WWI US Naval Chief's Knives

Jim McDougall · Today, 05:41 PM

These items of weapons curiosa(?) are interesting miscellania of course, and while militaria in classification do bring up warfare perspectives. They obviously exceed the period timelines normally discussed here, which ideally observe a terminus ante quem of c. 1900. However with actual weapons as far as patterns and forms these often had working lives extending beyond arbitrary time lines in discussions. Even tools like this might be called into action at any time and likely the same guidelines happened with them, in use over long periods.

While cooks etc. were not part of battle order typically in campaigns (or on ships of course), it was often impossible not to somehow become engaged in many situations.
In one case for example in the Crimean war at Balaklava, a butcher with the regiments, overcome with the excitement, grabbed a huge sword and a horse and rode into action with one of the units. Not sure if he would have done so if only armed with a knife like this, but the point is that even cooks (or butchers) could be combative.

Following the humor of cooks vs. chefs, I think of the movie "Up Periscope" (Kelsey Grammar) and the galley in the vintage submarine, where the cook, aghast, finds canned goods...from the Korean War!!!

... the notion of 'cuisine' uh.........pretty far off.

As far as these knives in the weapon genre, perhaps hunting swords and knives and their companion items are not too far away from these.

Today, 05:41 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,957	These items of weapons curiosa(?) are interesting miscellania of course, and while militaria in classification do bring up warfare perspectives. They obviously exceed the period timelines normally discussed here, which ideally observe a terminus ante quem of c. 1900. However with actual weapons as far as patterns and forms these often had working lives extending beyond arbitrary time lines in discussions. Even tools like this might be called into action at any time and likely the same guidelines happened with them, in use over long periods. While cooks etc. were not part of battle order typically in campaigns (or on ships of course), it was often impossible not to somehow become engaged in many situations. In one case for example in the Crimean war at Balaklava, a butcher with the regiments, overcome with the excitement, grabbed a huge sword and a horse and rode into action with one of the units. Not sure if he would have done so if only armed with a knife like this, but the point is that even cooks (or butchers) could be combative. Following the humor of cooks vs. chefs, I think of the movie "Up Periscope" (Kelsey Grammar) and the galley in the vintage submarine, where the cook, aghast, finds canned goods...from the Korean War!!! ... the notion of 'cuisine' uh.........pretty far off. As far as these knives in the weapon genre, perhaps hunting swords and knives and their companion items are not too far away from these.