Any thoughts on the Sykes Fairbairn?

I was begining to wonder about Wright & Son
http://www.penknives-and-scissors.co.uk/shop/About_Us.htm?PHPSESSID=749f422465fcb20607417d603cad6b0a
Could it be that the F/S dags they currently offer are outsourced rather than an in house product?
http://www.penknives-and-scissors.co.uk/shop/images/820-commando.jpg
I especially refer to the placement of the upside down tang nuts on the hilt(?).
Compared with this on an older F/S with a number 4 embossed.
http://www.qcmilitaria.com/sw/fairb1.jpg
(Note original dark red brown sheath, black ones are fairly recent addition.)
Just when and by whose order did this come into practice?
And for what purpose or reason should this be?
Was not the hilt some form of impact weapon as well?
80's Nowill's had a tall conical nut.
Rounded much like a 9mm bullet.
Wilkinson's tang nut on the 3rd pattern seemed to be hidden all togather.

Also for you who love historical pictures.
Check out this Belgium commando museum site.
The free forces from Nazi occupied nations were issued with F/S daggers too.
For this site I can only say, wow!
http://www.cdomuseum.be/FRANCAIS/16_fr.htm
 
GIRLYmann said:
I was begining to wonder about Wright & Son
http://www.penknives-and-scissors.co.uk/shop/About_Us.htm?PHPSESSID=749f422465fcb20607417d603cad6b0a
Could it be that the F/S dags they currently offer are outsourced rather than an in house product?
http://www.penknives-and-scissors.co.uk/shop/images/820-commando.jpg
I especially refer to the placement of the upside down tang nuts on the hilt(?).
Compared with this on an older F/S with a number 4 embossed.
http://www.qcmilitaria.com/sw/fairb1.jpg
(Note original dark red brown sheath, black ones are fairly recent addition.)
Just when and by whose order did this come into practice?
And for what purpose or reason should this be?
Was not the hilt some form of impact weapon as well?
80's Nowill's had a tall conical nut.
Rounded much like a 9mm bullet.
Wilkinson's tang nut on the 3rd pattern seemed to be hidden all togather.

Also for you who love historical pictures.
Check out this Belgium commando museum site.
The free forces from Nazi occupied nations were issued with F/S daggers too.
For this site I can only say, wow!
http://www.cdomuseum.be/FRANCAIS/16_fr.htm
Click to expand...

My A Wright knife form the ealry 80's has the same type of tang nut, but the black paint flaked off to reveal a polished brass nut.

Yes and my 80's vintage Norwill knife has a rounded nut.

I must say I like A Wrights stag folder with the file work... might have to get one of those.
 
Ken Cox said:
I write from memory.

The FS Pattern Two received its reputation for a fragile tip because the American manufacturers who supplied this knife to the early American Marine Raiders did not use the steel Wilkinson specified nor did they follow Wilkinson's prescribed heat treatment.
The Marines broke the tips off of these knives so frequently the Marines eventually rejected them.
In contrast, the knives made by Wilkinson and Wilkinson subcontractors, and as issued in the European theater, did not break.
Click to expand...


True. What you also missed out was the fact that certain American companies possibly Camillus, Landers Clark who were contracted to make these knives were investigated by the F.B.I. due to the very poor quality and standard of make. It was believed that German "saboteurs" from immigrant families were responsible.

To pick up on what others have said, these knives were designed for fighting and quiet killing for which they were designed and is still in use today in many armies. This design also explains why the V42, EK, Raiders Stilletto, etc are but copies.

They were not designed for opening cans, chopping wood or instantly dis-arming yourself by throwing at the enemy but for serious close quarter fighting at which they excelled.

The modern day F-S's are rubbish and should be ignored or bought as letter openers, if however you can get hold of a Wilkinson Sword you will see the quality but now they have stopped making them their prices will reflect their scarcity.
 
JPD1998 said:
My A Wright knife form the ealry 80's has the same type of tang nut, but the black paint flaked off to reveal a polished brass nut.

Yes and my 80's vintage Norwill knife has a rounded nut.

I must say I like A Wrights stag folder with the file work... might have to get one of those.
Click to expand...


Here is an interesting US site (not just for F-Ss) The prices are eye-watering though.

http://www.snyderstreasures.com/pages/fs.htm
 
Firstpattern said:
Here is an interesting US site (not just for F-Ss) The prices are eye-watering though.

http://www.snyderstreasures.com/pages/fs.htm
Click to expand...

I guess I should have been collecting those 20 -30 years ago....

In the US anything connected to WWII has skyrocketed over the last 10 years.
The hard part is trying to determine what's BS and what's a true collectible.
 
Does anyone know anything about the " Baby Fairbairn " , I'm assuming they were just reworked regular versions . Al mar made a few of these of excellent quality .

Chris
 
When the Wilkinson Sword company was sold off and the Sword making part closed down Bonhams the auctioneers were given the chance to sell some of the more rarer swords and knives earlier this year.

They sold a unbelievably rare First Pattern with the 3" guard and a half size miniature that had been used as a letter opener by the CEO.

