Rigger Knife

[JoeBob441]

Have a lobster style riggers knife (like a case 46, but with 3 blades). A sheepfoot, a long old style can opener, and a marlin spike. The knife is 3-5/8 closed, fluted iron bolsters with a bail. The liners are also iron. The center scale extends from the closed knife and looks like a flat blade screwdriver. The handles are, I believe, bone in a gunstock style checkered jigging pattern. On the Sheepfoot blade is stamped "N." and below the N is "A." (what I believe is) "C." (could be an O but I don't think so). On the long 2-5/8s can opener blade is stamped "1940" The knife was almost solid rust when I got it. The bail looks like a repair job because it is copper. The Sheepfoot stamp looks like:
N.
A. C.
Does anyone have an idea who made this knife and when. Is the 1940 a date or a pattern number. The knife was used a lot. This is a big heavy knife that has seen a lot of hard use. I would appreciate any information.
Thanks,
Joe

[jonet143]

can you post pics?

[JoeBob441]

I will when my wife gets home. She has the camera.

Joe

[Another Knife Collector]

Kinda guessing without a picture yet, but it sounds like an English Navy knife, 1940 probably being the date. Many came with copper bails, I dont know why, but most of the older rigging knives I've seen, and the two I own, have copper bails so (without seeing the picture) it may be original. Hope this helps until you get the picture.

[JoeBob441]

Attached are three pictures (I think). Thanks for the information. The bail is so bright because I used rust remover on the knife. If this is the knife you were thinking of, please let me know. I paid $5 for the knife mainly because of the can opener, which was a style which I had not seen before. That doesn't mean much because I have only been collecting since March. I know it is in poor condition but, it caught my fancy because I worked construction for many a year and the knife looks like it was a tough old work knife.
Again Thanks,
Joe

[Another Knife Collector]

bail does look original, likely English, possibly another European navy knife, handles look like either some sort of pressed fiber of black composition rather than bone. 1940 is almost definately a year. not bad for five dollars, nice knife.

[smiling-knife]

That is the standard British WWII Army knife. I'm not sure about the maker's mark. The scales are made from a tough synthetic material called Bexoid. The copper bail was phased-out on these knives after 1940. Also towards end of the war the steel bolsters were removed. Both measures to save on valuable materials during the war. s-k

[JoeBob441]

Thank you one and all. I was especially pleased about the info on the handles. I was really stumped. They did not seem like bone or composition. As a new collector I have read many books and have looked at a lot of knives, but this site is a real bonus. There is nothing like talking with the people that have the experience and are willing to share it.
Joe

[redferd]

Nice marlin spike.

[Edgewise]

Your $5 bexoid knife is still available for $60+

[Papa]

Thanks for posting, I went and looked at my knife and it is the same. Steel loop not copper.