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Old 08-22-2005, 10:23 PM
BoBlade BoBlade is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 955
Cap,

Great old 4 you have there!

About the history: There is a seeming disconnect between credible sources as to whether the model 4 as we know it was around during the war years. On one hand Mr. Gaddis states in his book on page 105 that the "Big Game" was developed in the summer of 1945. On the other hand, Mr. Hunt shows a photo of a "4-7" on page 43 of his 1st book that was reportedly carried during the war. However, there is really nothing that sets this knife apart from a 1946 model 4-7: Not the blade grind, not the small stamp, not the spacers, not the handle, not the butt cap, not the sheath. There were a few knives made during WWII that somewhat resembled a skinner grind, but these were known as Bo's "Commando knives" with a sharpened top clip and a double hilt. You see one in Pete's book on page 88. Other examples are in Bob's 1st book on page 27 and in his 2nd book on page 9. Probably the best example is the RKS4 which is a takeoff of the Commando.
About the blade length offerings: There were 3 printings of the 1945 catalog (Unless Mr. Beaucant can ever come up with the elusive 4th). The 1st printing (Blue color with a Model 3-6 on the cover) offered only a 7" version of the Model 4, but the 2nd printing (beige color / Model 4-7 shown on the cover) and the 3rd printing ("woodgrained / model 4-7 shown on the cover) offered both 5" and 7" versions.

I have a couple of 4's and I'm posting a photo of two of them.

The 1st is a 4-7 with translucent Heiser that I figure is maybe '46 or '47.



The other is a 4-5 ivory that I'm guessing is about 1948 (Belgian Congo ivory was 1st offered as a handle material in 1948 and sheath throat rivets were discontinued about the same time).



Best,

Ron
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 4-7 tranny x.jpg (30.6 KB, 383 views)
File Type: jpg 4-5-ivory x.jpg (32.3 KB, 378 views)
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