Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. The Navy MK1 knife was used as both a utility knife and a fighting weapon. While some undoubtedly saw combat, particularly with Naval Aviators, these blades were mostly used for everyday functions aboard ship and ashore. The Mark I knives were Navy issue throughout WW2 and remained in inventory through the Vietnam war. They were purchased in huge quantities so replacements were not needed for many years.
From a collecting standpoint the beauty of the Mark I knives is in the wide variety of makers and blades that can be found. As for values, like most things USGI blades are evaluated based on scarcity and condition.
This knife is a nice solid example with all leather grip washers intact and present, made by Geneva Forge, located in Geneva New York. The knife measures 9 7/8" overall, with a 5 1/8" clip point blade. It is marked U.S.N. on the ricasso, and GENEVA / FORGE INC. on the reverse, and it has a cast aluminum pommel and a bright steel blade. In the book The Best of US Military Knives: Bayonets & Machetes by M.H. Cole, this knife is identified as No. 25 GENEVA FORGE on page 110.
The knife is in very good condition, but it definitely does show wear from use and cleaning The stacked leather grip is also solid, though the washers have shrunken a bit, so the crossguard and pommel are a bit loose.
The scabbard is the early MK 1 version, very similar in construction to the M8 scabbard for the M3 fighting knife, with a thermoplastic impregnated cotton fabric body, metal throat, and canvas frog and securing strap. The front of the throat is marked U.S.N / MK 1, and the rear is marked NORD - 4723 / B.M. Co. with a stylized V P logo. The NORD number is for the US Navy contract it was produced under, which was delivered between November 1943 and July 1944. It was manufactured by Beckwith Mfg Co. a division of Victory Plastics. Scabbard is in good condition, with a nice scabbard body, and some staining and oxidation on the fittings. The securing strap has been cut off, most likely after the snap broke.
Overall a nice example of an iconic knife used in WWII. No collection of World War II US military knives is complete without a Mark 1, and this is the perfect opportunity to acquire one with a great patina of age.
Dimensions:
Blade length: 5 1/8”
Blade Style: Clip-point "Bowie"
Overall length: 9 7/8”
Crossguard: 1 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 6" + Belt Frog
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