Mercury Astronauts with Astro

[samg]

Thanks Sligo. It's fun digging and bringing the old Astronaut training photos to life. To see the pics is nice, but video of the astros being used is outstanding! I'm glad that they exist.
Regards, Sam

[jeepster]

Originally Posted by samg

Another Mercury training photo with the Astros



Gus Grissom with his strapped to his leg



Looks like John Glenn with his on his side



Gordon Cooper with his Astro. Taped instead of scales?

Sam I pointed out to you Schirra’s Randall.....posted a picture. I mistakenly called it a 14 and you corrected me that it was a 15. It is definitely a 15 and not an Astro. Why did you delete my photograph? Also that is not Glenn with the Astro on his belt. Glenn is on the far right in that group picture.

[samg]

Ronnie, you are looking on the wrong thread. Your comment and photos of Schirras 15 is on the "Gordon Cooper training Astro with taped tang instead of scales" thread.

[samg]

Here are a couple slightly sharper photos of Carpenters mod 3 hunter. Looks like it had finger grips too.

[samg]

Couple more photos from Mercury Astronauts desert training 1960 with Astros

[Moosehead]

Hi Sam!

I just want to thank you and offer my congratulations for your stellar investigation into all aspects of your favourite Randall and the astronauts for whom Bo created the #17, Astro!

Not only have your posts been fascinating and informative, I think most certainly you have created new interest in this knife and its history. I know my opinion of this model has changed considerably for the better.

Thanks again for your great contributions to this forum!

Cheers from somewhere in space...

David

[samg]

thanks David, it's been great fun, and just icing on the cake with finding Scott Carpenter's model 3 that led Gordon Cooper to contacting Bo Randall in 1959.
Speaking of Scott Carpenters knife, it looks like his model 3 had stag, finger grips, and a butt cap. The butt cap appears dark because it's in shadow, but you can see the spacers too. That's my opinion, perhaps someone has a different perspective.
I'm having a photo of this knife printed. Perhaps I can see a bit more clearly if it has a butt cap.

[samg]

I received a photo of Carpenters knife, and I would say the butt cap is inconclusive. The photo is from a still of a video, so it's hard to tell.
What do you think?


upload images

[jeepster]

I don’t think it’s a buttcap Sam. I think it is either a piece of tape or just dark stag. If it is a buttcap it’s the largest one i’ve Ever seen.....so big it only shows three finger grooves.
Ronnie

[samg]

Recently a model 15 with a canteen snap sheath was offered on eBay was dated in ink on the back as February 1960.
We know Heiser became HKL and acquired a Randall stamp for their sheaths.
As We know, the Astros went into development in early and mid 1960, with the astronaut knives being shipped in mid 1960. I have not seen the back of any of the sheaths that went with the astronaut knives, but I think it would be safe to say that they probably had the Randall stamp on the back of them instead of the Heiser stamp. Has anyone observed the back of any of those knife sheaths sent to NASA?

[samg]

Update, here are a couple photos of one of the NASA knives that Joe Dorsky had. It has a HKL Randall stamp instead of the Heiser stamp, so the Astronauts personal knives probably were sent with HKL Randall stamps on the sheaths as well, as HKL used these horizontal stamps in 1959-60.

[Sligo]

Sam you are mor than a historian , you are archivist !brilliant !

[samg]

Here is a Mercury survival pack from Scott Carpenter showing his training Solingen knife, not his personal knife. From what I understand his personal Orlando made Astro made the flight with him, but it was stolen after splashdown. Randall made a replacement, but its whereabouts is unknown. If you can't see the knife very well, the link is below the photo.






https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki...t_-cropped.jpg

[samg]

Here is another of Scott Carpenters personal knife, assuming it's the one before flight?