Spanner & knife

[Vono]

I got these two beauties for Christmas.

The spanner still with it's modified jaws is pretty uncommon !

All the best

 

[marcros]

I presume that the spanner has a very specific use? Any idea what?

 

[Vono]

I presume that the spanner has a very specific use? Any idea what?

It's a Plessey radio connector spanner. They were modified to fit the connectors hence the 'Heath Robinson' jaw adaptors.
Those jaws are normally missing as folk take them off as with them on it's not much use for anything else.

 

[Droogs]

What a great pressie. I haven't seen those for a good many years. Have used those type of spanners on old Transceivers when repairing them at many years ago at RAF Cosford and was totally gutted when I had to hand in my G1098 tac knife (exactly like yours) when I was demobbed. The knife is officially Knife Survival Aircrew. was issued to allow them to cut themself out of a tree if they bailed out. and had a tin opener for the old cans of compo

 

[Jacob]

Hmm. I think it's a bottle opener.

 

[Droogs]

No Jacob, I used it to eat my dinner for many many years and that dinner came in tins. We were issued this specifically as they stopped putting the folded tin opener into compo in the early 90s just prior to switching over the boil in the bag.
No arguments the official MOD NSN lists it as Knife Survival Aircrew Clasp with Tin Opener and then either straight or curved depending on the version of knife blade given.

the end is very pointy and sharp not blunt

 

[Rorschach]

No Jacob, I used it to eat my dinner for many many years and that dinner came in tins. We were issued this specifically as they stopped putting the folded tin opener into compo in the early 90s just prior to switching over the boil in the bag.
No arguments the official MOD NSN lists it as Knife Survival Aircrew Clasp with Tin Opener and then either straight or curved depending on the version of knife blade given.

the end is very pointy and sharp not blunt

The naval version comes with a Marlin spike as well.

Oh and yes it's definitely a tin opener. All of mine are from the 50's I think.

 

[Jacob]

Right. I do remember cadet force excursions and one cardboard box of tins fed one 8 man squad for one day. Flat folding tin opener. It's a long time ago but I seem to recall uncertainty about what was in the tins. One would have bacon and egg sort of rolled up, another fruit cake, beef stew, treacle pudding, actual bars of chocolate, and so on.

 

[Auldfart2010]

Our local army store has loads of the Navy ones with marlin spike. Every one has a broken tin opener.

 

[Vono]

What a great pressie. I haven't seen those for a good many years. Have used those type of spanners on old Transceivers when repairing them at many years ago at RAF Cosford and was totally gutted when I had to hand in my G1098 tac knife (exactly like yours) when I was demobbed. The knife is officially Knife Survival Aircrew. was issued to allow them to cut themself out of a tree if they bailed out. and had a tin opener for the old cans of compo

Hello, thanks for that, good info' to know, much appreciated

 

[Bod]

I 've just very cheaply bought myself one of those knives (£2 said it was cheep). It has the older can opener, but the spring that holds the can opener is cracked, does anyone have a damaged/worn out knife I could buy, to use the spring from?
I can find no information on the maker of mine, John Watts, Sheffield, or any supplier of parts.
Thanks
Bod

 

[Concizat]

No Jacob, I used it to eat my dinner for many many years and that dinner came in tins. We were issued this specifically as they stopped putting the folded tin opener into compo in the early 90s just prior to switching over the boil in the bag.
No arguments the official MOD NSN lists it as Knife Survival Aircrew Clasp with Tin Opener and then either straight or curved depending on the version of knife blade given.

the end is very pointy and sharp not blunt

I still have mine. It had the WD stamp and a date of 1953