Your knife pick for WWII

Any of the old EK Cmmando knives, a Ruana, or one of the knives with an aluminum soldered handle straight on the tang. Any of those from the day.

I also like any of the theater made knives.
 
My father carried an M3 Trench Knife in WW2. I have no real need for it but, his M3 is one of the few knives I own that I will never sell. If it worked for him, it would work for me. If I had to pick something modern, I'm not sure what it would be. Maybe Carothers HDFK or the current USMC bayonet.
 
Wow, some awesome replies, Gents! Many of you have suggestions that never would have occurred to me. And I have to say I'm a bit surprised at the number of people who are choosing period-correct knives, what with all the advances in metallurgy and blade design over the years. It could be a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", or maybe some folks just misunderstood that modern knives are also "on the table" for this mental exercise. Either way, I have to admit I have a soft spot for the M3 trench knife, I just think they are so darn cool, even though it likely wouldn't be my pick, and I don't own one yet.


Pomsbz said:
My dad was watching a Dunkirk documentary on youtube when he suddenly saw his father in that frame above. He told me that he burst out crying. That was the man he had known as his father, not the sad wreck that drank himself to death after the war. We knew he went ashore on D-Day but until then hadn't known that he'd been at Dunkirk also. His father had been badly gassed in the trenches at the second battle of the Somme (which probably saved his life incidentally, if he'd gone over the top I wouldn't be here today!). They lived hard tough lives and paid such a high price just for surviving.
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Pomsbz, thanks for sharing that incredible photo and story of your grandfather. We are free because of men like these (and the women who supported them). What an amazing generation. And you make a sad but very true point about the toll that war takes on the survivors.
 
sabre cat said:
My father carried an M3 Trench Knife in WW2. I have no real need for it but, his M3 is one of the few knives I own that I will never sell. If it worked for him, it would work for me. If I had to pick something modern, I'm not sure what it would be. Maybe Carothers HDFK or the current USMC bayonet.
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I'd love to see a photo of that M3, if you have it available. They are cool knives, and one with that story is 100x better.
 
PetahW said:
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Picking from the knives I have on hand, I would take this one, after darkening the blade.

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Gorgeous!
 
BoulderTroll said:
I'd love to see a photo of that M3, if you have it available. They are cool knives, and one with that story is 100x better.
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I might be able to make that happen. Posting pictures online is not a strong point for me but if you PM or email your phone #, I'll send you one to post. Might even put his hunting knife in the same photo. Or maybe the rare FZR M7 bayonet.

sabrecat19@gmail.com
 
An entrenching tool locked down at 90 degrees can get alot of things done. With the spirit of the thread a case tested barlow with the pen in front of the main of course.
Edit Maybe a cattaurgus tl29.... Sitting, laying whatever in the field at dark the bail on an electricians knife may help with misplaced or lost gear. No 550 cord so maybe a leather boot lace dummy corded to my belt loop
 
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BoulderTroll said:
And I have to say I'm a bit surprised at the number of people who are choosing period-correct knives, what with all the advances in metallurgy and blade design over the years. It could be a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", or maybe some folks just misunderstood that modern knives are also "on the table" for this mental exercise.
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It's almost like
  1. We haven't had to design a new fighting knife since WWII
  2. Modern metals and modern materials might outlast leather, wood, and carbon steel; but not by so much as to matter in the short run (the USN Mk2 being used as a dive knife being the exception)
  3. We perfected cutting and stabbing a long time ago, about the only thing modern knives do better than knives from 80 years ago is pry
For me, there's only one(ish) Knife, Fighting Utility. Having never served and never having been trained in any amount of knife fighting; I feel the length of the Kabar provides a formidable close quarters weapon; and the overall shape and build is still useful for everyday tasks. That and something with a can opener and a screwdriver would do me just fine I think.

Or a CS trailmaster bowie, but that might be too big to comfortably carry and a bit unwieldy for the more mundane tasks a knife is used for.
 
