United Kingdom. A Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, 3Rd Type, C. 1943

Great Britain Exported to North America. Steel blade, magnetic, measuring 175 mm in length, with very sharp edges and a very sharp tip, exhibiting scattered surface wear and minor scratches from regular usage. Solid metal crossguard, with ribbed grip on the bronze handle, mould marked "4" on the handle near the domed "skull-cracker" pommel, measuring 297 mm in length overall, very fine. Accompanied by its supple leather scabbard, with a blackened bronze chape, two horizontal straps on the back, with two slits on the protruding strap for belt attachment, the elasticized securing strap above having separated in the centre, measuring 47 mm x 330 mm, exhibiting light age wear in the leathers, scabbard also very fine.

Footnote: The Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife is a double-edged fighting knife resembling a dagger or poignard with a foil grip developed by William Ewart Fairbairn and Eric Anthony Sykes in Shanghai based on concepts which the two men initiated before the Second World War while serving on the Shanghai Municipal Police in China. The F-S fighting knife was made famous during the Second World War when issued to British Commandos, including the SAS. With its acutely tapered, sharply-pointed blade, the F-S Fighting knife is frequently described as a stilletto, a weapon optimized for thrusting, although the F-S knife is capable of being used to inflict slash cuts upon an opponent when its cutting edges are sharpened according to specification. The Wilkinson Sword Company made the knife with minor pommel and grip design variations. The first batch of fifty F-S Fighting Knives were produced in January 1941 by Wilkinson Sword Ltd after Fairbairn and Sykes had travelled down to their factory from the Special Training Centre at Lochailort, Scotland in November 1940 to discuss their ideas for a fighting knife.