Thanks Jamie - You're the second person that has told me this since the video was posted. It's a great piece of knowledge to find out! When I first did the video, I was told from a good source that a "number" would be stamped on the handle. This stamp would be near the end of the handle, if it was worthy enough to be issued for military purpose.
The first pattern had a cross hatched handle an s shaped guard and a ricasso with Wilkinson on it. They’re very nice. This is the 3rd pattern and was used from about 43 to well in to the 80’s. Most were never sharpened, as you say, they were stabbing only.
Sweet! The 1st version sounds more intricate. I only read of the 3 patterns years ago & was under the impression mine was a 1st pattern somehow - thanks for clearing that up! I'll have to watch your video..I want to see the real McCoy.
LOL😂 Lasiv! Fairbairn was a badass! I've had this Dagger on my list for at least 2yrs.. finally one popped up at a good price. Thanks for the compliments - I try to keep things fresh on my channel & I keep the F&S on my nightstand😁
Thanks Martialist! I love doing videos like this - Show & Tell, but mostly Show!😂 I was surprised they were using 01 Tool Steel too..It helped alot with the decision to buy it for sure.
Thanks for watching Hobbs! I've had the Ka-bar for years & Really wanted the dagger to go with it for just as long, well - long story short...You know how it is when a good deal pops up! lol
Very interesting information I didn’t know any of that!!!!! But I’m here to learn........ god I love that USMC knife I always wanted one of them!!!!!! Thanks bud great vid!!!!!!
That FS knife repro you have there is a repro of the mk3 or pattern 3 knife. There were two previous versions. As more soldiers enlisted and we're trained up, they needed more production since they were originally hand made. The original pattern 3 daggers handles were a sort of zinc alloy. All beautifully deadly daggers! And the USMC KaBar... Well... Nothing need to be said about that bad boy!
Hello. A terrific pair. I agree that the Ka-Bar was way more versatile and it is the reason they are so popular with the non military public. I can't imagine using the F&S for bushcraft. Lol. All the best and stay safe.
Thanks Rhino, That Kabar was something I bought even before I considered myself a "Collector"...Not only is it versatile, It is the most well balanced knife I've ever laid my hands on! you can point your finger straight out, set it the knife right at the guard & it will sit there perfectly horizontal. You can also feel how well balanced it is when you're using it. I would be extremely confident with this in a self-defense situation - Though I pray to God it will never be necessary. 🙏✌️
@@Warthogg1 The kabar knife and the Fairbane Sykes fighting knife are the only two fighting knifes from world war 2 that are still being used in modern warfare today.
Yeah Ben, I had wanted to get one of these for the longest time, everywhere I looked they were at least $125 USD, imagine my joy when one popped up on Amazon for $70 USD! After having it for awhile, I realize it's well worth the $125 that I was unwilling to pay earlier.
That's the name of the USMC Combat Knife! Mark 2! I had forgotten this tidbit over the years. If you want a Mark 2 with an actual NSN number get the Ontario 498.
Looks to me like the Fairbairne Sykes would slip easily between the ribs. 😁 Nice video there Hogster. A pacifist on principle, I nonetheless appreciate the desire to fill one's attacker with regret.
@@iwontbebeat7111 now the lungs take more time fairbairn actually made a "time table of death" the neck was the shortest with the heart at 3 seconds a lot of things can still go wrong in 3 seconds tho.
I have three Fairbairn Sykes knives. A MK2 and a MK3. This is the latest Mk3 you have there. The original handles were knurled. I also have a Pooley Swords Fairbairn Sykes. Pooley bought all the plans and machinery from Wilkinson's when they folded. The blade has pooleys crest on the blade and the Royal Marine Commandos crest. It's much more like the original MK2. Much heavier! The J. Nowill knives have the blade shape slightly wrong. The original blades did not taper so thin. The Nowill blades are more like stilettos. I also have a number of Katana's and 80 or so Khukuri's from modern to Indian Mutiny, WWI & WWII and villager Khukuri's. Dave.