I haven't seen the AL Mar miniatures but the Wilkinson one was handmade and was one of only two. I was out of the country and not in a position to bid otherwise I would have taken out a mortgage to buy them.
 
I'm shocked world knives gives a price as good as $59, I know who supplies them to world knives and they sell them in sheffield for at least £32 plus postage

WS weren't making the later ones though so why people think the ones made by other people are much worse confuses me, the people who were making them are still about
 
Hi guys,these F.S.Knives were designed,solely to be used to take out a enemy,quickly...by stabbing to vital areas,or slice cutting flesh in vital areas,where the victim would bleed,and be dead within a few minutes...thats it about it,not designed to be thrown into wood targets,or for cutting anything other than what i have mentioned.....the current issue knives are basically the same design,and used ,as their original purpose intended...and they do work,if used correctly.
 
But when you handle both old & new productions , the differance is obvious.

But just like in a jailhouse any shank does for throat stabbing, whether well made or junk.

Spiral.
 
i kind of like the FS. my brother has one, a William Rodgers, Sheffield, and it really gets you thinking of those soldiers in WWII using and abusing them, history and all that. it's a pretty cool knife, but for one thing only:assassination by stabbing. you know, the standard sentry takeout stuff from the movies :D

as for a modern day knife, i wouldn't recommend buying one to use, since it's primary and only use was and is STABBING into people. mostly the edges weren't even sharply sharpened so they didn't slash well either

i'd say the fragile tip, the slim dagger profile, the rat-tang and its flimsy sheath with sew-on straps are it's weakpoints.

Al Mar made some nice repro's back in the '80s, and nowadays Wilkinson, William Rodgers, Nowill, and some others still make the 'real deal' knife. the quality is quite good.

these knives have a very specific feel in your hand, handle heavy, easily manipulated from sabre to reverse grip and relatively lighweight and low-profile.

the steel i guess, is basically good old 1095 carbon steel. nothing wrong with that.

you can buy decent ones for around $70. don't do anything heavy-duty with it though, they won't handle it very well. especially the tip and the tang-construction are particularly weak

get one just for the sake for it, they ARE kind of cool. :thumbup:
 
0a73413f.jpg
 
Hi guys, my first post in this forum and a question:
got a F-S by H.G.Long, Sheffield with trademark on one side of the ricasso, F-S signs on the other. Quality seems very good, high polished blade and the handle with checkering, not rings.
Bought it about 10 years ago on a shot show here in germany, with a black package marked with the H.G.Long sign and also the Ek Commando Knive trademark.
Cannot find it on ek`s page, don`t know how old and the actual market value.
Do anybody know something about this knive and the maker?
Thanks
Bodo
 
Great informative thread!
Back when i was in highschool I almost bought a SF a half a dozen times. A local antique shop/curiosity shop used to get them in periodically. Unfortunately they were very expensive and always seemed the have the tips broken off!
What about the Applegate/Fairbairn? anybody have one of those? Thats supposed to be a stouter evolved more improved version isn't it? How do they compare?
Hmmm someone mentioned EK. Great knives. I am still kicking myself for not buying a bunch of them when Blackjack went bellyup in the early 90's. At the time Cutlery shoppe had a blowout sale on m-4's, m-5's etc 79$ each!
 
I bought one from a buddy in highschool. He got it from his grandfather who served in the war. It had a small chip in the blade, which I loved to imagine was created by the blade being pushed though some Nazis ribs...

I sold the knife for a song years ago, and always regretted it. It felt so quick in the hand, and the sheath could simply be stuck in ones belt, with the handle staying exactly where you would instinctively look for it. I bent the tip once or twice, but I used it for everything. I threw it into a porcupine once, opened cans, cleaned fish/small game, etc. For a knife with such a long blade, it was quite easily concealed.

I can't remember what it was stamped with, but I remember that the handle seemed to have some copper, and was turned in concentric rings, not knurled.
 
23er very, very nice.
And now, guess the whole world ought to know what's become of the Wilkinson F-S
-http://www.wkc-solingen.de/newshop/ukfs.html
 
From one of Mr. Cox's posts earlier in this thread:

[Make a fist.
Stick the thumb straight up and the index finger straight out, as if pointing a gun with the thumb serving as the hammer.
Take a pen or a pencil and lay it on top of the clenched middle finger and across the web of the thumb.
Wrap the index finger over the pen and the thumb over the index finger.
Think of the pen as the hilt of the knife.

I think Fairbairn intended this knife as a desperation knife that would fall instinctively to hand and which would not come out of the hand as long as the user remained conscious.

[/QUOTE]

Mr. Cox--I've experimented with the grip you describe. I've used a 1976 vintage Sheffield/NATO marked Pattern 3 F/S dagger, and a Camillus reproduction of the M3 "Trench" knife. Your description makes sense to me. What is the source for your knowledge of this grip?

I also browsed those "eye watering" priced knives on the Snyder's Treasures site. One P3 F/S caught my eye, recalling the grip you describe:

www.snyderstreasures.com/images/spy/commando/fs/FSWaspWaistF.jpg

Looks to me like some bloke made a field mod to accomodate the grip you describe.

I plan to dull the edges of the blade on my P3, about an inch and a half in front of the guard, and do some more testing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top