Stephenson US Army knife

[Ole Joe Clark]

I'm not sure where to post this, mods please move to the correct forum if necessary.

My 82 year old brother and I were discussing knives recently and he brought one by to show me today. I believe he said it was his first knife and that he has owned it for at least 75 years. I didn't get to look at it in detail but on the lanyard it had "Stephenson US" or "Stephenson USA" stamped. I looked it up on google and it came back as a Stephenson US Army knife. I'm hoping he will take some pictures to send me.

Anybody here know anything about them? I did a search but nothing came up.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[Gunsil]

It sounds like he has a WW2 era Stevenson USMC knife. Is the knife all metal with USMC stamped on one side? If so they were only made 1944-1945, some say 1945 only. Stevenson and Kingston had the contracts to make these.

[Ole Joe Clark]

Thank you so much for the information. You described it to a "T".

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[RobesonsRme.com]

Some Stephenson scout-utility knives are marked, STEPHENSON 1945, others STEPHENSON U.S.A.

Some have a can-opener/cap-lifter and short stubby screwdriver blades that were proprietary to The Robeson Cutlery Company.

Not known if Robeson actually made the knives or supplied the blades to Stephenson.

And I don’t think anyone has ever actually discovered who “Stephenson” was.

There is a Stephenson Corporation in New York State that makes abrasives to be used in drum tumblers. They were in business during WWII. Were they a supplier of abrasive materials to Robeson? Don’t know. Did they manage to land a limited contract with the government to supply this type knife? Don’t know. I wrote to them a few years ago to ascertain the answers to such questions. They never responded.

Cannot post photos right now, but will.

Neither of my examples are marked, U.S.M.C. and I don’t believe I’ve ever seen one that was. If I have, I’ve forgotten.

Charlie Noyes

[eveled]

The Stevenson ones I’ve seen had US not USMC on the scales. Bails marked STEVENSON 45 or STEVENSON USA. The US is stamped over the dimples the other makers the dimples are interrupted for the US stamp.

Great knives.

I forgot there was an early version with a Robeson can opener and stubby bottle opener. https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums ... on-opener/

[Ole Joe Clark]

We have talked again about his knife since I first posted about it. His is stamped Stephenson USA on the bail, (the thingy you tie a piece of string to), and is not stamped USMC. He is going to clean it up and take more photos that I will share.

Thanks for all the replies.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[tongueriver]

...His is stamped Stephenson USA on the lanyard...

Leon

You may be referring to what most people nowadays call a 'bail.' The older word used commonly was 'shackle.' A lanyard usually refers to a cord or chain attached to the bail or to a lanyard hole through the handle.

[Ole Joe Clark]

Forgive me for getting the terminology wrong, maybe I'm not to old to learn, since I'm only 77.

Maybe they won't make me turn in my card, I really like this place.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[tongueriver]

I'm right behind you by not that many months!