Pal RH-36 Army Air Force Knife

At the beginning of World War II, US military was caught with its pants down and scrambled as it tired to meet the supply demands of its rapidly expanding armed forces. As the war began, the Army was still using knives and bayonets that were first used in World War I. The need for an adequate knife for emergency kits for air crews in the expanding Army Air Force led to the adoption of existing commercially available hunting knives. The Pal RH-36 was one of two principal knives that were used extensively by the Army Air Force.

[@blooregardqkazoo4519]

I got one of these knifes in great condition from a WW2 vet that was selling off some of his stuff as he was getting up there in age, told him that ive been looking for a knife exactly like the PAL that he was selling at the time, stayed for his amazing stories, left with it for just 35 bucks I carry it everyday, and use it everyday in honor of the guy, and in honor of its history

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Using a knife like that probably helps preserve it more than any routine cleaning and oiling! Thanks for keeping history alive.

[@gpzjeffrey7974]

Not just for the Air Force. My grandfather gave me his PAL when I went in the Infantry back in 1990. I think he did tell me he traded for it. He carried his in the Aleutian Islands campaign and in Italy. I carried it in Desert Storm.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

You are correct! While these were part of the Army Air Force emergency gear, like the Q225, these were issued to BAR gunners, MG and Mortar crews and anybody who didn’t get a bayonet and weren’t lucky enough to get an M3 or other supposed standard issue knife.

[@charleseldridge9365]

My father bought one at a US PX. He had served two tours of combat 415 Squadron RCAF. He bought it after the war as an all round duty knife, especially as one of his duties was jump master 436 Squadron RCAF (Transport). Went with him for Mercy Flights in Canadian North with Canso flying boats. Not to mention his favourite hunting knife. I have the knife, but it is in bad shape, accidentally left in a set pack.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Fantastic story and memories, regardless of the condition of the knife. Thanks for sharing.

[@JR-pr8jb]

That's exactly the knife and sheath my Army father carried in 1944-45 through Normandy, France, Belgium, and Germany, given to me as a kid. Darned tough knife--Dad must have used it for everything including can-opening and hammering, as it's very beat-up. The sheath had a fitting sewn-on for wearing it on a standard Army web utility belt. Thanks for the info.

[@JR-pr8jb]

As for the sheath, many WWII soldiers (like my father) would have had a fitting sewn on for carrying it on a standard Army utility/canteen web belt. Or maybe my remarkable dad was uniquely creative? That beat-up old knife reminds me how much I miss him!

[@nateblevens8166]

It probably made out of higher alloys of high carbon 1095 crowvan steel

[@scarter176]

Very good review of the RH36. Good history lesson !

[@HollywoodTacticool]

just saw a restoration of this knife, so of course had to check with the go to knife historian on youtube

[@Warthogg1]

Now that is a Bowie! Thanks for the amazing history behind it. 👍

[@TheGrayManOG]

I have this exact same knife. I was always told by so called knife experts that it was a navy knife from ww2. Great review.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Gray Man Outdoors, I know the RH35 was definitely Navy issued and is often stamped USN. But I wouldn’t doubt the RH36 was also in USN service. I just haven’t seen one stamped USN.

[@TheGrayManOG]

@@KnifeChatswithTobias I'll have to recheck tomorrow. Maybe I have the 35.

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

What a great bit of history! Thank you! And that is a particularly sweet specimen you have!

[@jjcahill8934]

Wonderful Pal knife! From what I've read many of the US cutlery companies (and manufacturing companies in general) were in poor financial health due to the great depression. WWII was the financial boost that reinvigorated quite a few. Pal, apparently, did very well during those years due to all the raw stock they purchased quite cheaply from the Remington (Dupont) sale and by 1953 the stock was gone and the machinery was worn out; a very noteworthy era! Thanks for the great video review and history!

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

JJ Cahill, several companies faced the same fate as PAL after the war. Some sources say the war only gave the illusion that the depression had ended. That once it ended we remained in a rough spot and the country really didn’t recover until we entered the Cold War period in the mid 1950’s.

[@slick_slicers]

A great video. I like to learn. Yesterday I met my School History teacher who I last saw in 1985 when I left school. He started my love of history.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Alas it would seem that history is becoming the ignored or twisted subject in formal education these days. Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@0utrider43A]

Inherited my Father’s RH36 PAL with the left handed sheath. Being the only left handed family member I always liked carrying it. Now years later the sheath shows some wear. Just got reproduction leather sheath but in right handed.

