US PILOT'S SURVIVAL KNIFE - the "Giant Jack" - WW2

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 Every year I enjoy going to the local military show.  Besides viewing the vintage vehicles (including a tank this year!), and possibly even a reenactment, I especially like browsing through the various booths of the vendors.  I am now on the lookout for military knives.  Last year I picked up a 1973 US Army Camillus "Demo" folding knife and a KA-BAR knife, both of which I believe have their own posts on this blog. 

This year I picked up a second "Demo" knife, but my celebrated purchase was a US Navy Pilot's Survival Knife, often referred to as the "Giant Jack" for "Jumbo Jack" for its size and weight (about 13 oz.!). It dates from the WWII era, which makes it special to me considering my father served in that war.  

These knives were made by Colonial Cutlery Co., Providence, RI and United Machine Tool Co., Grand Rapids, MI.  My knife was made by the latter.  I understand there are also versions of this knife without any manufacturer's marking.  

According to the War Relics Forum:

These knives were part of numerous Air Force and Navy survival kits, including the C-1 utility vest, which has a special compartment for this knife. Folded length 6" (15.4 cm), blade length 4.75" (12 cm), saw blade length 5.15" (13 cm), total length unfolded 10.6" (27 cm)
US Army Air Force WWII C-1 folding survival knife is also offered in these dimensions...The knife is 6" long when closed and has a 4.5" blade marked "Colonial, Prov. R.I." and a 3.5" saw blade. These knives were issued in survival kits of US Navy pilots during WWII.
Around 60,000 of these knives are said to have been manufactured for the military.
In 1946, this knife was sold in the "Field Stream Magazine" as a hunting knife for Hunters, Farmers, Sportsmen, Scouts knife.
Price of the knife at that time: USD 2.95

I was fortunate that my knife has an intact saw; many have blades broken off at the tip, due, in part, to the brittle nature of the metal, made of tungsten steel. They were allowed to use concentrations up to 16% because of wartime needs, compared with the usual 6.75%.  The knife blade is supposed to be a high carbon blade, probably similar to 1095 steel.  

One source notes that theses knives were issued in 1944 and last used in the early 1960s, although many made by United Machine Tool were sold off after WW2.  

    
 

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