USMC Raider Stiletto in About Excellent Condition
- Product Code: EWSK-GB132-SOLD
- Availability: Out Of Stock
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$0.00
The Marine Raider Stiletto is one of the rarest and most sought-after US issue combat knives from World War II. The Raider Stiletto has the distinction of being the first US designed fighting knife to be put into production after the United States entered the Second World War. Lt. Colonel Clifford H. Shuey designed the knife in 1941. Shuey was the Officer in Charge of the Engineer Division, Quarter Master Department, Headquarters of the US Marine Corps. Lt. Colonel Shuey would go on to design several of the knives used by the USMC over the coming years and would retire from the Corps as a Brigadier General in 1956. Lt. Colonel Shuey based his knife upon the classic Fairbairn-Sykes commando knife, that many of the old 4th Marine Regiment had training and experience with due to the close combat instruction that some of them had received from Fairbairn and Sykes while they were on station in Shanghai, China.
The Raider Stiletto, like the Fairbairn-Sykes knife, was a purpose made killing weapon with little value as a utilitarian knife or tool. The knife was designed to be lightweight, cheap, and easy to manufacture. It utilized a stamped steel blade that was then machined to a diamond shaped cross-section. The blade was polished to a bright shine and was acid etched with a USMC banner scroll on the reverse of the blade and with the maker’s name and location etched in on the reverse ricasso. The handle was cast from an aluminum-zinc alloy and was integrally cast onto the blade. The grip featured sharp diamond checkering cast into the sides of the hilt and serrations along the top and bottom. The grip was cast in a slightly oval shape, which fit the hand better than the machined round hilt of the Fairbairn-Sykes knife. The oval guard was integrally cast as part of the grip as well. The thin, stamped steel stiletto blade was very thin at the end and quite delicate. In fact, Marine Corps dictates specifically prohibited the throwing of the stiletto, as it would likely break the tip of the blade. In actual use, the stilettos likely had many of their tips damaged by using the knives as tools to open and pry things and using them in any number of ways other than as a stabbing weapon. This inherent weakness in the blade design has made these rare knives even harder to find with original full-length blades that have not been reshaped or “re-tipped”.
Marine Major General (retired) Oscar F Peatros recalled of the Raider Stiletto in the book Bless ‘em All: The Raider Marines of World War II:
"It was pointed out that it should never be thrown, as it was designed as a hand-held weapon to be used only in combat. It was also pointed out that it was brittle and would break even if just dropped, particularly the point."
The aluminum-zinc alloy hilts had an inherent weakness as well. The alloy was very brittle and leached zinc ions, making the hilt susceptible to cracking and degrading with age. Finding a Raider Stiletto without any obvious cracks in the guard or grip is very difficult these days and will only become harder as the grip alloy continues to age and essentially decompose due to the loss of the zinc ions over time.
The Raider Stiletto was issued with a leather scabbard made by Mosser that would become the pattern for use with the Army’s Special Forces V42 Stiletto and the M3 Trench Knife. It was a two-piece scabbard, with the front and rear leather components joined by a combination of sewing and riveting. The scabbards were produced in two basic variants, with the early scabbards being of leather without the metal reinforcing plates on the front and back at the tip, while the later scabbards had the metal plate reinforced tips.
In early 1942 a contract for 5,000 of the new Raider Stilettos was let to the Camillus Cutlery Company of New York. The Raider Battalions themselves were not officially designated until February of 1942. Camillus would receive an additional contract for 9,370 knives, bringing the total production of these rather scarce knives to only 14,370. The initial production knives reached the Marine supply depots and Raider Battalions in training, in the summer of that same year. It was probably the fall of 1942 before any of the stilettos were issued to the Raiders who were already engaged in the Pacific. The Raiders were based on the famous British Commandos serving in China and were intended for lightning-fast “behind the lines”, “hit and run” amphibious actions against the Japanese. During WWII, the Raiders were instrumental in delivering stunning blows to the Japanese forces and fought gallantly in nearly every major Pacific landing operation from the Battle of Midway through Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands Campaign, New Georgia and Bougainville. The four official “Raider” battalions were disbanded in January of 1944 and the two battalions in the process of being formed were reorganized into other standing Marine regiments. During their brief existence, a total of 7,710 Marines and 368 sailors served as “Raiders”.