NapalmCheese said:
It's almost like
  1. We haven't had to design a new fighting knife since WWII...
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In a way, we haven't. The M1 Carbine used the M4 series. The M1 Garand used the M5 and the M6 still pairs very well with the M14 battle rifle. The M7 of course mates up with the M16 series. All of these are based upon the M3 Trench Knife. Even after the M7 was officially replaced by the M9 bayonet, the US Army purchased more M7s produced by General Cutlery and issued them with the M10 scabbard.

Also, our Canadian friends north of us have issued the C7, a stainless version that I still have not been able to find for my collection. To top that, the Germans produced an M6 with a beautiful plum blue finish on the blade.

I can't tell you how many other countries have adopted bayonets and fighting knives based upon the M3 and it may not be the most practical knife but, to me, it is a work of art.
 
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The standard KaBar would probably be my choice. I have read a lot of WW2 history, and most of the real assassins recommend a blade of at least 6 inches, to ensure hitting a vital organ when stabbing from any angle.

For me, my SAK would probably be my most used knife as usual...
 
Mil issue? - The Catt 225Q or Collins #18 Bowie Machete (with field mod of trimming the guard and reenforcing the scabbard.

Custom? One of the early WWII Randall Hunters that evolved into the #3 -

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Thanks for the replies folks, keep them coming!

I asked Sabre Cat if he could provide photos of the M3 that his father used in WWII, and he was kind enough to send them to me to post. So please don't think I'm taking credit for these beauties, they are his:

sabre cat said:
The M7 is just for comparison. Of interest is the maker, FZR, one of the hardest and most sought after of the M7 series.

The scabbards are shown also for comparison. The one in the center is the M8, which was issued with the M3. The M8A1 is basically the same with a stronger tip. The M10 was the last to be made and is considered the replacement for both the M8 and M8A1. Not very pretty but, it really is the best of the three from a practical standpoint.
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Tltt's comment about the field mod of trimming guards got me thinking about guards in general, and I'd love to hear some opinions:

Just how big do each of you feel a guard needs to be in order for the knife to actually be useful as a stabbing weapon? I have a Fallkniven S1 Pro that I absolutely love to death. I would easily choose it as my pick for a knife to take with me to WWII, were it not for the small guard, and only on the belly side. I just envision that in a high stress situation, with mud, blood,grease, sweat, rain, snow, etc. (the rigors of the battlefield), I think I'd want a substantial guard both above and below the blade. If I ever needed to stab something with it, I'd be afraid that my hand would ride up onto the blade during the impact. I know traditionally guards/ quillon have been designed to protect the user from enemy blades, but for me, I view them far more as protection from my own blade. Does anyone else think guards should be substantial for a knife that may have to do some fighting? Personally, I'd put the M3 Trench knife guards on the low end of what I'd be comfortable with (but still doable), but lean more towards the Mk3 Navy knife/ Randall/ Kabar end of the spectrum. I just don't think I'd be confident in my grip staying secure on my S1 under horrible conditions (even though the grip itself is very "grippy").
 
KnifeRep said:
My Dad's USMC Ka-Bar WWII Camillus model A, he took this knife and sheath with him to Okinawa in 1966 and to Vietnam in 1968. As sharp as a razor, Dad was the last one to sharpen it well over 25-years ago.

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This is a beautiful thing. I wish my knife was in this good of condition. And much more practical than my Camillus M3 too.
 
Boker-Kalashnikov-Bowie-Auto-Desert-Warrior-OD-Green-Copper-01KALS22N-BHQ-17106-jr-3-large.jpg

Blade HQ exclusive Desert Warrior Boker Kalashnikov Bowie in green and copper. A Taiwanese-made automatic knife exclusive to an American website, made by a German company, named after a Russian gun and marketed to a 21st Century war.

Edited to portray the irony.
 
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sabre cat said:
This is a beautiful thing. I wish my knife was in this good of condition. And much more practical than my Camillus M3 too.
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More practical, maybe. But I sure like the looks of an M3 better than a Kabar. Even though I own one, I've never really warmed to the looks of Bowie style blades. But that said, Jay, that is an awesome knife, and a very cool heirloom from your father!
 
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