What's new
British Ordnance Collectors Network

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Not Strictly Ordnance But Ordnance Related?

SimonBrown

Member
Premium Member
A few years ago I spotted an unusual folding knife in a junk shop. A plain wooden handle and what appears to be a bronze blade.

Bronze is not really good material for a knife blade, it won't hold an edge and wears out, so it seemed unusual and piqued my interest. I paid a few quid for it.

Why use bronze as a cutting edge? The only thing I could think of was if the user was working in an explosive environment and any spark was an absolute no-no. Something like a powder magazine on shore or ship perhaps? Where they had to open bags of something likely to go bang if a steel knife caused a spark?

I am really open to ideas on this one. My theory of no-spark knife is just that - a theory.

Pictures of said knife below.
SBrown-20190430-0002-2.jpg
SBrown-20190430-0003-2.jpg
 
Another possibility: For working on Magnetic/magnetic influence fuzing systems. We had a complete set of non-ferrous tools to work on the Mk 36 Destructor.
 
Some more brass tools for working within a magazine or process room, I also have a brass hammer somewhere.

Web Brass Tools 003.jpg Web Brass Tools 006.jpg Web Brass Tools 007.jpg

The knife has a modern plastic handle.
 
Its a general cutting tool, their are a lot of process tools for specific jobs on things like Air dropped ordnance or torpedo's that once out of service are scrapped for their brass value.
 
Top