WW2 or Post WW2 Knife

L

Loyer

Joined
Jun 8, 2015
Messages
15
I just purchased what appears to be a commando style knife. It is marked "William Rodgers Sheffield England" and "I cut my way". Has leather washer grip.

Any idea as to the date of this knife ? I am coming up goose-eggs from google.

 
Last edited:
I have a knife that is stamped "I cut my way". Maybe search the maker's name for some info?
ewhMOxg.jpg
 
According to Levine's guide, "The William Rodgers company of Sheffield, England started manufacturing in 1830-1855, the "I CUT MY WAY" trademark being sold to John Clarke & son in 1855 and then to the Egginton group in the 1980s."
 
From a search on the forum re the 'I cut my way' marking a bit more info in the same vein as the above.

From forum member @Jack Black

'The famous 'I Cut My Way' mark originally belonged to a a Sheffield cutler called Thomas Hobson, who operated in the late 19th century. It was acquired by John Clarke & Son before WW1. Clarke had set up in business in the mid 19th century, and as well as a cutler and factor, he also helped recruit Sheffield cutlers to go to work in America. After acquiring the 'I Cut My Way' mark, they used it in conjunction with the name 'William Rodgers' (though I have seen Clarke knives also marked with it), and this became a 'stand alone' brand for them. The choice of name was clearly an attempt to confuse buyers into thinking there was an association with the much more famous and prestigious Joseph Rodgers firm, and even today, people commonly think the two firms were related.

While Clarke's went under in the 1960's, their mark (and the William Rodgers mark) is today owned by the Eggington group of companies.'
 
The handle of the knife in the OP, I havent seen on a FS-style knife before but here is my 1940s William Rodgers FS.

02mrTkT.jpg


Is there a 'William Rodgers, Sheffield, England' marking on the OPs knife?

It may be on the guard - look closely, its a tiny stamp.
 
Pure undiluted blue sky theory grabbed out of thin air; I have no way to substantiate this but the knife handle looks well made and I suspect factory made. Maybe the knife is a 'civilianized' version of the FS made to ride the wave of the popularity of the FS knife.
 
I have heard the term "private purchase" as opposed to military issued for this kind of knife. Even found one you-tuber with a similar relic knife found in a Normandy beach.
 
Loyer said:
I just purchased what appears to be a commando style knife. It is marked "William Rodgers Sheffield England" and "I cut my way". Has leather washer grip.

Any idea as to the date of this knife ? I am coming up goose-eggs from google.
Click to expand...
Didnt your OP state just a 'Sheffield' and 'I cut my way' marking originally or did I miss the 'William Rodgers' bit … ?
 
Loyer said:
I have heard the term "private purchase" as opposed to military issued for this kind of knife. Even found one you-tuber with a similar relic knife found in a Normandy beach.
Click to expand...
Its possible. Again, unsubstantiated but I lean towards a post war factory made knife made to capitalize on the war fame of the FS (but dont take my word for it).
Private purchase: Its a long standing British tradition, for soldiers (well, at least officers) to purchase their own sidearms. As they were allowed to buy their own revolvers/pistols, Id assume that goes for knives as well.
A young Winston Churchill did his research and bought a Mauser C96 for some anticipated trouble in Africa. He credits the (then) large magazine capacity for saving his life, when he suddenly found himself surrounded by warriors.
If officers were still allowed to purchase their own sidearms during WWII, I dont know.
 
It's a factory pattern that dates 40's - onward. Most of the English firms that made sporting cutlery offed them as a private purchase dagger from WWII on. Yours looks older, as it has a plastic butt cap, which was a common and accepted material saving feature during the war years and probably a bit afterward.

Versions are still sold now, scroll down -

www.sheffieldknives.co.uk/acatalog/Military-Knives.html .
 
tltt said:
It's a factory pattern that dates 40's - onward. Most of the English firms that made sporting cutlery offed them as a private purchase dagger from WWII on. Yours looks older, as it has a plastic butt cap, which was a common and accepted material saving feature during the war years and probably a bit afterward.
Click to expand...
I agree with the WWII onwards part.
Its not that I can 100% deny the rest of your post but why would they stray from the established FS pattern during the War?
I doubt many if any civilian FS-style blades were made during the War (might have happened, Im certanly willing to be convinced). The Brits were hard pressed at the time to supply their armed forces let alone those on civvy street.

If a wartime knife, it would most likely have the metal handle. Metals were by and large reserved for the war industry.

One could of course claim, that leather or what ever the washers are made of, would point to a knife made of materials not vital to the war effort ... but during WWII, everything was pretty much vital for fighting.

Again, I lean towards it being a civilian post WWII knife.
 
Loyer said:
Even found one you-tuber with a similar relic knife found in a Normandy beach.
Click to expand...
Unless from a very reliable/trustworthy source, one should take the 'relic knife found on invasion beach' and the inherent implications with a grain of salt.
YT abounds with fake vids of wartime relics found.
 
Last edited:
This thread might have more traction in Levine's subforum.

Maybe the OP can start a new thread on the subject there or a MOD can move this one, @knarfeng
 
The handle looks distinctly like an American knife of the WW2 era, I'm thinking of companies like PAL-Kinfolks-Marbles & even Randall. The blade seems out of sync with the handle. It looks more like a letter opener or an Italian dagger. The more I look at the knife, the more I'm convinced that it is a Frankenstein creation using the handle of one knife with the blade of another. There were some off beat OSS daggers made for covert activities but they were designed for concealment with flat minimalist handles. This is a beefy handle more suited to a combat or hunting knife, then some deep cover operation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top