Wooden Handled Fairbairn Sykes Type Knife

[Stuart Mitchell]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairbairn–Sykes_fighting_knife#OSS_version

British Commando Knife

That is a great link, thank you

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

We also talk about knife law

Luckily I run my courses in my own woodland

Odd knives and curiosities don’t have to leave home

That sounds like a cracking course, I wonder if I might have anything else that could help you out? Just knocking around the workshop I mean, that you can have, gratis.

 

[tusker]

I am the keeper of my late grand fathers FB Sykes. I never knew him but it was returned with his belongings in 1943. It is a most precious item and I will pass it on to my son.
Tusker

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

I am the keeper of my late grand fathers FB Sykes. I never knew him but it was returned with his belongings in 1943. It is a most precious item and I will pass it on to my son.
Tusker

How it should be.

 

[bowji john]

That sounds like a cracking course, I wonder if I might have anything else that could help you out? Just knocking around the workshop I mean, that you can have, gratis.

That sound great

I have wide selection of knives from my military issue, Essee knives, standard bushcraft stuff, kukri

Stuff made in old stainless, modern high carbon, stuff made in RWL34, pangas and machete type knives

Anything to point out and discuss the pluses and minuses of size shape material, grind, point, tang and hardness etc etc

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

That sound great

I have wide selection of knives from my military issue, Essee knives, standard bushcraft stuff, kukri

Stuff made in old stainless, modern high carbon, stuff made in RWL34, pangas and machete type knives

Anything to point out and discuss the pluses and minuses of size shape material, grind, point, tang and hardness etc etc

I have a serrated edge Scandi ground bushy blade (I know!?) if you want it, in fact I have two, you can have them both.

 

[bowji john]

That is really kind - serrated edges are always good for a discussion

 

[Dave_45]

I have a fairbairn sykes , made for the RM by a company in Sheffield, the handles were forged from 105 light gun cases ,in support of troops in the sangin valley.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

I have a fairbairn sykes , made for the RM by a company in Sheffield, the handles were forged from 105 light gun cases ,in support of troops in the sangin valley.

You can't just say that and not show me a photo... I'd love to see that.

Do you know who made it?

 

[Dave_45]

You can't just say that and not show me a photo... I'd love to see that.

Do you know who made it?

I lost the certificate that came with it , which is about the norm for me.
I'll try and upload a picture

 

[Dave_45]

 

[sh1kar]

I learned something on my recent hunt in Niassa. I got down from the Land Cruiser as the guys needed to cut a tree that had fallen across the track we were on and started to get their axes. I noticed 2 different styles. See below. One was a local design and the other. From Zim as one of the trackers was Zim a different style. I asked the PH and the bottom one apparently Zim. The other N Moz. Interesting

@bowji john
@Rhodesianjess

S

 

[bowji john]

Top one is Mozambique

That’s my guess

I have 2 almost identical

I’ll take pics tomorrow

Blades made from car leaf springs

I also have an old one from a Matebele village given to me by my grandmothers second hubbie who brought me up on their w.ankie farm

 

[bowji john]

Im not so cock sure now that I’ve had another look at mine

 

[Mungo]

Im not so cock sure now that I’ve had another look at mine

Left hand looks like what was common in Malawi and Zambia when I was growing up. Never saw anything like the right hand one.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Im not so cock sure now that I’ve had another look at mine

Your right hand axe looks like traditional Zulu or Ndebele "chaka" or fighting axe.
Correct on old leaf springs,sharp end of the triangle put through hole in the shaft , often ironwood.

 

[sh1kar]

Im not so cock sure now that I’ve had another look at mine

Yep. That left one is the Zim design for sure as noted in my pics
S

 

[bowji john]

Your right hand axe looks like traditional Zulu or Ndebele "chaka" or fighting axe.
Correct on old leaf springs,sharp end of the triangle put through hole in the shaft , often ironwood.

Spot on about the Ndebele fighting axe

Given to me when I was 6

That is 58 years ago ….

Left hand one bought 3 years ago near Tete in Mozambique- not far from Zambian and Zim borders

 

[Rafter]

Some folks liked them sharp.

 

[Stuart Mitchell]

Some folks liked them sharp.

View attachment 283060

I suspect that if I was in a similar position, I would have sharpened mine back in the day.