I'll probably move this one along before long....... it is a nice piece!

Than double pin is pretty sexy.

Joe,
Very nice old #3!! If you still want to trade for a new #1 and those surf lessons you keep begging me for don't hesitate to give me a call.

Tandem?

LOL That means that it will end up belonging to P_t R_m_l_ (would you like to buy a couple of vowels)?

Don't know if you're referring to me, but it won't be me. Probably too rich for my blood.

Beautiful one Joe!

Tune,

Great knife! How can I not comment on it?

1. Small stamps on 6" and 7" Model 3's and 4's began immediately after WWII and almost without exception reverted back to the larger stamp within a few months. Until now, I have never seen a post war Model 3-6 with a small stamp any later than mid '45 (The 5 1/2" blade length versions all carried the small stamps until they were phased out when a 5" version of the Model 7 was offered in 1948). My Dad's 3-6 knife is an example made in the 1st half of 1945 with the larger stamp.




2. The sheath with your knife "looks" to have a narrow throat (I can't tell for sure). If it does, it's very unusual because almost without exception only 6" WWII Hunters had this sheath pattern. Here is a pic of both a WWII 6" Hunter sheath with a narrow throat and an immediate postwar 6" 3-6 sheath with a wide throat:




2. Nickel silver hilts were first offered in the 1948 catalog, so yours is one of the earliest to sport this option.

4. In the "gap" between the first of the post war Model 3 sheaths with black painted metal snaps in mid '45 and your knife with brown buttons in late '47 was the "translucent" button period:




6. Your sheath has conventional small rivets at the throat. If the sheath was made in the 1st few months after the war, it would typically have oversized rivets at the throat like the one Joe posted. Steve has an example of a 5 1/2" Model 3 on his site with small throat rivets and black painted metal snaps:

http://www.sharpinvestments.net/product/randall-model-3-5-12-made-1945-1948-added-61215/



Bottom line is that your knife and sheath are very unsual!

Best,

Ron

Glad someone finally had the goods to pull Ron out of "retirement".

Always enjoy your posts and perspective, Ron.

Ron -

wouldn't it stand to reason that the sheath throat width is not "concrete" for the most part because of the "bin" issue. Not too may Hunter's during the war so I wouldn't think it would be that unusual to have a wide throat in a post war "3 1/2" or even 3 or 4 when they showed up shortly thereafter.

In fact, as you well know, the blade grind for the most part was of the "3 1/2" variety for a bit after the war. Maybe only a matter of months.

I think you meant your dad's knife was from the first half of 1946?

Tune's knife does appear to have a narrower throat.

Ron,

Thanks for all the info.....and I am glad you came on.

Two more clues.

It has a nickel silver pin to match the hilt... another late 40's tell.

The sheath is a fighter sheath. I feel it is original based on fit and condition.