Steve Shackleford's Blog

Englehart’s Dad’s World War II Knife

Steve Shackleford

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December 11, 2011

The author (left) holds his dad’s World War II Warther Commando Knife in the Warther knife shop in Dover, Ohio. At right is knifemaker Dale Warther, grandson of Ernest Warther. Dale passed away in 2010. (photo courtesy of Gene Englehart)

Editor’s note: On page 114 of the December BLADE®, we ran the story “Ed’s Dad’s WWII Ek” about the knife BLADE field editor Ed Fowler’s dad carried during the Second World War. Along with the story we asked readers to send us pictures and information about their dads’ military knives. It didn’t take long for reader Gene Englehart to supply the following.

My father, Orville Englehart of Paw Paw, Illinois, spent four years in the Navy as a chief petty officer during World War II. He was stationed stateside, training aircraft mechanics in Michigan, Florida and Oklahoma.

I believe it was when he was stationed in Michigan that he ordered a Commando Knife from Ernest Warther in Dover, Ohio. After Dad got the knife, he kept it in the original box and, as far as I know, never used it. It has a 7-inch blade with his name and serial number engraved on it.

Ever since I was a little kid the knife fascinated me, and I was forbidden to touch it. In 2009, I took it with me on a trip East that included a visit to the Warther Museum and workshop in Dover. I had the good fortune to meet Ernest’s grandson, Dale, and show him the knife. He told me the copper in the sheath came from a local sheriff who had confiscated it from a moonshine still. The brass came from the kick plates on the men’s room door at the local high school. Ernest’s son Dave took it home for the war effort. Ernest made only about 1100 of these knives and sold them for about $15 apiece, which is probably less than they cost him to make.

Ernest was a genius and an incredibly skilled carver and craftsman. Dale was very gracious to me the day I visited his shop, and I was very sad to hear of his passing about a year later.

I consider Dad’s Warther Commando knife to be a family heirloom now.

Do you have your dad’s knife or any knife used by any family member—including you—while in the service? Send a photograph or photographs of it and/or of you or the family member holding it, any information/anecdotes about the knife and its use by the family member who owned/carried it, along with the knife’s specs—brand/maker, model, overall length, your family member’s name, rank and branch/years/theater of service, etc.—to BLADE, c/o “Knives Of Heroes,” 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990. If digital, the image(s) must be at least 600 K. E-mail it/them to [email protected].

To read similar stories and the latest knife news, forums, blogs and much more, subscribe to BLADE®. For subscription information, click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us/?r+ssfb111211#BL1SU

KA-BAR Announces Its First Ek Knife

Steve Shackleford

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July 1, 2015

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The World War II vintage Ek Model 4 had a wider blade and a wooden handle.

KA-BAR has announced its long-awaited reintroduction of the Ek Commando Knife line with its update of the Ek Model 4.

The Model 4 sports a 6.625-inch double-edged blade of 1095 Cro-Van carbon steel, an “S” double guard, a textured glass-filled nylon handle and traditional X-head fasteners. It features a Celcon® sheath with a retaining strap, a self-locking function and multiple tie-down points. MSRP: $125.40.

With its modern materials, double guard and much-more-streamlined shape, the new Model 4 is a far cry from the World War II-vintage version, which had a wider blade and a wooden handle with an integral single guard and a bulbous pommel. The new Model 4’s handle shape with X-head fasteners is in keeping with later versions of Ek knives.

EK BACKGROUND

The new KA-BAR Ed Model 4 is streamlined and made of modern materials.

John Ek created Ek Knives in 1941. He contributed to the World War II effort by overseeing the production of knives for most all American service branches from his Hamden, Connecticut, shop. He employed disabled Americans to help build six knife models during the war.

He called the knives “Ek Commando Knives” for their intended purpose of close-quarter combat. He began registering each knife’s serial number to its original owner in 1943. The Ek Commando Knife became a hallmark of the U.S. Marine Raiders and other American special operation units during the war. At the peak of wartime production, he employed three shifts working seven days a week making knives, and is reported to have sold over 100,000 models by war’s end.

U.S. troops have carried Ek Commando Knives in every major American conflict since World War II.

Ek moved his shop to Miami, Florida, in 1949, and continued to make knives for private sale to military men, with thousands of his knives seeing service in Korea and Vietnam. He died in October 1972 and his son, Gary, took over the business. Robert A. Buerlein obtained the rights to Ek Knives in 1981 and resumed production in 1982. Blackjack Knives bought Ek in 1993 and sold it to Century International Arms in 1997. KA-BAR acquired the Ek knife brand last year.

