Picked up a couple of old ones yesterday

[Infidel]

Ended up in a pawn shop yesterday and saw a few interesting knives. Two in particular caught my fancy mostly because they were in pretty rough shape but I think I can restore them to their former glory. The first one which is my favorite of the two is an old Robeson Shuredge WWII U.S. Navy Mk I. The knife has some rust but is all original including the left handed sheath and wooden butt. Now for the best part of the whole find, written in ball point pen on the front of the sheath is:

LT. Comdr.
R.F. Cunningham
U.S.N.R

On the back of the sheath the initials RFC are carved in vertically (Probably with the blade of the knife). I tried to find info on R.F. Cunningham but struck out, if anyone has any idea where I might be able to research him I would appreciate it.

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_2_zpsebc9aac5.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/stu925/media/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_2_zpsebc9aac5.jpg.html)
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_1_zps6f1c8ac2.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/stu925/media/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_1_zps6f1c8ac2.jpg.html)
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_3_zps1c9dcdf8.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/stu925/media/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_3_zps1c9dcdf8.jpg.html)
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_4_zpsd42c46d9.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/stu925/media/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_4_zpsd42c46d9.jpg.html)

[Infidel]

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_5_zpsd6ce8753.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/stu925/media/Gun%20Pics/Robeson_5_zpsd6ce8753.jpg.html)

Knife #2 is an old Western hunting knife (I've no idea what model yet). This one is in worse shape, a lot of rust and a couple of broken out leather washers, one on each side. I think it will clean up to be a pretty good usable knife even if I have to drill the pins on the but and put a new handle on it. I might even try my hand at stacking leather, who knows. Seems like the blade has a very shallow blood groove in it but I'm fairly confident it is not a Military issue knife, just an odd feature for a hunting knife.

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/Western_1_zps4f4bfd40.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/stu925/media/Gun%20Pics/Western_1_zps4f4bfd40.jpg.html)
http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc492/stu925/Gun%20Pics/Western_2_zpsef1bac7f.jpg (http://s1214.photobucket.com/user/stu925/media/Gun%20Pics/Western_2_zpsef1bac7f.jpg.html)

I love old knives, I don't think there's a knife built today outside of custom makers that can hold a candle to the feel of a well used vintage knife.

-Infidel

[1moretoy]

Kewl deal...maybe one day the original owner or his family can be located. Would surely create some great open topics of discussion.

[Infidel]

Kewl deal...maybe one day the original owner or his family can be located. Would surely create some great open topics of discussion.
I'd love that but as of right now I'm still drawing blanks on the man. I know there's probably a few members here that are associated with military forums, wonder if one of them might have some ideas of how to research this. Only R.F. Cunningham I've been able to locate so far was an Ensign in 1919, could be the same guy I suppose but who knows?

-Infidel

[Arizona Infidel]

Well, you can't become a LTCMDR without being an ensign first.