U.S. 1918 L.F.& C Knife & Knuckles (Pics)

[XxWINxX94]

Hello everyone,

This is my 1st time posting in the non-firearm section.

I have inherited a gun & knife collection and I've figured out 90% of it except for a few pieces.

I have what I believe to be a WWI U.S. Army knife & brass knuckles.
It says:
U.S. 1918
L.F.& C-1918

The knife also has a metal scabbard that says L.F.& C-1918.
The 2 look to be in the same condition, and look as if they go together.

It is in pretty good condition for being nearly 100 years old, and there is no rust anywhere, and no other markings that I can find.

If anyone can supply me with some information or value it would help me out alot!

Thanks!

 

[Deltaboy1984]

That is classic knuckle knife with Blood tits.

 

[hso]

Second model L.F.& C-1918 worth upwards of a thousand dollars if authentic. Since the sheath is not perfect I'd guess the value as $750-$900.

 

[XxWINxX94]

Wow! thats more than I thought! So the sheath is in bad condition? Or is it not original?

 

[Smokey Joe]

L. F. & c.

XX Win XX 94--"L F & C" is Landers, Frary, and Clark. They were a manufacturer of kitchen gadgets, knives, etc. early in the previous century. My mother had several LF&C items in her kitchen, which she inherited from her mother. (My mom was born in 1911.)

As I remember them, all of the LF&C items were of very good quality. I don't know what happened to them when my parents broke up housekeeping.

But anyhow, it's not surprising to me that the company would have contracted with the US Army for something like the 1918 trench knuckle knife.

I'd have hated to get hit with one of those.

 

[hso]

The sheath is original, but the upper of the two "prongs" is missing. That drops the price a bit.

The makers of the 1918's were Landers, Frary & Clark (L.F.&C.) of New Britain, Connecticut; Henry Disston & Sons (HD&S) of Philadelphia; and Oneida Community Limited (O.C.L.) and the French company (Au Lion/Societe General).

 

[Deltaboy1984]

HSO with those Blood letters a fellow could really open up some ones head.

 

[XxWINxX94]

Interesting, but I'm still surprised the knife is worth that much.

Thanks for the info!

 

[hso]

The knives are iconic and authentic ones are difficult to find in good condition.

 

[Yo Mama]

Just saw one on Pawnstars.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

My late Great Grandfather who was a WW1 vet said they were great knives and they took good edges and the Knuckles were Bad to the Bone if it got up close and personal.

 

[Black Toe Knives]

It is about condition. There is reason this could worth so much. They are rare. The reason I suspicious. If It looks to good to be true it usually is.

The first thing that bothers me is it condition. It lacks blemishes of battle weary knife. Also in to question is seams on the inside of the finger grooves. This was not a standard of quality of 100 years ago. The molds would have been of a better quality and there would not have been seams.

But I am no expert. These are just things that bother me.

 

[XxWINxX94]

Black Toe Knives,


You think it could be a replica?
Is the condition supposed to be worse?

Heres some more pictures of the inside knuckle seams and the blade.

 

[hso]

Jim,

There's always the chance that it could be a replica, but the replicas usually had some error in markings and/or construction (often the brass is too thick). The knockoffs also didn't produce a replica sheath (although I've seen unscrupulous/ignorant dealers try to couple authentic sheaths with replicas).

I've handled nice examples of these and looked at scores of pictures and don't consider the molding marks to be suspicious.

As unreliable as only looking at the pictures over the internet and since he says he inherited it I lean towards authentic and a value ranging from $500 to $1,000.

 

[Black Toe Knives]

HSO
I agree with you. But these were things that caught my eye. But you say they are normal.

 

[XxWINxX94]

hso,

I inherited this knife from an Uncle who past away about 3 years ago. He was a shooter, hunter, and a collector of guns & knifes of all kinds, extremely knowledgeable of what he had, every gun and knife had some collector value. He did not have any military backround, nor do I know the origin of the knife, whether he bought it, or was handed down from another relation. I picked up several boxes of knifes from his house after he passed, as my grandfather had no interest. It was just with the couple hundred other knives.
I personally knew him, but he always kept the guns and the knives on the down low, we (family) knew he had them but weren't aware of what kind, or how many,he also barely talked about them.

Other stuff:
The handle is very slim.
I can also post more specific pictures if they would be of any use.
I can't find any other markings, as if someone who custom made it signed it or something.

 

[hso]

It has all the standard markings for a 1918 so you shouldn't find any more. Most of these were carried during WWII instead of WWI (the earlier version with the triangular blade was carried in WWI). They weren't issued to regular infantry, IIRC, but went to paras and Rangers.