BACKGROUND: The Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife came about through the need for a good fighting knife for the newly formed commando units. W. E. Fairbairn, E. A. Sykes and Robert Wilkinson Latham of the Wilkinson Sword Company, had a meeting in November of 1940 at which W. E. Fairbairn and E. A. Sykes described the knife they wanted and preliminary sketches were drawn up and the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife was created. There were three major patterns of the knife produced.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A third pattern Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife with a 6 1/2" stiletto style, machine ground blade with high central spine. The blade in very good condition retaining almost all of its blackening with some minor dings to its sharpened edges. The cast alloy handle, with twenty-seven concentric rings, was originally blackened but most of it has worn off the high points but can still be seen in the recesses between the ridges, is marked with a "3" which indicates the mould that was used to make it. The knife has a straight 2" wide cross-guard whish also retains all of it blackening. Stamped to one side of the cross-guard is "England". The black leather scabbard has a, round tipped, riveted on, brass fitting to the bottom and raised, stitched spine to reverse. Sewn to the spine are the middle parts of two leather tabs that were used for stitching the sheath to clothing. The tabs have been cut off. Riveted to the top of the scabbard is a leather tab with slashes for leg straps, the bottom part has broken, and the remains of the elastic retaining strap for the knife. Other than the minor dings to the edge of the blade and the wear to the blackening on the handle the knife is in excellent condition. A very nice example of a third pattern fighting knife.

GRADE ****1/4                                                         PRICE $448.00