Knife/Gun combo

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Gunsmith2
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Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:15 pm

Knife/Gun combo

Post by Gunsmith2 »

A customer brought to my repair shop an interesting knife/gun combo weapon. My customer requesting research on the piece and to see if the blade locking mechanism can be repaired. The blade neither locks fully open nor fulling closed. The blade is still very sharp after all these years. Her father found it in a cave while stationed in the Philippines during WWII. There's some markings on it. The blade on one side name Frenando Esser. The other side has a horse logo stamped on it and what remains of the word Germany. There's also C.16 stamped one side and C.12 stamped on the other up by the guard of the knife. Also the letters J E R G M stamped on bottom. The gun appears to be chamber either in .30 Mauser (most likely) or 7.62mm Tokarev (less likely) not .30 luger (it's to big). Any information on this piece or on the maker or if anyone can point me towards an expert on these combos would be appreciated. Photos are coming!
Gunsmith2
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by Gunsmith2 »

knife-gun 12a.jpg
knife-gun 12a.jpg (59.58 KiB) Viewed 2724 times
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knife-gun 5a.jpg
knife-gun 5a.jpg (56.75 KiB) Viewed 2724 times
knife-gun 1a.jpg
knife-gun 1a.jpg (58.38 KiB) Viewed 2724 times
TexasRed
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by TexasRed »

A “Bazar” brand? Was a tradename of c. Hollman company. Got this from page 59 of “Art of the Switchblade.”
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1B9A448F-CEB1-483E-A539-D9CC42FE40BD.jpeg
1B9A448F-CEB1-483E-A539-D9CC42FE40BD.jpeg (525.85 KiB) Viewed 2712 times
Last edited by TexasRed on Sun Apr 18, 2021 2:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Panzerfaust
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by Panzerfaust »

It was probably made before World War II and it is an NFA item classified as "Any Other Weapon," so if not registered it's worth about 10 years in federal prison, although I don't think the feds would aggressively prosecute something like that as they would with an unregistered machine gun, unless you had done something else to get their attention.
TMD
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by TMD »

I dont know anything about it, but its very cool!
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by Bill DeShivs »

I can guarantee it's not chambered in 7.62 Tokarev, nor .30 Mauser. Both cartridges would blow it to pieces! As a gunsmith you should recognize this. It will be chambered in a low powered pistol cartridge.
It is a NFA item.
The stamping is "DRGM," which makes pre WW2 or shortly thereafter.
Esser did not make the knife portion. It's a standard knife of that pattern.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
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hearandgone
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by hearandgone »

Bill DeShivs wrote: Sun Apr 18, 2021 6:24 pm The stamping is "DBGM," which makes pre WW2 or shortly thereafter.
Bill, would this apply to my SPRINGER which I posted about earlier as well?
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by Bill DeShivs »

DBGM is post war.
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arms switch
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by arms switch »

can you put a YouTube video to see how this knife works
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by Bill DeShivs »

You will have to remove the backspring pin and blade pivot pin. Hold the lever down and remove the blade.
You will have to TIG or laser weld the sear holes up-IF the sear is not rounded off.
If the sear is rounded, you will have a whole set of other problems.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
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Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
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Panzerfaust
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by Panzerfaust »

I think these were chambered in 7.65 mm Browning (.32 ACP).
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JimBrown257
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by JimBrown257 »

Great find. But it looks like the blade is locked closed in the first pic.
Gunsmith2
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by Gunsmith2 »

Ok, the reason the knife appears closed in the above photo is because it is closed. Years/decades of dirt and grime was keeping it from locking open and closed, I took care of that before I took those pictures.
The chamber of this thing measures out by my caliper at .308 inches.
9mm is a .309 bullet and when you include the case is even bigger and does NOT fit!
7.65 browning (.32 ACP) is .312 diameter round, way way too big.
On further reflection the .30 Mauser and Tokarev are not right, because these are necked cartridges and this needs a straight wall cartridge.
Any other suggestions on the calibur that meets the following criteria: pre WW2, straight wall, .308, center fire, hand gun round.

The "DRGM" stamping can someone explain further what that stands for? and it's significance?

The knife blade is clearly stamped with Frenando Esser name and logo. why would the knife portion not be made by him?

Any Idea what the C.16 and the C.12 stamping may mean?
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knife-gun14a.jpg
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knife-gun13a.jpg
knife-gun13a.jpg (48.63 KiB) Viewed 2531 times
TexasRed
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by TexasRed »

12 and 16 is the gauge of a shotgun shell. Those “claws” are shell pullers.
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Bill DeShivs
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Re: Knife/Gun combo

Post by Bill DeShivs »

DRGM means that iit is a registered design. It was used until just after WW2, when DRGM was used.
The knife portion was made by a knife manufacturer for Esser. That's the way things were done, but I doubt the manufacturer was responsible for the gun portion.
This knife has been disassembled and reassembled by an amateur. The rivets on these didn't look like that.
Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler
http://www.billdeshivs.com
Factory authorized repairs for:
Latama, Mauro Mario, LePre, Colonial, Kabar, Flylock, Schrade Cut Co., Presto, Press Button, Hubertus, Grafrath, Kuno Ritter knives, Puma, Burrell Cutlery.
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