[@ChacoteOutdoorRecreation]

This is by far my favorite Tobias Gibson video! Thumbs way up, would like to see more like this, learned a lot and now I am going to start looking for one of these. wish me luck

[@spurlingjohn2]

Chacote Outdoors, Hello sir. I have an RH-36 Pal knife with the original leather sheath. It is a very strong and durable knife. No issues with it. If you are interested, please let me know.

[@bdh3949]

Big blade with a deep blood groove, cool story! Such is the fate of many "war related" production companies. Thanks for the information Tobias, history is a wonderful teacher.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

BD H, thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for dropping by.

[@kennethharrison1286]

Where could you get a factory sheath for a RH- 36 ?

[@bluesfanman1]

My father flew B26 bombers in Korea in 1953. I discovered that exact knife after he passed, but with the other type of sheath in right hand. Is it possible it was still an issued item? I understand the RH was the Remington Hunting division of the company. Thanks for the information very handy.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Could very well have been issued. The knives came in both left and right sheaths. Pretty cool knife to find. Pretty cool that you dad flew the B-26 also. A really cool aircraft!

[@williamgunnarsson]

The Pal RH-36 has been one of my favorite knives of all time. The blade is simply beautiful to look at. Somewhat disappointed in the "soft " aluminum pommel, but that is a minor thing. I've sold several through my shop, but didn't have the forethought to keep one for myself. Now I can't find a decent, quality RH-36 to save my life !

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I hope that changes. I hope you can acquire a RH-36 soon!

[@williamgunnarsson]

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm glad you're out there. More people need to appreciate and respect the things of our past. Somehow young people think that " new " is better than old. Boy, are they wrong !

[@hphp4501]

How much did you sell them? I’m researching value and ran across this.

[@williamgunnarsson]

I sold the last one on the internet for $169 plus shipping, but it had a very nice custom sheath made by Viking leather out of Mexico. Bear in mind, it was 15 years ago. Good luck.

[@sharidavis1845]

I love this video, I'm obsessed with knives since I can remember, so my family being military, my retired uncle, serg of army Corp of engineers, did hondorus, panama, desert storm, and a few more, gave me my great uncle Amos, RH pal -36, , YOURS IN IN BETTER SHAPE, BIT NOT TO DISREPECT YOU, MY SHEATH SEEMS TO BE IN A LIL BETTER SHAPE, FOR ITS RIGHT HANDED, BUT I THINK YOUR SHEATH IS MISSING BACKSIDE 2ND LAYER OF LEATHER, WHERE IT GOES THROUGH THE BELT AND THE HOLES ON TOP ARE FOR THE SNAP ONLY, UNLESS THEY ONLY MADE THEM THAT WAY FOR RIGHT SIDE, BEING MORE COMMON, AND SHORT SIDED THE LEFT HANDERS FOR QUICK PRODUCTION, COULD BE, question, is it stainless steel, and what's best way to clean , I'm rough on knives, but this is a classic and sentimental, so I'd rather baby this one

[@JR-pr8jb]

Stainless steel? You must be kidding, at least judging from the one my father carried in 1944-45 Europe.

[@doctorpoop1446]

i recently found my great grandfathers pal36 knife with a sheath. of course being canadian he had it cut to fit with local law at some point. it spent a long time in a stairwell before i found it.

[@doctorpoop1446]

correction: it was because he had moved from seattle to canada because of his resentment towards the government id assume. he apparently came back from the war a very angry and violent man, uncharacteristically so

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

There was a lot to be angry about. I can't imagine anyone not being change by war.

[@doctorpoop1446]

@@KnifeChatswithTobias He was very changed I'm told, one day he came home drunk which was common enough, my grandfather who was 17 at the time knocked him out after he attacked his wife. After that night nobody heard from him again. I suppose you can only imagine what could drive a good man to do something so evil unless you've seen it for yourself.

[@PE1JAS]

Healthy new year to begin with: I also own a RH36. Thanks for the chronology! Sad that these companies had to close due to the given circumstances.... Thanks!

[@chrisosh9574]

One of my favourite fixed blade designs. I had a Sheffield copy, I think by Wm Rogers but a slightly bigger blade. Something about a fuller on a knife gives it more character.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

chris osh, and the fuller gives it more strength as well. No doubt the knife is a classic design. It’s really just a small Sheffield style Bowie! Thanks for dropping by!

