All About Pocket Knives

Waukonda wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:21 am I realize that the question from the op has been answered, but I find it interesting that my W R Case WW1 Navy knife has a slight difference. There is no stamp on the file blade, and the "Made in USA" stamp is on the back of the main blade.

stockman wrote: ↑Fri Apr 22, 2022 11:37 am Ike I sure like your knife.

Harold

Potechop wrote: ↑Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:10 am Sorry I didn’t post good pictures of the tang stamp

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:13 pm I agree, the OP knife’s master blade has likely been re-profiled. Possibly due to the tip of the blade having been broken off. Stamps look suspicious to me. Those on Ike’s example are good - compare the two. I seem to recall the pattern having been made by another maker also?

Not specific to the OP knife only, but a conundrum with the W.R. CASE & SONS stamp is that most resources say it was used 1905-1914. The OP pattern is also attributed to being a WWI military knife. However, WWI did not start until 1914. So if this stamp was used until 1914 (and that the “Made in USA” stamp was used during WWI), but WWI didn’t start until 1914, either the stamp was likely used post-1914, the knife is not really military, or…………..?

The other question I have wondered about is, why the fingernail groomer manicure blade on a military knife?
Inquiring minds.

The WW1 Navy Knives were not produced until 1917. Case had a contract to produce around 80,000 of them for around 39 cents each so yes the WR Case & Sons Stamp was used after 1914. On some knives. There are other examples of the stamp being used after 1914 as well. The Case pliers knife produced contracted to Valley Forge is another example of the stamp being used later. But all I have handled had the main blade shaped like the second knife posted. I have read that the file blade was placed on the knives because the finger nails were a source of infection in the military.

Tom

Ken