rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Made by Colonial Cutlery Co. in Providence R.I. during WWII and issued as pilot & air crew survival knives.
This one got rode hard, put away wet, and is missing the canvas sheath.
This is a huge knife, weighing ¾+ pound, measuring 6” closed, and nearly 16” with both blades open.
Two versions were made.
One with a handle bail were Navy & Marine issue.
One without a handle bail like this one were AAF.
The cutting blade is 4 5/8”, has a liner lock, and has a nail nick on one side.
The hacksaw blade is 5”, toothed 14 TPI like a high-speed hacksaw blade, and made from 15% tungsten steel.
It has a rounded point that projects past the bolster to open it with.
Since tungsten was in short supply during the war, all steel used in weapons production was restricted to a maximum of 6.75%.
Due to its lifesaving requirement, the war production board gave Colonial special permission to use higher grade tungsten steel for the saw blade.
It was capable of cutting any component in an aircraft, short of hardened tool steel.
(and maybe 10" thick wing root spars!)
The knife continued to be used from 1944 to about the mid-1950’s, when the 6” and later 5” fixed blade “Pilots Survival Knife” came into use.
rc
This one got rode hard, put away wet, and is missing the canvas sheath.
This is a huge knife, weighing ¾+ pound, measuring 6” closed, and nearly 16” with both blades open.
Two versions were made.
One with a handle bail were Navy & Marine issue.
One without a handle bail like this one were AAF.
The cutting blade is 4 5/8”, has a liner lock, and has a nail nick on one side.
The hacksaw blade is 5”, toothed 14 TPI like a high-speed hacksaw blade, and made from 15% tungsten steel.
It has a rounded point that projects past the bolster to open it with.
Since tungsten was in short supply during the war, all steel used in weapons production was restricted to a maximum of 6.75%.
Due to its lifesaving requirement, the war production board gave Colonial special permission to use higher grade tungsten steel for the saw blade.
It was capable of cutting any component in an aircraft, short of hardened tool steel.
(and maybe 10" thick wing root spars!)
The knife continued to be used from 1944 to about the mid-1950’s, when the 6” and later 5” fixed blade “Pilots Survival Knife” came into use.
rc
Last edited: