US Navy PAL Mark I fighting Knife -
A fighting knife, also commonly called a combat knife, is a knife designed for military use, specifically for close combat. Although since the end of trench warfare, most military knives have been primarily designed for utility
or tool use. Activities such as clearing foliage, chopping branches for cover, opening ammunition crates, etc.
This is a US fighting knife. Manufactured by PAL. The handle is made of a series of compressed leather rings.
At certain intervals the color of the rings is changed from dark brown to yellow or red. The pommel is of
aluminum construction. Some samples may have been steel or wood.
The blade is of single edge. The tip has a slight Bowie type design.
This page is a recognition and identification guide for military fighting knives.
Multiple detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out
clearly defined points that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my fighting knife worth?".
A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the knives is
reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth
of the edge weapons in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
MilitaryItems.com,
a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality
military antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
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The scabard is made of two fiberglass sections sandwhiched together. A metal fitting is placed in
the throat section. The tip has a circular opening where a leather string can go through and act as
a leg tie. The throat fitting has the following information stamped; "NORD-8114, B.M.Co. VP".
The base of the blade has the markings "RH,PAL, made in USA, 35" on one side. The other side reads
MARK I. A series of "RH" knives were produced during the war. All of them were similar
in construction but had slight differences, primarily reflected on the blade.
You can see the following "RH" knives here:
RH 35,
RH 36,
RH 50.
This edge weapon is currently being reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because
the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with
the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item.
Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of
the collectible.
If you have an interest is seeing other fighting knives, you can do so by going to our
Military Fighting Knives Price Guide
identification guide. Where we cover Army, Navy, Army Air Force, USMC and other organizations.
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