All About Pocket Knives

Someone just gave me a pocket knife. It has a small plaque on the handle that says, "U.S.A." The knife looks really old. It has 4 blades. There are no markings on any of the blades. I have 2 questions:
Any idea who made it?
One of the 4 blades looks like an elongated "U" with one of the tips bent at 90 dgrees so it rests in a notch in the handle. What is this for?

Thank you,

Joe

Actually, there is a marking on the main blade. It is a Camillus knife made in the 1930s or early 40s. I still don't know what the U thing is for.
Joe

It is a can opener. Some of those were military issue in WW 2. Does it have brass or steel liners?

PICTURES always help more.

Looks like this?

1967redrider wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 12:07 am Looks like this?

Two sweet ones RR.

Thank you for the info.
The pictures from 1967 Redrider are the exact knife. Thank you. Is the handle Stag or Bone? If this is a military issue, was it issued only to the Army or did the Navy get any? The interior of the knife appears to be steel, not brass.
That can opener sure looks like a lot of work.

The handles were bone, and yes the can opener would be a lot of work but of course everything then was a lot of work. Steel liners would imply it was made during the war I think. I believe it was called an engineers knife. Quite a few around.

Actually those can openers work pretty easily if you know how. And if you're hungry enough you don't much care anyway!

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 4:23 pm Actually those can openers work pretty easily if you know how. And if you're hungry enough you don't much care anyway!

Ken

And there are these, which actually work very well. But they can play hell with your pockets (and leg).

tongueriver wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:15 pm

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 4:23 pm Actually those can openers work pretty easily if you know how. And if you're hungry enough you don't much care anyway!

Ken

And there are these, which actually work very well. But they can play hell with your pockets (and leg). P-38001.jpg

I've seen people wrap them up in tubing or tape to keep the blade from coming open. Could never get mine to work, but it wasn't a "SHELBY CO" as the authentic ones are. A knockoff I think, it was unmarked except for what I presume was a NATO Stock Number.

tongueriver wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:15 pm

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 4:23 pm Actually those can openers work pretty easily if you know how. And if you're hungry enough you don't much care anyway!

Ken

And there are these, which actually work very well. But they can play hell with your pockets (and leg). P-38001.jpg

I've seen people wrap them up in tubing or tape to keep the blade from coming open. Could never get mine to work, but it wasn't a "SHELBY CO" as the authentic ones are. A knockoff I think, it was unmarked except for what I presume was a NATO Stock Number.

tongueriver wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:15 pm

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 4:23 pm Actually those can openers work pretty easily if you know how. And if you're hungry enough you don't much care anyway!

Ken

And there are these, which actually work very well. But they can play hell with your pockets (and leg). P-38001.jpg

I've seen people wrap them up in tubing or tape to keep the blade from coming open. Could never get mine to work, but it wasn't a "SHELBY CO" as the authentic ones are. A knockoff I think, it was unmarked except for what I presume was a NATO Stock Number.

No doubt that knife is from somewhere around WW2 . . . U should polish the blades and the handle! to give it a new or refresh look