Hi Dave, 1) Thank You for all the great information you provided. Most notably, the blade shape of the J.Nowill reproduction. I have noticed, as I look around, that some models are less tapered throughout the length of the blade & tip, almost "sword-like" in appearance. Anyway, this is my first "dagger, stiletto, sword" & it is one of my favorite pieces in my collection. I have thoughts of purchasing a katana and samurai sword someday! lol 2) Your collection is amazing, feel free to send me pictures anytime: warthogg1961@gmail.com Every now and then, I make a slideshow video of my subscibers' knives, would love to add some historic swords along with different versions of the Fairbairn Sykes to the mix. Thanks again for watching & sharing your knowledge of these magnificent pieces. Take Care My Friend, Rick
Oh Also, I recently purchased a 1970's reprinting of the 1940 Military Manual "All In Fighting" authored by W.E. Fairbairn. It is so cool - original illustrations and all. You can find them on eBay if this kind of thing interests you. It makes a great addition to my F&S display. Have a great weekend!✌️
I believe J.Nowill knows that much stiletto shape would gives a better penetration to flesh than older version . 0.03 seconds differences ? I believe so. but it's better .
I have original one that was bought by Frank buster who bought all of what was left over from the war in the 70s and he then put his fight n rooster trade mark on them and sold them under his brand name. These are very rare.
That is so cool Patrina! I heard that story before.. I'm a big fan of Frank Buster, when you name your product "Fight'n Rooster", you can't go wrong. I just may put one on my list - of course, I'm sure they are hard to find & priced in the upper stratosphere😂
Just a thought - The Fairbairn Sykes dagger is available with a brass knurled handle either in bright or subdued variants . There are a few makers - average price is about £60.00 ( $80-$90.00 ) .There are also custom knife makers that make the commando dagger - these are quite expensive.For an original F-S dagger 1st Pattern - mega expensive in the UK .So if anybody has one for sale - advertise it in the UK there are quite a few collectors here . Very good video- Thank you .
Thanks for the info Mike - Guess what, I received a copy of the military manual "All In Fighting" authored by W.E. Fairbairn (of course it's a reprint of the 1940 version) but something I will display with the F&S! Yes Mike, I've seen those brass handled F&S daggers - I almost bought one last year but held out for the black version - just thought it looked cooler😂, And that's coming from someone who loves brass. Take Care My Friend 🙏✌️ Thanks for watching!
I'd buy one but we don't have many sentries we need to dispatch these days 😁 I have a Sykes but the wife swiped it for her bed side drawer. Blunt as could be but I put a reasonable edge on it. Mors Kochanski wasn't impressed with the K Bars. They used to get them surplus when he was young and he said they broke at the hilt
Yeah Vinnie, The Kabar has a full tang in theory, but it is narrowed from the guard back , so they could stack the leather rings. But, I've only seen them bend when someone sticks it in a tree and hangs it (Brute force & ignorance)🤦. Perfectly strong enough for self-defense purposes. The way I look at it, I have the Sykes for the left hand and the Kabar for the right! Of course that would be after all my ammo is gone & the smoke/dust clears!😂
The Fairbairn sykes blade WAS designed to be sharpened. Fairbairn specifically thought that out and wanted the blades sharpenable. Everyone always misconstrued that a thrust weapon cannot be sharp. And why not? Where did that line of thinking come from and why would you waste a perfectly good cutting surface?
I wondered whether the bluing process affected the hardness ? Hadn't known about bluing of blades. That's a good intoduction to the history of these as I knew nothing about either of them. The USMC seems almost friendly in comparison to the Wilkinson's commando knife. It is a chilling subject. The link will be an interesting read. Thanks and look forward to the reviews on each of them. Imagine some of your colleagues giving you a wide berth with this F&S tucked away on your leg.
Hi Stone, I'm not sure how the bluing will affect it's hardness. The blade does seem to have a little give to it, I'm sure all that is factored in ahead of time. The last thing they would want is for the blade to snap in battle. I hope you enjoyed that article - it's brutal, but reassuring to know these young gentleman were prepared for the worst..And, hopefully most were able to return to their homes and families safely. The Kabar is actually a "Mark 2" design & was built by 3 different companies. The term "Kabar" was a generalization given to all 3 versions even though "Ka-bar" was tang stamped on the Union Cutlery Co's version only. The soldiers just started calling all Mark 2 fighting/utility knives Ka-bars & it pretty much stuck - enough so, that Union Cutlery Co changed their name to Ka-bar Cutlery Co. in 1953. The "Mark 2" has a rich history & deserves it's own video. The F&S is pretty much illegal to carry anywhere here in the States - however, perfectly fine to own & keep one in the home. It's a vicious knife for sure. All the best as always my friend!🙏✌️
Thanks for the breakdown of pronunciation Vonclap, I really appreciate all the help I can get!😆 This was one of my favorite videos to do..I really wanted these for my collection. Even though they are reproductions. And very good ones at that. Thanks for watching!✌️
I really enjoyed your video. I'm a proud owner of the USMC Kabar and I just received the FS after waiting for almost a month. I really like it but upon further inspection, I noticed that the point of the blade is not perfectly symmetrical. It's not crooked per se, but it seems to have a very tiny piece of excess metal attached. It almost looks like a tiny pimple on the point. It's also somewhat sharp. Since it tickled my OCD, I was wondering if this is due to the way they manufacture them or if they didn't properly grind the point to remove the excess metal. I was hesitant to purchase one at first due to the mixed reviews regarding their quality control. Does yours have that issue? Much appreciated.
