Google, AI and various alleged experts seem to be rather confused by this type of knife. The Imperial War Museum have one and designate it as a ‘Royal Navy Clasp Knife 301 pattern’, which it isn’t! We too are a little confused as there are lots of similar knives around. The common factor is that most were made in Sheffield by J Allen & Sons, and it would seem they had a basic template for this type of knife, which was adapted as required. The Naval version 301 is a good example as it’s pretty much the same as the one we have here, though with a marlin spike added for splicing ropes etc.

The NON-XLL above J Allen & Sons is interesting as it’s a pun, meaning ‘not excelled’, i.e. our products can’t be excelled by anyone else. History doesn’t record if they were.

So, we’re fairly sure that we have a British Military Single Blade Clasp/Pocket Knife (324) here in the collection. It seems that this version dates from the Second World War. Later editions had various ‘multi tool’ add-ons. The Naval version has a marlin spike. Founder of our collection, Mick Tighe, acquired this one somewhere along the way.