Armory Sponsor
Posted: 11/29/2011 5:35:52 AM EDT
| In the movie Big Red One, what kind of WW1 knife did Lee Marvin have? |
|
http://arms2armor.com/Knives/m1trench.jpg
Knuckle duster trench knife... if my memory serves me correctly... |
|
The knife was a US Mark One, commonly known as a "1918" because of the mark on the handle.
The handle is actually made of bronze, not brass. The current Taiwan replicas are horrible. The handle is nothing like the original, and is made of porous brass. The "blade cover" is just that, a fragile cover that looks like a scabbard. It's made of thin cheap steel and literally falls apart if you try to use it. It's not unusual to open the box and find the blade cover fallen apart into the two pieces, which are only lightly crimped together. The belt mounting prongs on the front can be easily pulled off with your fingers. The better (marginally) replica are the ones made in Japan in the 60's and 70's. The handle is still brass, but closer to the original Mark One. The blade is thinner than the original. Current Taiwan crappy replica 
Original American made Mark One and scabbard: 
How the Mark One was to be mounted INSIDE a belt: 
The French "Au Lion" version of the Mark One, made in France for the AEF in 1918. Much lower quality than the American made versions: 
The American made Mark One bronze handle. Made by Landers, Frary, & Clark. 
If you want a replica, try to find a Japanese made version. Quality is better then the current trash, but the scabbards were still junk. |
|
Just a matter of not enough market.
The older Japanese replicas were pretty good, but the stainless steel blades were not as thick as the original and the handle shape wasn't as close as you'd want, but they were 100% better then the current junk. Although the current junk knives BLADE is very good and much better then the old Japanese. Still the blade is thinner then the original Mark One. However, someone at some point in the past made a very high quality replica. This replica used a real Mark One L.F.&C handle as a mold master. You can make out where they removed the L.F.&C mark. The handle on this replica was made of actual bronze, like the original not the porous brass of the Japanese and current replicas. The blade is not shaped like the original Mark One but it is just as thick and well made, although it's stainless. I've never been able to find out who, where, or when this replica was made, but it's as high quality as an original. The scabbard is not original to the knife, I made it. 
|
|
Quoted:
Hmmm, wonder if a custom shop would take this on and how much it would cost... A custom shop would probably machine the handle from a block of bronze if they could get it or a block of brass if not. The originals were cast. The trick would be in getting it close to the original in shape and size without having an original to use as a pattern or master. The blade would be no problem. A steel scabbard like the original would probably either not be possible or would cost a BUNCH. I'm sure a steel scabbard of some sort that resembles an original could be done, I did one with sheet metal and not much in the way of tools. Fair warning, the current Taiwan "replicas" really are trash. |
Armory Sponsor