Description
Original WW2 era Mark I Utility knife manufactured by PAL Cutlery with the war-expedient wood pommel and non-parkerized “plain finish” blade. The knife comes with the correct early-war USN-marked leather scabbard. Not the type to miss a good business opportunity, PAL Cutlery had purchased the cutlery division of Remington Arms in 1940. After PAL moved the old Remington equipment and knife stock to Holyoke, MA, they began manufacturing knives for the US military using the left-over stock parts with the Remington emblem (RH stands for Remington Hunter). This exact type is illustrated on pages 9 and 11 in KNIVES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY WORLD WAR II book by Michael W. Silvey – a well-established expert an author of many books on the subject of US military edged weapons (see the pages’ scans attached). The scarcer “wood pommel” type was issued with the hardwood pommel due to the wartime ban on the use of the strategic metals like aluminum for the “non-essential” products.
MK1 knives are relatively common, but the “wood pommel” type is hard to find in better good grades, especially with the early-issue leather scabbard included. The majority of these utility knives were used as intended during the war, so most got worked to death, were lost, or simply fell apart from the abuse and contact with the seawater. Not surprisingly, the wood-pommeled knives proved not as durable in the field as the “standard” MKI production types with metal pommels; finding a well-preserved mid-war MK1 specimen is not so easy nowadays.
This Mark I is about 9-7/8″ / 25 cm overall; the blade is about 5-1/8″ / 13 cm. The blade has been re-sharpened; it is very sharp still; the tip is intact. Some light surface rust or the blade is noted for accuracy (cleanable); the edge and blade spine are excellent with no nicks or dings. Stacked leather washers and red fiber spacers handle; hardwood pommel with a steel butt plate is unusually nice for the type without the typical ding marks or chips. The handle is tight with no play, all parts are solid. Leather washers are in great condition without the typical “saltwater rot” so many of the WW2 era USN knives are suffering from. Ricasso is stamped RH-35 PAL MADE IN U.S.A. on one side, USN on the other. Original early war all-leather scabbard is marked U.S.N. on the throat. The leather is soft and supple still; all original stitching, rivets, and the keeper are intact. This scabbard is in better-than-average condition for the type; it’s in 100% serviceable condition still.
This scarce wood pommel WW2 PAL MK1 fighting knife has not been cleaned or tampered with in any way, it’s in 100% original “as is” condition. These are the actual photos; spent brass is not included with the knife 😉 I have a few more vintage American and European knives, as well as WW2 era combat knives and bayonets, scarce WW1 and WW2 fighting daggers and trench knives from other countries available for sale – please take a look in our Militaria section.
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International shipping for this item will be $39.95 and up to most countries on our “ship-to” list.
