American paratrooper knife M2

Replica of the automatic knife that equipped American paratroopers. The soldiers used it to cut the cords of their parachute during a drop. The knife was stored in the collar pocket of the M42 military jacket. Its retractable blade and automatic opening system make it a practical tool for daily use and its compact size allows discreet carrying. The weapon has a metal ring for easy hanging.

Knife length: 27 cm

Blade length: 8cm

Blade: single-edged steel

Opening system: automatic side opening (Side Opening Switchblade)

Weight: 100g

When the Americans develop the principle of airborne troops, new equipment is imagined to respond to the situations that paratroopers may face. Faced with the problem of parachute lines, which are regularly tangled with weapons, bags and sometimes the parachutists themselves, they ask to be equipped with a small knife allowing them to cut these links, if necessary.

Several knives were presented to paratroopers in 1940, and one of them was unanimous: a small knife created by the Schrade Cutlery Company of Walden, New York, which Americans quickly called "Knife, Pocket, M2". It fits in a pocket of the M2 combat jacket which allows it to be easily accessible by its user.Unlike a conventional knife, it works with the locking system which saves time in the event of an emergency. also has a metal ring to accommodate a wrist strap.