Handmade Trench Knives

I.N.F.K · Jul 16, 2012

Alright lets see'em. I'm talking about trench knives that look like they were made on the battlefield. Not actual custom made trench knives. The one I have here is a Mosin Nagant 91/30 bayonet that didn't quite just fit on my rifle. So what did I do. Make into a trench knife.

Charlie_K · Jul 16, 2012

Finally something I'm in my element with. You want handmade trench knives, I've got handmade trench knives. I've got historical designs and I've got custom designs of my own.

First is the French Nail

Second is my own design, I'm designating it the British Spike.

And just for size comparison.

Dago Red · Jul 17, 2012

out of curiosity, if it isn't edged what makes it a knife instead of a shiv or a shank?

Charlie_K · Jul 17, 2012

Dago Red said:
out of curiosity, if it isn't edged what makes it a knife instead of a shiv or a shank?

There's actually a lot of trench knife specimens made up of stabbing spike blades. The M1917 is probably the most famous example.

But it's a good question. When does a knife stop being a knife and instead become something else? Is the Lebel needle bayonet and the trench knives they were made into considered true knives or are they stilettos? Is a stiletto even a knife to begin with?

I.N.F.K · Jul 17, 2012

That's a good point. During the renaissance, the Main Gauche was used in thrusting but it still had an edge. So the stiletto was just as a good in combat just without an edge and since it didn't have an edge it was stronger. But I think trying to determine where a knife ends and a shank begins is just really splitting hairs. I actually tried to bend the handle around to make a grip with my nagant bayonet like what you did, which looks awesome by the way, but it wasn't happening. Here's my first attempt at a stiletto. I did it in a forge out of a piece of mild steel and yes the tip was one hundred percent tappered with an anvil and hammer, no grinding at all.

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I.N.F.K · Jul 17, 2012

Just curious I know that you had to heat those up to bend. So what kind of forge do you have. I've been meaning to make one of my own instead of having to go up to the arts center and paying $50 a day.

Charlie_K · Jul 17, 2012

My "forge" is a hand torch that uses mapp gas instead of propane, a bench mounted vice and a piece of 1/2" and 3/4" gas pipe. Very low tech and it requires some experimentation to get everything figured out right, but it's ultra cheap and works fine for the simpler/smaller stuff. For an anvil I use a discarded section of railroad track due to its compact yet strong nature.

One of the French Nails was made by a professional smith for a mild fee. The second was my first real attempt at a proper design and got high praise from said smith.

I.N.F.K · Jul 17, 2012

Well that isn't going to work for me.

Charlie_K · Jul 17, 2012

I.N.F.K said:
Well that isn't going to work for me.

Sorry to hear that man, I thought for sure it was a concept that would work for everybody.

Dago Red · Jul 17, 2012

I love that last long tapered one, and the first one. I saw a bayonet one time, I want to say it was civil war, that was really a triangular design, may even have had "fullers" on the flat sides. I don't think it was even sharp on the edges either, but was explained that the design was to create punctures that wouldn't close. 20 years later I still remember that thing and how wicked it was.

Red

I.N.F.K · Jul 17, 2012

Charlie_K said:
Sorry to hear that man, I thought for sure it was a concept that would work for everybody.

Well there are propane forges. But I have no expierence and I don't like the idea of flammable gas and red hot metal. I prefer coal forges.

I.N.F.K · Jul 17, 2012

Dago Red said:
I love that last long tapered one, and the first one. I saw a bayonet one time, I want to say it was civil war, that was really a triangular design, may even have had "fullers" on the flat sides. I don't think it was even sharp on the edges either, but was explained that the design was to create punctures that wouldn't close. 20 years later I still remember that thing and how wicked it was.

Red

Which one are you talking about?

Charlie_K · Jul 17, 2012

I.N.F.K said:
Well there are propane forges. But I have no expierence and I don't like the idea of flammable gas and red hot metal. I prefer coal forges.

I'm not sure I follow. The torch head prevents flames from traveling back into the tank reservoir so there's no chance of the thing blowing up.

I.N.F.K · Jul 17, 2012

Charlie_K said:
I'm not sure I follow. The torch head prevents flames from traveling back into the tank reservoir so there's no chance of the thing blowing up.

True, but all i've ever used is a charcoal forge. Beside to put together a propane forge would cost more than a charcoal. Any way back to knives. I really dig those french nail knives. Did you make your's out of scrap or do you know what kind of steel you used?

Charlie_K · Jul 17, 2012

I.N.F.K said:
True, but all i've ever used is a charcoal forge. Beside to put together a propane forge would cost more than a charcoal.

Oh well to each their own.

Any way back to knives. I really dig those french nail knives. Did you make your's out of scrap or do you know what kind of steel you used?

I used 1018 3/8" round bar stock obtained from the local steel foundry. The original French Nails were made from stolen barb wire steaks, and I really didn't see much difference between the two. So in a way they're historically accurate in material and design.

Charlie_K · Jul 19, 2012

I can't say I'm entirely surprised that this thread has already become inactive. But I thought for sure more people would be participating and showing off their skills with the construction of trench knives. There are so many hundreds of variants it's really impossible to go wrong.

I.N.F.K · Jul 20, 2012

Charlie_K said:
I can't say I'm entirely surprised that this thread has already become inactive. But I thought for sure more people would be participating and showing off their skills with the construction of trench knives. There are so many hundreds of variants it's really impossible to go wrong.

I thought is was a good topic idea. I got this thread idea from Conquest off of history channel, during their trench warfare episode. Besides I thought that anybody who looked for a trench knife and saw that there aren't any in current production or that didn't want to have an original would think "hmm, I can always just make one like soldiers did".

Alright! to see if I can get this thread active again I think it would be best to drop the "knife" out of the title and go with Trench Melee weapons. In a final last attempt...