[@workinmanworkinman3889]

I wish that knife makers today would make knife sheaths left or right carry. So far some knife sheaths are made with the part of the sheath that fits around your belt is reversible left or right carry…

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Tell me about it. And it make sense; especially considering some people carry pistols and the pistol will be on the dominant hand side. In which case, the person might want their knife on the opposite side.

[@ramblers69]

Really nice history lesson, :) 😎👍✌️

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@codymcdowell316]

My grandpa just gave me a pal RH 63 he got brand new as payment for delivering flyers for a hardware store in New York as a little boy

[@WilliamMancel]

Great knife history. 👍⚔

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

William Mancel , thanks. Glad you enjoyed it

I always heard that RH stood for Remington Hunting and 36 stood for blade pattern 3, 6 inch.

[@nateblevens8166]

Awesome wicked

[@paddyspotatopeelers2154]

Another great story to match a good looking knife. Atb paddy 👍☘️😃

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

paddys potato peelers, thanks. Glad you enjoyed the show.

[@ianrankin1293]

That is one of my grail knives! Great video,thanks

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

They're out there. And they are worth the hunt!

[@rustyshackleford1235]

I found a Pal RH 36 at a pawnshop about a year ago. Looked a little rough but cleaned up real nice. Got it for 5 bucks. I made a good leather sheath for it and I’m real happy with it.

[@ianrankin1293]

@@rustyshackleford1235 good work! Wish I had pawn shops like that over here in Scotland 🤢👍

[@rustyshackleford1235]

Ian Rankin yeah I got lucky. That don’t happen often lol. Good luck to you. I hope you find one soon.

[@ianrankin1293]

Got my grail Pal 36 today all the way from Minnesota USA to Edinburgh! Enjoyed watching video yet again with Pal 36 in my hand!🙏🙂

[@jesterskull38]

Beautiful fixed blade

[@rhino5419]

Two at once. No problem i have the time. I always enjoy being educated. All the best

[@sharidavis1845]

My great uncle marked his, has a naked lady engraved on sheath, lol, and 80th infantry division 318 reg, and his name in a logo

[@tomritter493]

My dad was in the 3rd aaf and he brought his blade home I was wondering if it was issued or bought thanks tobias

[@carpo719]

I have an rh34 i inherited from my grandfather but it has a 5-inch blade does anybody know why?

[@nateblevens8166]

Or it's made out of 01 high grade crovan carbon steel alloys. Parkerised or not both blades are blued back in that area

[@JR-pr8jb]

My Dad's, carried in Europe 194-4-45 was definitely NOT blued.

[@tomritter493]

Oh I subbed

[@nateblevens8166]

Is it higher grade of steel alloys A forgotten ingredients that's hard to come by

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

Not bad, it kind of reminds me of the SOG Knife from the Vietnam War,

[@hphp4501]

I have one yours is in better shape. Thanks for the info!

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Glad I could help!

[@outdoorsaddiction1085]

RH= Remington Hunting

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Thanks for the info. Not it all makes sense!

[@nateblevens8166]

What type of steel is pal rh 36

[@Wdstroud]

Was 1943 the only year they parkerized their RH-36? I just picked one up in a left handed sheath. There is no rivet in the aluminum pommel though. There also appears to be a very faith stamping on the sheath of what looks like an Eagle?

[@Wdstroud]

Oops. I looked closer and did see a rivet. It looks darker than the aluminum, so maybe a brass??

[@nateblevens8166]

Mine and yours is pre WW2 knifes

[@user-lp2yg7gc5g]

I got one with a Crystal clean blade

[@homerward8203]

My brother bought one of these knives the RH36 PAL. We were looking at this knife history of it and came across a story that they are fakes out there. The blade of my brothers knife is 6" long. The handle has black only spacers at top and bottom. The sheath that came with it is noway original. so can you help

[@kennethharrison1286]

I need a wright hand .

[@Militarycollector]

Now get rid of that Chinese fake M3 with the fake M6 Scabbard and buy a real one…

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

I do not own a Chinese made M3. But yeah the M6 sheath is a repop of questionable origins. My M3 was made in the USA by Ontario, so yes a modern era knife but it is not made in China. When I can afford an original WWII era in good condition I will buy one. I'm very clear in my video on my M3 as to who made it and where and when it was made. I've never tried to pass it off as anything other than what it is.If you wish to be critical of my collection, at least get your facts straight.