The USMC Raider Stiletto offered here is in about EXCELLENT condition and is truly one of the finest examples that I have ever seen for sale. The knife is 100% complete, correct, and original in every way. Even the ever-fragile blade tip has not been broken, re-shaped or re-tipped, and the knife has a full-length blade length of 7 ¼”. The Camillus factory specifications for the knife list the blade at a nominal 7”, but knife maker, author, researcher and all around edged weapons guru M.H. Cole lists the blade as 7 ¼”. I would assume that there was some minor variation in length during production (especially the final shaping of the point) and +/- 1/8” would not be uncommon. This blade is the full, Cole referenced length of 7 ¼”. The blade still retains most of its brilliant polish, including some of the cross-polish marks. The bright blade made it difficult to photograph accurately without excessive glare. There is some very lightly scattered minor surface discoloration that has dulled some of the blade, but there is no pitting, rust, or major areas of dark discoloration present on the knife. The etched USMC banner scroll on the blade is about 90%+ present, and is among some of the best surviving etching that I have ever encountered on a Raider Stiletto. Even a knife that was essentially unused usually loses at least some of the etched scroll just from being inserted and removed from the scabbard over the years. The etched Camillus makers mark on the ricasso is just as visible and remains about 85%+ present and fully legible, although it is starting to dull slightly, and the last line is a little weak. The five lines read:
CAMILLUS
CUTLERY
CO
CAMILLUS
N.Y.
The cast alloy hilt is in about EXCELLENT condition as well, with sharp checkering and no readily visible cracks. I’m sure some very fine ones might present under strong magnification, but realistically this is about as fine a condition Marine Raider Stiletto hilt as you are ever likely to encounter. The hilt has a lovely dull pewter-gray color to it and shows some very tiny, lightly scattered patches of oxidized leaching and some minor surface discoloration scattered along the grip. The junction between the guard-hilt combination and the blade is excellent and free of the often-encountered casting flaws that are usually found in these knives as the hilts degenerate.
The knife is retained in the correct, later production leather scabbard. The scabbard remains in VERY FINE condition and while it shows light use, it shows no abuse or significant damage. The scabbard has the stapled throat reinforcement and the later production pair of metal reinforcement plates at the tip. All of the scabbard stitching is tight and strong, and all of the rivets are present. The scabbard is completely unmarked and does not have the “Flaming Ordnance Bomb” mark that would designate it as an Army scabbard for an M3 knife, rather than a Raider Stiletto knife. The small strap that retains the hilt of the knife is in place and remains pliable, with the original closure snap functioning correctly. The leather of the scabbard remains fairly pliable and is in very good shape, with a medium brown color with some hints of reddish-orange tones. The top portion of the scabbard retains the original M1936 pistol belt iron belt hook which allowed the scabbard to be attached to the belt. The only real wear worth noting is that the metal grommet at the bottom of the scabbard that the leg tie-down thong passes through is missing, however the tie down hole remains crisp and in fine condition and the gromets absence is practically unnoticeable. Otherwise, the scabbard remains in really wonderful condition, matching the fantastic condition knife well.
Overall, this is really outstanding example of a very scarce US WWII combat knife. USMC Raider Stilettos do not appear on the market for sale very often, due to the many factors that affected their durability, and survivability. When the knives do appear for sale, they are often in rather rough condition. Usually when a Raider Stiletto with a fine blade with good etching is found, the hilt has started to disintegrate in a major way, and usually a knife with a fine hilt will have a well-worn blade that is short or shows little or none of the etched USMC scroll or Camillus mark. This knife is a true gem, with a fantastic, full-length blade, excellent etching and a hilt that is about as good as one could ever hope to locate. This is really an outstanding example that would be very difficult to upgrade from. Rarely does a Raider Stiletto of this quality and condition with a fine original leather scabbard appear on the market. If you have been looking for a USMC Stiletto in truly wonderful condition, worthy of a place in a very advanced World War II fighting knife collection, then look no further; this is your knife.
SOLD
Tags: USMC, Raider, Stiletto, in, About, Excellent, Condition