Fighting knives used by British commandos and SOE during WW2
 

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Text and pictures by
Olof Janson unless otherwise stated.

Special honour should be given to:

  • Robert Wilkinson-Lath    am,
  • Ron Flook,
  • Roy Shadbolt.

Who have given me much assistance.  

On the picture to the left:

1st Pattern F-S with Wilkinson sheath

2st Pattern F-S with Wilkinson sheath

2st Pattern F-S with Sheffield type sheath

 

updated 2013-02-13

 

INDEX
Forming of Commandos
The Shanghai fighting knives
1st Pattern F-S Fighting knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting Private Purchase knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting w/o Wilkinson trademark.like B2, Fat Man, Reverse Knurling
3rd Pattern F-S Fighting knife
Beaded & Ringed - Roped & Ringed

Steel hilt and Different hilts
Wood handles.

US Marine Raider Stiletto OSS - Stiletto w.'Pancake Flapper' and
Odd knives

Three Indian F-S Commando Knives
Sheaths
Marks
UK Commando knives; Postwar production

 

Wilkinson Sword Company Fairbairn Sykes Fighting knife 1st Pattern in scabbard without "wings"

The earlier scabbards had no leather tabs or as Wilkinsons called them "wings"

 

F-S Sheaths

W. Fairbairn insisted upon the importance to have the knife easily accessible but hidden for best effect and surprise.

 The sheath is a very important part of the Commando knife. It was stipulated that it should have some means of being secured to the clothes. For this reason two small leather tabs were placed each side of the sheath-body, which could be stitched to the clothing or equipment.

 The grip of the 1st Pattern F-S knife was held by two small leather tabs with press studs like an ordinary hunting knife sheath. This was soon replaced with a strip of elastic band which was sewn to each side of the sheath. This was noiseless and cheaper. This became the pattern for the 2nd Pattern

 The end of the sheath was tipped off with a simple chape in bronzed brass. The leather-parts were stamped by Wilkinson and other manufacturers. These parts were mainly given to relatives of the men working at Wilkinson for sewing up. These sheaths sold for 4/6.

 

Typical for most of the F-S sheaths are the leather tabs for securing the sheath to the clothes.

 Over the passage of time knives have not necessarily stayed with the sheaths they were issued with.
I can only specify some basic types and at what period they most likely have been produced.

 

Sheath for the first pattern F-S.
Wilkinson Sword made sheath for 1st Pattern F-S knife.

Note that both press-stud and rounded chape are nickel-plated.

This sheath is normally associated with 1st Pattern but there are examples of such sheaths with 2nd Pattern knives also.

The horizontal leather tabs ("wings") still remain, which is very unusual!

 

First type of scabbard had no "wings"

 

 

The press stud was changed for an elastic band.

Note belt flap stitching around the edge

  1. To the left a scabbard for 1st Pattern

  2.  To the right a scabbard for 2nd Pattern and
    3rd Pattern.

(Picture Roy Shadbolt.)
Newey press stud

(Private collection)

The belt flap is not stitched around the edge and not supported by an extra layer of leather on the backside.
 

  1. To the left a scabbard for 1st Pattern

  2. To the right a scabbard for 2nd Pattern and
    3rd Pattern.

 

(Private collection)

 

Sheath for 2nd and 3rd pattern Commando knife.

Sheath for 2nd Pattern
F-S knife

This sheath is the normal sheath which is still in use today. In this particular case the sheath with nickel plated chape, belongs to a
2nd Pattern Nickel Plated knife
 
Sheath for 2nd Pattern
F-S knife

Please note that the belt flap is stitched around the edge and supported with a strengthening piece on the backside.

WW2 Sheath for Second and Third Pattern F-S knife Wilkinson Sword

Early model scabbard.

The press-stud have been exchanged for a more simple, cheaper and more silent elastic band. This is a Wilkinson made scabbard with flat chape.
Early model scabbard rear side.

The chape is blued and normally square at the tip.
The frog is sewn.

 

The scabbards for the Wilkinson knives were often made by wife’s and female relatives of the men working at the plant.

Here is an early drawing of the flat chape from Wilkinsons

Courtesy of Robert Wilkinson-Latham

This is a later model from unknown manufacturer.

 

The chape is blued and normally rounded at the tip.

(Note stamp ENGLAND)
Top Wilkinson Sword model scabbard.
square tip and sewn frog and
chape is fixed by metal clip.

 

Bottom later model scabbard by unknown manufacturer.

The frog is not sewn but secured by rivets like the chape.

The rivets should be made from brass otherwise it is a post war production.

 
Late model scabbard by unknown manufacturer.

(Tabs removed)

 

This type of sheath is the correct sheath for this French Resistance type of knife

 

 

Hunting style scabbard for F-S and Commando knives like
Fat Man and some Alloy-hilted knives.

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Scabbard for legs and arms.

Some collectors associate this scabbard with with the Canadian PPCLI Parachute Regiment and which is listed in a number of books as being British, French and Begian SAS (see Buerlien's book page 58).

The firm of H.G.Long are known to have made copies of this sheath for the Ek knife company after the war.

These sheath reputedly bear marks such as Knife Parachutist Sleeve Scabbard Mk1. H-Sheffield M45.

However the M45 wartime mark (dispersal code) is for Bronamel Signs Ltd of Birmingham - not any manufacturer in Sheffield! We also know that Military kit like this was not marked with a descriptive!

Well known collectors are for these reasons very skeptical to the authentic of the sleeve scabbards.

 

 

Unusual sheath for F-S Commando knives normally found with the Ribbed and Ringed or Roped and Ringed.

Most likely these sheaths with the RAUF press studs are post war, made in the USA to go with knives imported into the USA after the war. You will even find these sheaths stamped ENGLAND with larger than usual font on the reverse.

These sheaths have bad sewing, poor grade leather, poor cheap small metal staples and a chape that would fall or break off with ease. They would not have in a wartime use situation.

 

 

Unknown style of scabbard for F-S from Norway.

 

 

The O.S.S. Stiletto scabbard.

The "Pancake flapper" from Landers, Frary & Clark

Made in the same form as they made pancake flappers!

 

 

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Forming of Commandos
The Shanghai fighting knives
 

There are three basic modells of the F-S fighting knife.
1st Pattern F-S Fighting knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting Private Purchase knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting w/o Wilkinson trademark.
like B2, Fat Man, Reverse Knurling
3rd Pattern F-S Fighting knife
Beaded & Ringed - Roped & Ringed

Steel hilt and Different hilts
Wood handles.

OSS - Stiletto w.'Pancake Flapper' and
US Marine Raider Stiletto

Three Indian F-S Commando Knives

Odd knives
Sheaths
Marks
Sheaths
UK Commando knives; Postwar production

 

The Stalingrad Sword made by Wilkinson Sword.

 

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References:
Robert Wilkinson Latham His own web site
Alan W. Locken Commando 1940 - 1945
Robert A. Burlein Allied Military Fightingknives
Ron Flook British and Commonwealth military knives.
Fredrick J. Stephens Fighting Knives
Frank Trzaska The O.S.S. Stiletto - Knife World February 1998.
Frank Trzaska The Raider Stiletto - Knife World July 1997
Kelly Yeaton The First Commando Knives.
John Nowhill & son Sheffield
Michigan knives  
Dr. William Windrum  The earliest commando knivesAllan W. Locken – Commando 1940 - 1945.