The newest BOOK available on the Wilkinson Fairbairn / Sykes knife bares all and explodes many long standing myths. A must have for the Military Knife Collector. This fully illustrated 2nd edition, packed with all new additional facts, illustrations, drawings, photographs and original documents is a must for the collector who prefers fact rather then fiction!
We are the exclusive distributor for the Americas. Click on the blue link below and purchase your copy right here.
Size - 9" x 6" (228 x 152 mm)
Over 170 Black and White photos and Illustrations 207 pages.History of the F-S Fighting Knife
February 2010
Quote
"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self".
Cyril Connolly
Official National Guard Knife
Here we have a photo of a real National Guard knife sent to us from Kim James. No doubt about it in my mind it came from the National Guard. It is tang marked Geo. Schrade Knife Co. B’port Ct. PAT. APP. FOR The American Eagle is embossed on both sides and reads The National Guard Defends America. Works for me.
M8 Scabbard Thongs
We see all sorts of fancy knots on the thongs in the M8 type scabbards. The original packing called for a leather thong that was pulled through the hole and left as is. Later we find these leather laces wrapped around the bottom of the scabbard in some packages. When the standard was changed to the cotton lace it was again looped through the hole and tied off. It appears more up to the packing person that any standardization other then one loop through the hole and left alone. All the fancy wrappings are from the man it was issued to and we see a plethora of fancy knots.
Knife, Emergency, Curved
A wonderful article clip sent to us from good friend Dustin Clingenpeel from a WW II technical Manual. The write up stated:
Knife, Emergency, Curved, Maj. William C. Beaver, MC Aero Medical Laboratory, Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio.
The knife shown here, a valuable component of the emergency medical equipment carried aboard bombardment airplanes, is used to slit the clothing of a wounded man in order reach and treat his wounds. Knives are to be installed in all bombardment airplanes passing through staging areas for overseas destinations. Each knife (a Class 17B item, Stock No. 7900-470950) is contained in a leather sheath with two "Lift the Dot" fasteners for mounting. Requests, based on the requirements in overseas combat use of 2 knives per heavy bombardment airplane and 1 per medium bombardment airplane , may be submitted to The Director, Air Technical Service Command, Wright Field , Dayton, Ohio.
What a great clip, many folks have called us on this one over the years as Mr. Cole shows it as a life raft knife and a period drawing showing one in the hands of a man in a raft. Yes the knife pattern was used in life rafts but typically not in the pattern leather sheath with lift the dot snaps. The raft type were in plastic sheaths and of the glue on type. The snap and leather sheath were for aircraft.
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"Nations have passed away and left no traces, and history gives the naked cause to it – one single, simple reason in all cases; they fell because their people were not fit."Rudyard Kipling
Folding Machete Patent
Good Friend Brian Huegel sends us a copy of a Design Patent on the World War Two era folding machete used in the Emergency Sustenance Kits. The patent was listed to Richard D. Brown of Olean, NY. It was a 14 year design patent with application made on February 16, 1942 and granted quickly on May 19, 1942. Fascinating the a Design Patent held by Brown of Olean was produced by Camillus and Cattaraugus and not by Kabar, or was it…
Classical Music Anyone…
Love the music, love the gun and love the fireworks. Click and enjoy!
Thanks to Paul Mabry
Intrenching Knives
Springfield Armory reports producing two (2) Intrenching knives in fiscal year 1878. I would love to see one of those two knives. Do you suppose that they are the typical Intrenching pattern of the 1880 knife or something different? I think different.
Marine Corps Bayonets
Back when the Marines were using the M1903 rifle they designated unserviceable rifles I&C for Inspected and Condemned. These were often stamped with the I&C markings and retained for bayonet practice. It seems in some documented cases the breakage of the M1905 bayonets were causing a financial issue so the Marine Armorers welded steel onto the barrels and these were issued for bayonet practice. I have not seen one of these rifles with the welded on bayonet blanks but there are documents that state it was carried out.
Marine Spotter Bayonets
While on the subject we also note that seven (7) M1905 bayonets were modified for use as spotting scopes by the USMC. They milled a slot into the pommel of the bayonet, stuck it in the ground and a squad member would sight through the slot and tell the shooter of his target and his aim point. Another one I have not seen or heard of a real one anyplace. Again they are documented as being made and tested.
M1905 Italian Bluing Method
It is a little known fact that Ordnance set up shop in France during World War One and adopted a simplified method of bluing used by the Italian Army. Many M1905 bayonets went through this process. Not a bright buffed bluing and not a dull Parkerizing, just different.
Plated M1905 bayonets,
A report filed in 1933 concluded that all the bayonets in use by the US Army 15th Infantry troops in China had been plated. The USMC Horse Marines used plated M1913 Patton sabres with dress uniforms to patrol with. Smedley Butler had done the same thing with his Marines, chromed bayonets, but went one step further, he had all their helmets brightly buffed painted and polished. Showing off in China in the early 1930’s was a way of life and one up-manship was alive and well in the services. Although never officially approved by Ordnance these were US weapons and gear plated and issued to the troops. You are far more likely to encounter a plated bayonet used by the local American Legion or the VFW but never rule out the possibility of it being used in the military.
More Plated Bayonets
Plated bayonets are still secured today. Many official Honor Guard Platoons are issued with plated bayonets for all sorts of duties they carry out. The most often thought of use is the Army’s 3d Infantry Regiment known as the Old Guard. They provide the soldiers for Arlington National Cemetery and many other official Washington D.C. uses. They use the M14 rifle with the M6 bayonet, plated, held in a black M10 scabbard with a black harness leather frog to attach to their belt. In fact the M1, M5, M6 and M7 are all known to be officially plated and in use by US forces at this present time. (2010) These are all real bayonets that have been plated for this specific use. In fact a few years ago I remember seeing a contract for M6 bayonets let to Imperial Knife Co., to be plated and provided dull to prevent the plating from flaking off on the sharp edge.
Model of 1905 Bayonet Scabbard Inspectors
I found a note I had misplaced with a listing of scabbard markings found under the throats of M1905 bayonet scabbards. The first scabbard I inspected was marked RIA / 1906 / HEK prominently on the leather were it could be seen by all, the typical marking. But under the metal throat was stamped RIA / 1906 / EMS. A second scabbard was marked RIA / 1906 / WFB in the typical fashion but under the throat was found ELR / JA / HEK. None of these marking would ever be seen if the throats were not removed. They were sitting in a pile of several other scabbards all in junk condition. Interesting in that possibly they were inspected at different points of fabrication.
SWORDLESS SAILORS
Last year (2009) the graduating midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis are being told in writing to leave at home or in their vehicles all "ceremonial swords" and anything else "that might be considered a weapon or a threat by screeners" for Friday's outdoor commencement ceremonies featuring an address by President Barack Obama. This was reported in the Washington Times. Also among the restricted items are umbrella’s, with the wet spring we had been having a lot of those sailors and their families probably ended up wet also. This is not a list from the academy, this is from the Secret Service who apparently do not trust the future Officers Corps or their families. A sign of the times.
Quote
"It is a capitol mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."Sherlock Holmes, A Scandal in Bohemia.
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