For more on the new Model 4, visit Ekknives.com.

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Medal Of Honor Recipients Saluted on 9/11

Steve Shackleford

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September 11, 2014

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Medal Of Honor Recipients Saluted on 9/11

Case and Zippo are presenting a special knife/lighter set to MOH awardees on the anniversary of 9/11.

Case and Zippo saluted Medal Of Honor recipients with a special personalized knife and lighter set on the 13th anniversary of 9/11.

The presentation of the sets to MOH recipients occurred last week as part of the 2014 Medal of Honor Convention and celebration in Knoxville, Tennessee.

In an official release, Case and Zippo presented the Medal of Honor Commemorative Lighter and Knife set “to the recipients of America’s highest military honor, in recognition of their outstanding service in preserving America’s freedom. Case knives and the American military have gone hand-in-hand for decades, as far back as World I, when the U.S. government called on Case to make military knives for American servicemen and women. Later, during World War II, Case manufactured the V-42 stiletto, issued to the First Special Service Force, aka the Devil’s Brigade.”

The knife is a Case trapper boasting a red, white and blue bone handle laser-engraved with images of an American flag, a reproduction of the Medal Of Honor Society seal and an eagle. The Zippo lighter has a high-polish chrome Armor™ case with deep dimensional engraving, 24k-gold reproduction of the MOH Society seal and a heavy gold-plated inside unit. Both pieces are personalized for each MOH recipient and were made in Bradford, Pennsylvania, home to Case and Zippo.

The MOH Convention included a number of special events throughout downtown Knoxville, including many awards and appreciation presentations. A number of the events were sold out, including a Charlie Daniels Band performance at the Tennessee Theatre as well as the Patriot Award Gala at the Knoxville Convention Center. A number of MOH recipients were available for questions from the audience during special live interviews at the Cox Auditorium at the Alumni Memorial Hall on the University of Tennessee campus. Autograph sessions and other special events also were offered.

For more info visit http://www.mohknoxville.com/2014-convention/events/

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World’s Top Makers Converge at ECCKS Friday Through Sunday

Steve Shackleford

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March 1, 2012

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Brian Tighe, maker of the “Twist Tighe” in all Damasteel damascus steel, is slated to be among the world’s top custom makers exhibiting their knives at the 23rd Annual East Coast Custom Knife Show Friday through Sunday, March 2-4.

Produced by Steve D’lack of Hawthorn Galleries, the show will be held at the Westin Hotel-Jersey City Newport in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Among the makers scheduled to exhibit are Van Barnett, Tim Britton, Thad Buchanan, Joel Chamblin, Pat Crawford, Dellana, Bob Dozier, Allen Elishewitz, Antonio and Tore Fogarizzu, Larry Fuegen, Rick Hinderer, Des Horn, Steve Johnson, Joe Kious, D.F. Kressler, Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Ron Lake, Kirby Lambert, Wolfgang Loerchner, R.J. Martin, Warren Osborne, T.R. Overeynder, Darrel Ralph, Pierre Reverdy, Bill Ruple, John W. Smith, Jurgen Steinau, Strider Knives, Bob Terzuola, Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Michael Walker, John Young and many more, including top engravers, suppliers and purveyors.

For more information click on http://www.ecckshow.com/.

For more on the latest knives, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where and much more, subscribe to BLADE Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscripti…?r+ssfb030112#BL1SU

Judge Throws Out Motions in NYC Lawsuit

Steve Shackleford

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September 11, 2012

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In a serious blow to the attempts by New York City and NYC District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. to derail Knife Rights’ federal civil rights lawsuit against them, U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones on September 10 denied their motions for judgment on the pleadings and to dismiss the case.

    The ruling comes on the heels of a decision by Federal Magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis on September 7 allowing victimized NYC retailer Native Leather to join the case as a plaintiff.

     Download Judge Jones’ opinion and order here: http://bit.ly/ODNGi4

     Together, Knife Rights said these rulings affirm that its lawsuit is valid on its face and will proceed to trial.

     “Despite their attempts to make this case go away, NYC and DA Vance will now be held fully accountable in federal court by Knife Rights for their disgraceful attempts to demonize the most widely-owned pocketknives in America as contraband, and to intimidate honest knife retailers into making six-figure forced ‘contributions’ to the City, under threat of criminal penalty, in order to avoid prosecution,” said Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter.

