The M1910 bolo knife, made at Springfield from 1910 to 1918, had been issued to aid in cutting through undergrowth and clearing fields of fire. The Model 1917 Bolo was an improvement that omitted the scabbard catch on the top of the grip. This is the Model 1917 Commercial Tolerances (C.T.) version made by both Plumb in St. Louis and the American Cutlery Company of Chicago. This one was made and marked by Plumb and is unusual in being double marked on the obverse: “U.S. MOD. / 1917 C.T.” at bottom near the guard and again slightly above that. It looks like the first stamp, at the bottom, slipped in some fashion with the US looking a bit light in comparison with the other letters, but the C and T slightly blurred and traces of the upper portions of a “1917” also below that, partially hidden by the guard. The upper stamping is much better, though even there the “C” is lightly struck compared to the rest of it. The reverse is stamped “PLUMB ST/ LOUIS/ 1918” though there too the last two letters of the upper line appear more lightly struck.

Blades and hilt fittings on these were originally blackened. Someone tried to clean this at some point, likely to make the blade bright, but gave up, leaving horizontal and vertical streaks and striations. The guard shows a thin brown mixed with gray. The pommel retains a thin black. The wood grips are very good, showing nice color, grain, and fine finger ridges. The scabbard is the correct Type-2 with olive drab webbing over a wood body with brown leather tip and a wire belt hook sewn to the reverse. The leather tip has good color though showing some scuffs and rubs. We don’t see a maker’s mark on it.

This is a classic US military issue knife. [sr][ph:m]

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