History Knife & Tool Commando Dagger Fairbairn-Sykes

History Knife & Tool Commando Dagger Fairbairn-Sykes.

Blade length: 7.1" / 18cm
Weight: 7.9 oz / 225 g
Blade thickness: 0.014" / 3.5 mm
Blade material: 420 stainless steel
Handle material: aluminum
Clasp: Fixed

The History Knife & Tool Commando Dagger is a realization of the famous Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, which is quite rightly referred to in the specialist literature as the mother of all modern fighting knives.

The F-S Fighting Knife was designed by the two close combat legends Lieutenant-Colonel William Ewart Fairbairn and Major Eric Anthony Sykes during their service with the Shanghai Municipal Police (SMP). The first batch of 50 pieces was produced in 1941 by Wilkinson Sword Ltd. in Sheffield after Fairbairn and Sykes presented their ideas for an optimal fighting knife there. The knife was first used by Allied commandos such as the SOE, the SAS and the OSS.

During the course of the Second World War, it was increasingly issued to regular troops and subsequently adopted by special units from a wide range of nations. Today, it is a symbolic part of the badges of numerous airborne and special combat units. It was produced by various manufacturers around the world, without there being a uniform and binding pattern for the F-S.

The current form corresponds to the 3rd Pattern, which was built from 1943 and for which a uniform specification was not established until 1949 with the UK government specification E/1323E. At NATO, the F-S knives according to this specification are listed under supply number 1095 99 963 2037. Our model follows this 3rd and is therefore classic in every respect.

The specification includes the following features: A narrow, double-edged, medium-pointed blade measuring 18 cm in length, an oval and straight cross guard, the characteristic grooved spindle handle made of aluminum with a full-length tang and the complete blackening of all parts of the knife. The dark brown leather sheath has a blackened and riveted chape, a belt loop attached with two rivets with a simple but effective 20 mm wide rubber cord to secure the handle and two leather loops for optionally sewing on or into a uniform. Tough 420 stainless steel was chosen as the blade steel.