Fairbairn-Sykes knife

[5thrangerson]

The third of the recent finds I acquired. I figured out it is a 3rd pattern Fairbarn-Sykes and the scabbard is not original. Other than that I know nothing about these. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[Misfit 45]

Hi,

You'll have to wait til tomorrow.  All the experts live on the east coast. They're all asleep by now.  All I can tell you is that it is British military and was imported to the US.  The "England" mark was not originally a part of the knife, but was required by the US for importation.  Don't forget to look at the Pinned section on Fairbairn/Sykes fighting knives.

Marv

[daskrieg]

Hey I resent the East coast comment i work 3rd shift in Pa... So....I am awake....lol

 

But remember there are NO experts only some who know( or think they know) more than others.. I am NO expert. Just a realist...

[dcollector]

The "I" stamp means it was manufactured in the UK and intended for Indian stores - but most likely was never shipped out of the UK.

("C" for Canada, there are several other letter codes.)

Instead yours was still in British stores after the war, and sent to the US as repayment for war loans, which was when the guard was stamped with the import stamp: ENGLAND.

It would have been sold in sporting goods stores or mail-order in the US, the knife wasn't;t issued in the UK and wasn't issued in the US.

(Some might have been carried as private purchase Post-war, but this is conjecture.)

Your blade is an early type hand-drawn blade, as opposed to the latter machine ground blades.

The handle/guard and blade have lost their black finish, the sheath is after market.

Your handle will have a gang-mold number (1-4) on it at the top. 

[dcollector]

I'm not able to edit the post, too few posts - but, when I write  that "the knife wasn't issued in the UK and wasn't issued in the US."  -  I of course mean the "actual specific knife" photographed in the OP's post never left army stores in the UK and was likely never carried in any manner by a soldier in any kind of field duty.

It earned it's used look as a Boy Scout knife or by whomever bought it from the Army Navy store. 

Fairbairn Sykes daggers in general, were obviously still in circulation as a military-issue knife long after world war 2.

 

[5thrangerson]

Thanks DCcollector. It's the only one I have seen so I will hang onto it.

.

[dcollector]

On 1/9/2021 at 10:07 AM, 5thrangerson said:

Thanks DCcollector. It's the only one I have seen so I will hang onto it.

.

Every so often original sheaths will pop up on Ebay, should have a brown elastic retainer on it, not black. 

Problem is the FS daggers have become quite collectable with some steep prices being asked and realized.

 

[5thrangerson]

Thanks, I will keep an eye out.