has been knocked completely out of commission during the fight. They had been put in front of the main line of trenches from whence they fought the advancing Germans until they were out of ammunition, out of guns, and out of men." The French command credited the 117th Trench Mortar Battery, at the time about 150 men and officers, the smallest unit in the Rainbow, with killing 2,400 German infantrymen and destroying 25% of their tanks. I suspect his Au Lion was put to use there.

 

[F75gunslinger]

If I outlast my dad I'll inherit his Barlow and a USGI bayonet that he has from his army days. I remember one similar to this was ALWAYS in his pocket...

 

[SuperMan]

This thread is meant to be about knives we have inherited from our fathers. But if you aren’t fortunate enough to own a knife of your father’s, feel free to post about a knife that has sentimental or historical value to you for other reasons.

And, as always, comments from well informed members, in this case on the knife I am posting about, are always welcome.

My father carried this knife, a Cattaraugus 225Q, in the Pacific in WWII as a Marine 2nd lieutenant and interpreter of Japanese. He fought in the great battles of Peleliu and Okinawa.



I recall him carrying it in the 1950s in northern Virginia, near what is now Dulles Airport, when we were out and about in the woods. His using it to chop through grape vines, or so we called them, to keep them from strangling trees in particular has stayed with me.

I was maybe four or five. I learned the word “groove” from this knife when I asked my dad what the trough-like indentation in the blade was.

Growing up, as I began to acquire knives of my own, I always compared them to my dad’s “combat knife,” as we called the Cattaraugus, and my acquisitions always seemed to come up short. (Like most boys of my generation, I was allowed to have a knife from, insofar as I can remember, when I first realized I wanted one. My first was a cheap, extremely dull, paring knife with a red plastic handle. I recall having that with me when out in the woods with my dad and his knife. (Never did learn how to sharpen it, though not for lack of trying.)

My father passed on in 1995. At home and in bed. With his wife and children all gathered around him. I was able to make it home from Japan in time for his death. He had taken the knife out of his dresser drawer and put it beside him on his nightstand. I think the drugs he was taking for his cancer gave him bad dreams, and having his trusty knife within reach gave him a measure of comfort.

After he passed on, the knife came to me. It was pretty rusty at that point, so I spent some time cleaning it up with fine grit sandpaper and WD40. I also had a nice custom sheath made for it as at the time my dad’s old sheath, falling apart, seemed a bit too shabby for it.








Now, over 23 years later, I am considering trying to restore the sheath. I think my father made it from a kit shortly after the war. (A leather sheath this flimsy seems unlikely to have been carried in the Pacific.





So, how about you? Any other sons out there who own and treasure their father’s knife?

My father passed away a year ago January at age 90.......I was given the same knife by him in about 1960. He was an electrician on a destroyer escort in the South Pacific during WWII... He had a second knife, a Robson I believe, that was given to my brother.

The "left handed sheath" is original...mine is the same way and all the ones I have seen are left handed... Your father did however add the fringe... What probably happened is the stitching rotted out and he used leather to replace it...

Thanks for the memory....

Bob

 

[Texas Star]

I have had my father’s sheath restored. Sent it off from Japan to a craftsman, Kaleb, AKA “Muskrat Man,” in Ohio last May, took delivery in Oregon in August, and reunited it with the Cattaruagus back in Japan a couple of days ago.

You can see in my earlier post in this thread how the sheath looked before. Here are some pictures of the restored sheath:








Here’s what Kaleb did in his own words:

“I disassembled the sheath and laminated the original front panel onto a piece of 6 oz veg tan leather. I also laminated a piece of 6 oz onto the back panel that wraps around inside the belt loop. Everything is cemented and stitched into place. I opted to stitch all the way around the border to strengthen the old leather and permanently attach it to the new leather so we weren't relying on adhesive alone to hold things together. I also added a welt of 6 oz veg tan so the stitching would not be at risk of getting cut and also reduces the amount the leather stretches while inserting the knife. I thoroughly moisturized the entire rig, and stitched it with brown bonded nylon. I utilized the original stitching holes everywhere possible. When I laminated the new leather onto the back panel, I left it extra long on the belt loop end so it extended further down inside the sheath and could be securely stitched down because the original end was short, worn and fragile.”

It is very nice work, and I am well pleased with the results. I think my father would be, too.

I recall that sheath that your mom decorated for that Cattaraugus 225 knife. It's good to see it repaired.

 

[lawandorder]

Thank you for sharing a great story...............

..........of your Father, his knife and memories. Glad it came back up because I missed the original posting. A similar story involves my Father's hunting knife.

In the early 1950s my Sister and her Husband were in Germany while he was serving. During their time there they bought Dad a nice little stag handled knife, unique in that it had folding blades inside the handle. Also unique in that there was no makers mark on it.

From my earliest memories that knife was always around as my Father was an avid Hunter and Fisherman. As I got older and able to join him on many of his outdoor adventures, I too carried a sheath knife but never one like his.

He was fatally injured in a car crash and after he passed my Sisters and I began the sad process of closing up his house and dealing with the debris of life that were left behind. The main thing to find on my mind was his knife and after several hours of not finding it I got worried. Then I went into the basement and found it inside his old hunting coat.

It remained one of my treasured keepsakes until about 10 years later when I suffered a house fire that was a total loss. Found the knife after the ashes cooled and it was in sad shape but it was still his knife.

A few years later while prowling an antique mall I spotted the twin to his knife and bought it. There was one difference, it had a makers mark. The knife was marked Henley.

A cold chill ran down my spine that hot summer day holding this knife in my hand. You see my Dad's first name was Henley.

A few years later a friend of a friend and her son were visiting with me. I found out his first name was Henley and when they left I gave him the knife.

The original still sets in a stand on my bookshelves in all of it's rough condition and reminds me everyday how fortunate I was to have the Father I did.

 

[Jim PHL]

I’m glad too, to see this thread resurrected as I missed it the first time around. I have only one knife my dad gave me; an Imperial Kamp King “scout’s knife” that was really my scout knife so many years ago. I don’t carry it much when out and about but it’s still the knife I use today when working around the house and garden. I posted about it on another forum and said there that I don’t even remember whether my folks bought it for me or Dad gave me one he already had. Actually it’s not that individual knife but what my Dad taught me about having one handy all the time that sticks with me.