Strange knife in bronze

[Rendsburg]

Hi All,

Did you know this knife? All in bronze, including the blade. It was used for what?
On the blade is wrote "Pioneer", Calcutta and 1943.
Otto

[Rendsburg]

#2

[Rendsburg]

#3

[Rendsburg]

#4

[sabertasche]

I'll take a guess on this one. A explosives cutting knife? All bronze, non-sparking??

Greg

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Greg, I was thinking along the same lines as you too. But to be honest I have some doubts that the knife was actually military? I think the trade name and date might be misleading us?


Cheers, Ade.

[Rendsburg]

Hi Greg and Ade,

Thanks!

The knife belongs to a friend of me, when he buy this, he was informed that could be for pull off magnetic mines on ship shells.
It can be?
Otto

[britpc]

Hi Otto,
I have no knowledge about your knife but I do have a Kukri with the same markings.
Not sure if that helps any.
Regards
Irv

[Jim Maclean]

Probably a Clearance Divers knife rather than a Ship's Diver's knife.

The mines that you are referring to would probably be 'Limpet' mines that were attached magnetically to a ship's hull. In this case it wouldn't be important that the tool be non-magnetic.

On the other hand there are minesanchored to the seabed that can be triggered by the magnetic field of the ship passing over it. I don't know when these first came into use, but it is most important that any diver going down to deal with these uses no magnetic tools or carries anything made of steel. Obviously the closer to the mine the stronger the magnetic field, so less steel would be required to trigger it.

Even supposedly non-magnetic materials have some magnetism, so nowadays clearance divers sets are magnetically ranged to determine their signature. If they fall outside of the limits they are deemed unsafe and scrapped. Even the tools to work on the sets must be non-magnetic to prevent inducing any magnetism in the set. The attached image shows we've come along a bit from bronze tools.

In modern sets the fairings are carbon fibre, the straps,buckles etc. nylon, the flasks are made from Inconel an incredible alloy which at less than 1/16 inch thick can hold 4500+ psi (300 Bar). A total bargain at about $12,000.
As an aside Inconel flasks do not have a test pressure like normal scooby bottles. They are tested only at manufacture and have a fixed number of fill/discharge cycles. The book says 'Failure is catastrophic'

'Breath deep, no bubbles, no troubles'

Hi Greg and Ade,

Thanks!

The knife belongs to a friend of me, when he buy this, he was informed that could be for pull off magnetic mines on ship shells.
It can be?
Otto

[Rendsburg]

Hi Irv and Jim,

Thanks for the help, we are on the good direction.
Otto