     The case seeks a judicial determination that the New York state laws regarding “switchblades” and “gravity knives” are unconstitutionally vague as applied to common pocketknives with a bias towards closure, including one-hand opening and assisted-opening folding knives. An example of a one-hand opener is Sal Manaro’s custom folder pictured above.

     “The dismissal of these motions vindicates our position that there are real constitutional issues involved,” Ritter noted. “The City cannot simply expand the state law to persecute knife owners and retailers to suit their own ends.

     “Suing the largest city in the U.S. is not something to be done lightly, but it is essential to our freedoms that New York not be allowed to trample on our rights, and Knife Rights has stepped up to the plate to defend freedom. Perhaps now DA Vance will recognize that this lawsuit is not going away and come to his senses instead of continuing to waste taxpayer resources victimizing law-abiding citizens who simply possess a practical tool (a common pocketknife), and the honest retailers who sell these tools.”

For the latest knives, knife trends, knifemakers, what knives to buy and where, knife legislation, knifemaking instruction, and much more, subscribe to BLADE® Magazine, the World’s No. 1 Knife Publication. Click on http://www.shopblade.com/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us/?lid=blss091112

New BLADE Hits Newsstands TODAY!

Steve Shackleford

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August 12, 2013

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Get all the poop on the 2013 BLADE Show & Living Ready Expo (www.bladeshow.com)—including the BLADE Magazine 2013 Knives Of The Year® and the show’s other hottest knives—Steven “MeatEater” Rinella’s assessment of the SOG Huntspoint hunting knife and more in the latest BLADE® (www.blademag.com), on most newsstands TODAY!

Highlights include:

•Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Ken Onion and CRKT each were involved in three Knife Of The Year Awards: Onion and CRKT on the Most Innovative Imported Design for the Swindle and Accessory Of The Year for the Survival Para-Saw, CRKT for Best Buy Of The Year with the Endorser/Matthew Lerch design, and Onion and Chef Works for the Kitchen Knife Of The Year (the Ken Onion “Rain”);

•In the BLADE Show’s custom knife competition, John White won three awards and E. Scott McGhee two: White for Best of Show and Best Damascus for his Side-Shell Hunting Dagger and Best Bowie for his feather/stag model, and McGhee for Best Handle Design for his Puma model and Best Fighter for his Cottonmouth Blackout fixed blade;

•BLADE Show factory breakout introductions included the HEST/F Mr. DP Ti from DPx Gear, Bear & Son’s “Undead” folding stiletto on a Zombie theme, Maxpedition’s first-ever knife line and many others;

•The final installment in BLADE’s 40^th anniversary series on the top 40 factory knives of the past 40 years, with the Kershaw/Ken Onion Leek finishing Numero Uno for the years 2001-12;

•A critique of four of the latest factory hunting knives, including the aforementioned MeatEater appraisal of the SOG Huntspoint;

•The favorite knives of 19-year-old Fifty Caliber Shooters Association two-time junior world champion Michelle Chestnut;

•A special trio of damascus knives made by three of the Knifemakers’ Guild’s top female makers that will be auctioned at the 2013 Guild Show; and much more, all in the latest BLADE.

For the latest knives and knife news, stay tuned to www.blademag.com.

Knife Of The Day IX

Steve Shackleford

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December 19, 2011

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Our Knife Of The Day for Dec. 19 is the Boker Plus Rold, a VoxKnives design. The 11-inch camp knife sports a 6 1/8-inch blade of D2 tool steel and a G-10 handle. Boker’s MSRP: $169.95.

For more information contact Boker USA, attn: D. Weidner, 1550 Balsam St., Lakewood, CO 80215 303.462.0662 fax 303.462.0668 www.bokerusa.com.

For more on the latest knives, knife trends, knifemakers and more subscribe to BLADE® Magazine. For subscription information click on http://www.shopblade.com/product/blade-magazine-one-year-subscription-us/?r+ssfb191211#BL1SU

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Englehart’s Dad’s World War II Knife

KA-BAR Announces Its First Ek Knife

Medal Of Honor Recipients Saluted on 9/11

Case and Zippo saluted Medal Of Honor recipients with a special personalized knife and lighter set on the 13th anniversary of 9/11.

World’s Top Makers Converge at ECCKS Friday Through Sunday

Judge Throws Out Motions in NYC Lawsuit

New BLADE Hits Newsstands TODAY!

Knife Of The Day IX

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Case and Zippo saluted Medal Of Honor recipients with a special personalized knife and lighter set on the 13th anniversary of 9/11.

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