WW1 SMLE WIRE CUTTERS

[Guest Les Dickens]

Hi,

Have aquired a set of WW1 SMLE wire cutters made by J.P Ltd, Birminham England 1917. Can anyone advise if they are original.

Thanks,

Les.

[pioneecorps]

They have the makers name and date, I would say they are original, I have a set myself, 

[MikeyH]

Anyone know who J.P. Ltd were?  The main contractors for the wire cutters were C.H.Pugh Ltd. and Decimals Ltd., also both in Birmingham.

 

Mike.

[pioneecorps]

Hi Les

 

Just curious, dose it have the crows foot, (WD) stamp on it

 

Gerwyn

Edited 26 February , 2017 by pioneecorps

[johnboy]

They look right to me except what looks like a newish split pin. If you search the forum using wire cutters I am sure that there are previous posts and pictures.

[OhioDoughboy1917]

Beautiful! I have a set dated 1916. I bought it from some guy who claimed it was the Russian version, he was selling it for $80. Little did he know I knew exactly what it was. Mine has some surface rust and isn't as pretty. I am a bit jealous!

[Guest]

 Hi Les

i know this post is a little late ,

but i thought you might be interested  in the following link

and an image 

i tracked down an image of the 4 known types of wire cutters,

yours like mine are number 4 mk 1s 

also mine is 1917

http://friends-of-the-royal-naval-divisions-in-ww1.co.uk/ww1%20s.%20m%20.l%20.e%20.%20wire%20cutter%20attachments.html

[calibre792x57.y]

The problem is that 'Dug Up' had a number of copies of the cutters.manufactured overseas and bearing the names of several firms.  They are close copies and difficult to discern from the real thing.  I have owned three cutters purchased over twenty years ago.  - all were made by Decimals Ltd and all dated 1917.  All had a greenish parkerized finish and the wire springs on the cutting blades gave a very positive action.  I have also much more recently had one of the 'Dug Ups' (not sold as an original!) which had a blued finish - the spring was also very weak, the makers name stamped thereon was C.H. Pugh. Otherwise very difficult to discern from the genuine article. Not much help I;m afraid. The only thing I noted was that the wing nut securing the clamp in your photos is quite crudely made compared with the factory article, almost hand made. Buyer Beware!  - S.W.

Edited 24 November , 2018 by calibre792x57.y

[battle of loos]

good evening,

 

this is my exemple find in Hill 70 (Loos) :

N°2 MK I (I'm not sure)

 

open

 

close

making :

 

regards

michel

[MikeyH]

Maker probably Decimals of Selly Oak, Birmingham.

Their stamp included the word 'makers', which seems evident in the photo.

 

Mike.

 

[4thGordons]

Just an aside on these, I recently saw a set in a small museum display (St Louis Soldiers' Memorial) in the US and they were attached to a helve (like a large entrenching tool handle) Is there any record that they were used like that (perhaps if standard wirecutters were unavailable or of these were thought to be more efficient?) rather than on a rifle, or was it a just for display purposes? (it did look 'period'). Unfortunately they were turned such that any maker's mark was not visible.

Chris