The Case Astronaut Knife M-1 is a commemorative re-creation of the survival machete W.R. Case & Sons built for NASA's Gemini and Apollo programs. Case released it in 2019 to mark the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the first steps on the Moon. It has a 17" overall length, an 11.75" high carbon stainless steel machete blade with a sawtooth spine, a smooth white synthetic handle, and a lanyard hole. Each knife is consecutively serialized and comes in a two piece presentation box.

Short and Sweet

• Case Astronaut Knife M-1 Commemorative (model 12019)
• Pattern stamp: M-1 Model 2019
• 17" overall with an 11.75" machete blade
• Tru-Sharp high carbon stainless steel, as-ground finish, sawback spine
• Smooth white synthetic handle with lanyard hole
• Consecutively serialized
• Two-piece presentation box
• Made in Bradford, PA, USA from domestic and imported materials
• Condition: New, boxed

From Bradford, Pennsylvania, to the Moon

In the 1960s, NASA needed a lightweight survival tool for astronauts whose capsule might come down off course in jungle, desert, or open water. Case developed the M-1 with NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston: a machete edge for clearing brush, a sawtooth spine for cutting, and a blade strong enough to pry. The original's presentation box reads that Case made the knife "in conjunction with NASA" for the Gemini and Apollo projects. The M-1 rode in the survival kit aboard the Apollo command module, and Case says it traveled to the Moon and back nine times between 1968 and 1972. An original 1966 M-1 now sits in the collection of Pittsburgh's Heinz History Center.

The 2019 Commemorative

Case built this edition in Bradford, Pennsylvania, the same town where the originals were made. The blade is Case's Tru-Sharp high carbon stainless steel with a taper grind and an as-ground finish, with a cutting edge on the front and saw teeth along the spine. The smooth white synthetic handle echoes the clean, mission-gear look of the 1960s original. At about 7.5 ounces, it's remarkably light for a 17" machete, since every ounce counted on a spacecraft.

For the Space Race Collector

This knife is a natural centerpiece for anyone who collects NASA memorabilia, Apollo program history, or American made commemorative knives. It's also a memorable gift for a pilot, engineer, or anyone who grew up watching the Moon landings. The M-1 is a working survival tool by design, but most collectors keep the commemorative edition boxed with its serial number to protect its value.