So whats the deal on the Applegate Fairbairn?

In theory, the flat sided versions lend themselves to a closer body position, well suited for IWB or 'boot' carry...

Mel
 
What are the differences between the Applegate Faibairn and the Fairbairn Sykes commando knife?

Do any reputable production makers make a good Fairbairn Sykes knife?
 
To answer your question properly would take up a good portion of BFC's bandwidth...

So, I'd suggest that you use the search feature here if you can, or over at ebay, including completed auctions there...

A search under www.dogpile.com might help too...

To your first question, about the only thing they have in common is that they both have double edged blades...

To your second question, there are poor makers/good makers/and great makers, all making a pretty poorly designed knife...

Mel
 
Greg:

I do not think that Boker is making the A/F in China. They have the newest, best equipped factory in Solingen. I will check with Ernst and let you know.

A. G.
 
Originally posted by Greg Walker
Blackjack Knives made the A/F for awhile but where the steel was good the handle set-up needed improvement. We addressed how to do this in Fighting Knives magazine many, many moons ago.
GW
KU
Click to expand...

For those of us who dont have a complete battery of F/K back issues, could someone elaborate, or perhaps even provide article scans, to let the rest of us know how this was done?

I like the Blackjack A/F daggers, simply because they have more character to me than the Boker models... and they are more available in my area (thanks to Gun-Shows) than the A/F is.

Any help is appreciated. :)
 
Have to comment on FS fighting knife.the design was in no way poor,it was a very specialised tool for a specific task,and as such required
a degree of skill in both use and care.if use as it was designed to be used the FS knife was excellent.This weapon was for the quiet disposal of the enemy,not for opening cans,digging latrines,or any other taska soldier could think of.For these jobs a K-Bar or bayonet were of more use.The FS knife has in recent times gained a poor reputation mainly due to the poor production values of various manufacturers(particularly the British).Handle an early version of a FS knife to get some idea of what Capt W E Fairbairn had in mind for this classic design
 
..While I throughly appreciate your comments and passion, I disagree with you just as throughly.

I've made a bit of a study of these F/S knives, including ownership of said, and extensive research of its history. After many thousands of dollars, and hundreds of hours spent, I came to the same conclusion of those that came before me. That being, the F/S is simply too fragile with its short 'stick tang', and fine tip, to be used for any serious knife use...further, the handle design prohibit's proper indexing and retention.

Now, those are my stated positions, as well as the stated positions of the majority of persons infinitely more knowledgeable than myself that came before me...or you. But, as the old adage goes, 'Your Mileage May Vary' (YMMV)

That said, you'd be better served fullplate, IMNSHO, chosing a similar styled knife such as the Gerber MK II, Applegate/Fairbairn, or Randall Model 2. The F/S design is a classic, a part of knife history, and as such I still own a few...but as a fighting knife, its been proven in real world use to be a very 'poor design'...again, YMMV ;)

As to Satin's question, in as few words as possible, let it suffice to say that the two handle sides of the injection molded handles, as supplied to BJK, didn't quite 'fit right'...which in turn would've required hand fitting to ensure a 'proper' fit...unfortunately, BJK wasn't in a position to hand fit many of their knives.

If you've ever followed any of the BJK vs RMK threads, you'll soon see that the final 10% of hand finishing of any knife can take upwards of 90% of the time involved. This 'time to cost' ratio would have quickly sunk a low overhead company such as BJK.

Also, if you still have a BJK A/F that has an uncracked thong-hole handle set, this probable cracking can be avoided by careful shaving of the contact surfaces between the handle halves.

These past handle problems are apparently not present on the current Boker A/F versions, due to use of their own handle molds, and are most definitely not a problem on any of the handmade/hand finished A/F's as made by custom knifemaker Bill Harsey.

Interestly enough, if Col. Applegate's confidant, Bill Cassidy, had stuck to Barry Wood's original recomendations for design improvement, this cracking/fitting problem would've never happened in the first place.

More on this later...

Mel

-edited cuz I cain't 'pell-
 
Hi Mel
My point is that the FS knife is an excellent design for one job only
Killing!!,as a dueling or utility weapon it is usless for the reasons
we all acknowledge.But for inserting into human bodies for the purpose of rendering them lifeless it is a tool of some precision.I have in my collection several examples along with a Applegate and Gerber MK2,again classics of their type but designed with slightly different uses in mind.
I fully acknowledge that my understanding of the design of these knives is incomplete ,but having practised the good Captains techniques for several years as part of an interest in Western Martial Arts I have found that the FS knife works a treat if used in the manner intended.
 
My apologies, if I came across as an as$#ole. I've been told that I do, though it's not my intent. It's only when I go back and look at what I've written, that I say to myself 'Ot Oh'...so again, my apologies if you took my words the wrong way.

My point was, my one and only 'sole' point was, that there are much, much better designs of the double edged dagger available than the F/S, those which were designed and intended for exactly the same purpose...

Sorry for being so abrupt, I always seem to assume that everyone here is an old friend that I can just talk freely with.

Anyhoo, welcome.

Mel
 
Mel, thanks for the responce.

I have this fantasy of having a double knife shoulder rig made up, that packs one of my own fighters on my strong side, for strong hand draw, and that packs an A/F dagger under my left arm for lefty draw, or emergency right hand draw... and since BlackJacks are the most available around here, in good enough shape, for less than a new Boker A/F, and I think the BlackJacks have more character, I wanted to go for one of those (with intent to get a Boker later)... but, while I probably wouldnt carry such a rig much if at all, I'd like it to be as functional as possible, and if there was a serious problem with the handles on the BJ A/F I figured knowing would be good, hehe... so I appreciate your answer to my question.


*sigh* If only I lived somewhere that a double edged knife was legal to carry. :-p
 
I thought that mighta been you! ;)

Ya know, if you want something just super hot for the type of carry that you described, those (1.25" shorter) smaller Boker's, the B-A-F546, may be just up your alley...they're very cool when done up in a shoulder rig!

Also, Scott Moore had a few of the Bill Harsey handmade versions of this style knife, so you may want to look him up...very rare, very cool!

Good luck in your quest

Mel
 
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