rcmodel
Member in memoriam
A revision of the M-1910 Bolo, the M-1917 was issued to units for use in brush clearing around camps, clearing firing zones by machinegun crews, and in trench warfare fighting.
This one is blade marked on the right side U.S. MOD 1917 C.T. and on the left side A.C. CO. CHICAGO 1918 (American Cutlery Co.).
Beginning with the M-1910, the M-1917 was the same heavy knife (1 lb. 5 oz.) with a 10 ¼” convex / flat ground blade.
Walnut scales are attached with two slotted through-bolts and countersunk serrated nuts in the left scale.
The rear 3" of the blade is V-ground forming a short section of double-grind edge, but from there foreword it is flat ground on the left side of the blade and convex ground on the right.
Why? I have no idea, unless it was for use cutting up close to the ricasso as a draw knife for stripping bark, or for detail cutting when whittling stake points and such
Whereas the Springfield M-1910 Bolo had a push button sheath catch similar to the M-1905 Springfield bayonet, it was dropped on the later M-1917 models shortly after production begin.
It really wasn’t needed to retain the heavy Bolo in it's sheath, it cost more to produce, and it wore holes in your hand when the Bolo was actually used as intended.
The M-1910 Bolo was made at Springfield Armory to very high military standards, and was very highly fit & finished.
It was found by Plumb Tools that they could produce the same knife to less than Springfield Armory finish standards for less cost, and the less expensive Bolo would be just as good a tool for a solders use.
Thus the M-1917 Bolo was born.
Then another change soon followed.
In all prior models of the M-1910 and M-1917, the pommel was made separate from the blade.
Then after the guard was slipped on, the pommel was double-pinned and brazed to the tang.
The M-1917 C.T. model skipped all that. (C.T. = Commercial Tolerances)
Instead of a separate pommel, it was forged integral with the blade & tang.
Then the guard was stamped out with a split on the right side, slipped over the tang, bent shut, and welded back together.
That reduced the cost still further from $4.92 per unit for the M-1917 to a low of $1.65 ea. for the M-1917 C.T. as shown here.
Various sheaths and scabbards were used over the years.
A typical one would be made with a wood liner, covered in O.D. canvas, and tipped with leather. The top had a Canvas loop with a pistol belt hanger wire attached.
By 1918 a sheet-metal scabbard painted O.D. green was often used.
This one was missing the scabbard when I bought it at a flea market for $5.00.
Still in use early in WWII, it was soon found the M-1917 Bolo really wasn’t very good at chopping through jungle at all, and it was replaced with the M-1942 18” Machete.
rc
This one is blade marked on the right side U.S. MOD 1917 C.T. and on the left side A.C. CO. CHICAGO 1918 (American Cutlery Co.).
Beginning with the M-1910, the M-1917 was the same heavy knife (1 lb. 5 oz.) with a 10 ¼” convex / flat ground blade.
Walnut scales are attached with two slotted through-bolts and countersunk serrated nuts in the left scale.
The rear 3" of the blade is V-ground forming a short section of double-grind edge, but from there foreword it is flat ground on the left side of the blade and convex ground on the right.
Why? I have no idea, unless it was for use cutting up close to the ricasso as a draw knife for stripping bark, or for detail cutting when whittling stake points and such
Whereas the Springfield M-1910 Bolo had a push button sheath catch similar to the M-1905 Springfield bayonet, it was dropped on the later M-1917 models shortly after production begin.
It really wasn’t needed to retain the heavy Bolo in it's sheath, it cost more to produce, and it wore holes in your hand when the Bolo was actually used as intended.
The M-1910 Bolo was made at Springfield Armory to very high military standards, and was very highly fit & finished.
It was found by Plumb Tools that they could produce the same knife to less than Springfield Armory finish standards for less cost, and the less expensive Bolo would be just as good a tool for a solders use.
Thus the M-1917 Bolo was born.
Then another change soon followed.
In all prior models of the M-1910 and M-1917, the pommel was made separate from the blade.
Then after the guard was slipped on, the pommel was double-pinned and brazed to the tang.
The M-1917 C.T. model skipped all that. (C.T. = Commercial Tolerances)
Instead of a separate pommel, it was forged integral with the blade & tang.
Then the guard was stamped out with a split on the right side, slipped over the tang, bent shut, and welded back together.
That reduced the cost still further from $4.92 per unit for the M-1917 to a low of $1.65 ea. for the M-1917 C.T. as shown here.
Various sheaths and scabbards were used over the years.
A typical one would be made with a wood liner, covered in O.D. canvas, and tipped with leather. The top had a Canvas loop with a pistol belt hanger wire attached.
By 1918 a sheet-metal scabbard painted O.D. green was often used.
This one was missing the scabbard when I bought it at a flea market for $5.00.
Still in use early in WWII, it was soon found the M-1917 Bolo really wasn’t very good at chopping through jungle at all, and it was replaced with the M-1942 18” Machete.
rc
