Original U.S. WWII Unissued Airborne Schrade "Presto" M2 Knife with Plastic Handle on Display Board
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Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent unissued example of a rare Mid-War issue M2 Paratrooper pocket knife with plastic imitation "jigged bone" grip scales. These are very difficult to find in any condition, as they were quickly replaced with the metal scaled version. Finding one in this incredible unissued condition, still with the wrapper and a length of stitched parachute cord to fasten it, is almost unheard of these days.
This example looks to have been a display board sample from when unissued surplus knives were not a hard thing to come by. The top of the red engraved red board reads:
- U.S. MILITARY -
MARK "2" PARATROOPER'S KNIFE
BY SCHRADE CUT. CO.
OFFICIALLY ADOPTED DEC. 1940 AS THE
POCKET KNIFE OF THE "PARATROOPER"
IN ORIGINAL WRAPPING
RARE $25.00 FIND
Unfortunately due to inflation, we cannot honor the price listed on the board. It does look like a new price had been glued over it at one time as well.
The knife is wired to the board, so only part of the blade marking can be seen, but it looks to be:
PRESTO
PAT. JAN. 30-40
MADE IN U.S.A.
The other side is normally marked:
GEO. SCHRADE
KNIFE CO. INC
B'PORT, CT.
These blade markings definitely identify it as a WWII version, and it bears the desirable black plastic "jigged bone" handles. This example measures 7 5/16" when open, with the blade measuring 3 1/4.
A great unissued example, still attached to a custom display board!
Dimensions:
Blade length: 3 1/4”
Blade Style: Clip Point Knife
Overall length closed: 4 1/16”
Overall length open: 7 3/8"
Worn in the breast pocket of the Paratrooper M2 Jump Jacket these knives were intended for paratroopers to cut there parachute cords and anything else if they got entangled during a jump. Exceedingly rare and hard to find. For further research checkout this forum post about these knives and how to tell WWII knives from post war (this example is 100% WWII).
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This product is not available for international shipping.
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- Stored and shipped from our PA location; not available in Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Please check all local laws before ordering.
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