View Single Post
  #8  
Old 07-14-2017, 03:27 PM
crutchtip crutchtip is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 104
Ron -

I don't think that the Commando you posted that belongs to a guy we know pre-dates Mitchell's Zach fighter. In fact, if reading Gaddis, page 69, he pretty much says most of the Commando models were made in the period of mid to late 1942 into early 1943 when he was experimenting with fighting blades.

I believe Tune's Zack pre-dates the Commando. I know the style of sheath would make us question the date, but that was the style Moore made for that blade grind, so it would stand to reason he would continue with that pattern in the short term.

Note also the stepped choil on Tune's knife which is absent on the Commando.

Since Bo went almost exclusively to leather november 1942, it is unusual to see any stag handle fighters.

Edited to add, I think Compton's knife is early mid 1943, IF it has a metal spacer. It appears it may. The 6" blade is a tell tale sign for me, as is the shallower choil and finger relief. I am gonna go out on a limb and by my observation, I believe most of the very earliest #1 style knives had 7" blades at a minimum with most longer in the 8" to 8 1/2" length. In any event, it is a pretty neat knife.

The knife Moore is wearing in the photo appears to be a brown button sheath. The spacers appear to be 5 medium thick which could put it say 1949-50, or around 1955. It also appears to have a Commando shape handle which of course would make it a model 2 or a model 1.

Last edited by crutchtip; 07-14-2017 at 03:58 PM.
Reply With Quote