Folk's, I have a rare offering for Y'all here in the shape of a Marble's knife !!! This knife has quite the history to it...In 1953, the Department of the Navy put out specs for a pilot survival knife because excisting knives were failing in the field....in 1954 Marble's made a few knives and sent them to the Navy for evaluation... Tested against 8 other knife outfits, Marble's knives fared so well the Navy sent out flyers that only knives made to Marbles Arms Corp specs were suitable for service...the test knives were Marble's modified Experts...... On september 4th, 1957, a Navy rep came to Gladstone and Marble's agreed to give them 5000 knives & release the specs as to how the knives were made...detailed blueprints if you will...the deal was they were to be field tested 1st...Pilots scrambled to turn in their issued knives for the Marble Arms knives...all indications were with these knives allready field tested and prefered by pilots...that in the future, American Pilots would be equipped with Marble's knives...Marble's bid on 30,000 knives was then given to Camillus because Marble's was deemed to big and the bid was to be given to a smaller business !!! Lied to...Cheated & Stolen from the goverment, Marble's then decided to sell their knives to sportsman...thats where we come to this knife offered today !!!

This is a Marble's Original Commercial Pilots knife

This knife is # 08 of 50 Made

Knife is 10 3/4" OAL with a 6" blade

Blade is stamped: Marbles Gladstone Mich ( 1961-1979 3 Line Lower Case stamp with No USA on it...Off side is stamped 08 of 50... (Important) These are older blades that were stored at the Marble's factory and finished when the Lauermans bought Marble's in 1994 & then hired Mike Stewart to head their knife division...in the fuller, there is a few spots that did not clean up in the regrinding of blade

Blade has etch: Original Commercial Pilot Knife "Vintage 1954" & has the sawtooth backspine...made from modified Expert pattern blades

Handle is black micarta with a brass pommel...also hilt has the 2 holes that can be seen in the pics

Comes with its Original sheath with thick insert, metal hanger, leg tie, velcro take down of belt loop & keeper strap

Whole package comes to ya New in Bobcat box with blade protector

Please supersize pics on next page for a close-up view of an Important piece of the Marble's Corp history !!!

Item # 754