The U.S. M-1917 & M-1918 Trench Knives’ Thread (Yes, just the wooden handled ones).

[MilitariaOne]

Here we have two veterans from France. The M-1917 (left) is from a USMC assembly point (The 6th MG Battalion's) located about ten miles from Saint-Mihiel and the M-1918 (right) knife hails from the vicinity of Belleau wood (but not Belleau Wood proper). Interestingly, both were found with the remnants of their Jewell scabbards still on them along with their M-1910 belt hooks intact.

Double click on image to enlarge.

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

In post #8 of this thread I posted an H. D. & S. variant with the wrong blade's orientation. Below is an original O. C. L., also with wrong blade's orientation. Was the handle replaced, who knows, but the blade did not originally depart the factory oriented this way.

Double click to enlarge the image.


Regards,

Lance

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

I wanted to add some WWII (era) replacement leather scabbards (all private purchased affairs) and two WWII modified knives. The top one is a M1918 L. F. & C. variant and the bottom one is a M1917 A. C. CO. variant. Each has had their knuckle bows cut off. This modification makes the knife lighter and less prone to catch on equipment/foliage when worn. The end result, is pretty much an ice pick.

Njoy!

V/r Lance

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

I recently obtained an image I had posted earlier in a significantly higher resolution (2nd picture down in post #7 of this thread) and with that better resolution, it is clear that the circled object is some sort of buttoned pouch (perhaps for a compass?) riding just above this Soldier's French M2 Gas Mask. In any case, it is obviously not a trench knife's knuckle bow. Whap whap waaaaaaaahhhh.

Best,

V/r Lance

P.S. This clarification, explains away my own (internal) confusion on how the supposed knuckle bow was reversed in its orientation when worn on the wearer's left side.

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

A member of the Motor Truck Company 464 Motor Supply Train 417 CPL. Russell S. White of Oakland, California proudly shows off his souvenirs on Armistice Day 1918. Notice, the L. F. & C. M-1918 Trench Knife in front of the Chasseur’s badged Adrian helmet.

Njoy,

V/r Lance

Double click to enlarge image.

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings all,

When new, both M-1917s & M-1918s were shipped from their manufacturers in crates with these (see below) cardboard tubes around the blades in order to protect their finishes while in transit. Once delivered to a depot, the knives were then united with their Jewell made scabbards for subsequent issue to units.

Today's Pro-Tip: Don't clean the fuzz/cardboard's residue off, in fact leave it as you found it as it will be easier to demonstrate the tube and cardboard have been paired together for a long time. I have not viewed these cardboard tubes being redone/replicated, but surely, it will eventually occur. Keeping an original combination as found will maintain its value and readily dispel concerns about the pair's originality. These are not particularly rare knives. However, this combination is.

Best,

V/r Lance

Double click on the image to enlarge.