Complete unknown whatsit!

[zoogirl]

So this big fella belongs to my son. We’ve both tried to ID it over the last few years, but no luck. There is absolutely no marking on it at all. I suspect a previous owner got over enthuasiastic with a grinder. Perhaps someone recognizes the blade or handle?
He calls it his ‘pirate knife’. It’s a little too big for my taste but it’s pretty cool. The sheath seems to be original. The leather is very dry and worn. Going strictly by the feel of the sheath, I’d put it over 50 yrs old, easily.

Oh, btw, I’ve suggested to the boys that a copy of Goins would make a lovely Christmas present for their mom!

[tongueriver]

I believe that is a Remington RH 36 or the PAL successor, of the same pattern number. Pal bought Remington's cutlery operation in (1941?). If not the 36, then another R or P pattern close to it.

[1967redrider]

I thought Remington too, from the spacers, handle shape and pommel. Wasn't sure about the guard though . . .

[thefarside]

It is not a RH 36, the 36 had a conventional blade with fullers. The RH 33 had similar unique handle spacer configuration, but the pommel and the blade are not RH 33 items. The sheath does not appear to be a Remington sheath. In my experience Remington RH series straight knives were marked on both sides and it (the op knife) does not show any remnent of being stamped. I think it would be hard to pass this off as a legitimate Remington.

[tongueriver]

After looking through my D.Y.Grimm book I notice that the o.p. knife has a more elongated pommel than any of the illustrations of knives in my book. I had not yet looked in my book when I said RH-36; that of course is not even a close match. Looks like a copy, I guess.

[zoogirl]

Thanks to everyone who replied! PAL would have been cool, as that’s what my fav knife is. Would people have been copying knives as far back as this seems to be? Huh! I always think of copying as being an antique fake but I guess it could be someone’s build and they followed the same general idea. I’ll show him this, so far.

[Gunsil]

I believe the knife is a PAL, likely a model 50. PALs were often struck weakly at the stamp. They also used different blade model numbers than Remington on some knives. PAL took all the Remington machinery away and blanked the same blade shapes as Remington but they did not finish the blades as well as Remington did and they pinned their pommels on which Remington only did on a few models before selling the cutlery division. Some of the WW2 made PALs will have zinc pommels since aluminum was not available for civilian manufacturing uses, some will have wood pommels with steel butt caps. There are also "transition" knives put together by PAL from left over Remington parts.

[zoogirl]

Thanks! PAL would be cool. As I said, my little PAL is my fav. It’s ‘ PAL BRAND’ not ‘PAL BLADE’ making mine pre-Remington/1935.
I’ll pass on the info!
My son isn’t so much a collector as a tinkerer. He loves old stuff too and he’s actually done a bit of basic building, mostly scrap metal fantasy stuff or handling an old blade. Actually, I’m supposed to get a knife for Christmas but that depends on whether their new place lets him set up a decent shop. Will post! This knife is his ‘pet’ and he’s been itching to find out about it.