Hi zdan420, (420?😁) Mine didn't have any defects at all. Each one is hand finished, so somebody probably missed your pimple. I would just sharpen or file it off. I had to resharpen my tip because I smashed the point during the "field test" video🤦. it didn't bend, so it's definitely tool steel, but it did blunt the tip enough where I had to resharpen it. Then I got bored & sharpened the blade edges just a little bit. Probably shouldn't have, due to exposing the edges to corrosion. But I figured since I'm always playing with it, I'll be able to keep the edges clean😂✌️
@@Warthogg1 Thank you very much for your response and advice. I will probably just file it off or maybe leave it alone. I can be a stickler at times 😆. I still really love the dagger and it's definitely one sexy and lethal piece of historical weaponry.
“Ka-Bar”’is one of my pet peeves. Camillus was the largest provider of the 1219C2 which was known by different names by the Navy and Marines. Ka-Bar was the number 2 provider. The initial contract was given to Camillus and the first knives to reach the Marines were from Camillus. Camillus retained the contract after WWII While it is true that most of the knives stamped USMC were provided by Ka-Bar during WW II many marines were issued knives marked USN. This is probably why the Marines were asking for a Ka -Bar. A more a appropriate name for the the knife is the Mk 2 fighting and utility knife. There are several differences between the current production Ka-Bar Fighting knife but it is still close to the original WWII issue. BTW, the Case did not make any of the Mk 2 knives in WWII. They submitted a prototype and it was rejected. They were later given a consolation contract for the V-42 as all most other companies were busy making other knives.
Yep Rusty, That is my biggest issue with round handles - hard to index. That's why you'll always hear me say my favorite handles on any knives are flat. Didn't know Spartan has one out!.. I'll look into it just to take a peek. Thanks Buddy! Have a great weekend!🙏✌️
"It wasn`t made to have an edge.."- no, it was meant to be sharpened, as Fairbairn himself spoke about, and in his book and in the old training film, he clearly speaks and demonstrates cutting and slashing techniques.
Thanks for the added info! I'll check into it, I just ordered a re-publication of Fairbairns' 1940 military manual "All In Fighting". I'm sure many in the military did sharpen the edges, but from what I know, these knives were produced & issued with blunt edges. Thanks for watching ✌️
@@Warthogg1 Yes, they were produced unsharpened, but this does not mean that they had to be so in use. For example, in the 19th century in Britain, military swords were also issued unsharpened, it was understood that they would be sharpened later. And, if my memory serves me, in his brochure, Fairbairn himself says "keep your knife sharpened.")
@@Warthogg1 Here is his famous educational film, where he personally talks about the technique of using this knife. In addition to what he says about the use of cutting blows, it becomes clear that his weapon was not intended solely to kill sentries from the back, as is now commonly believed.) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-65oVqhF773Y.html
The pictures in the article that I left a link to, has the British Commando's stealthily approach from the rear, cover their enemy's mouth with their hand & insert the dagger into the neck! ouch! So yes Slick! I stand corrected.
I have a very rare fairbairn made in the 40s with the fight n rooster stamping on it.frank buster bought a small quantity of them and put his fighting rooster trade mark name on them. Making this a very rare knife.
Geez Dane! That thing you have is priceless! Frank Buster's Fight'n Rooster knives are coveted all around the world. To be able to own something is rare is that is mind blowing! Good work there my friend 👍
The ka bar isn't really a fighting knife, its a utility knife that is also competent in the fighting role. The fs was designed with a single purpose in mind, kill the enemy and nothing more. A lot seem to complain about the fs dagger that its easy to break, and that's true if you miss use it, it's designed to stab is all, to kill. All the talk of poor quality reps isn't really accurate, as the originals were little different, they would break if they were misused, there's various subtle variations on the originals and some were very fragile hence why there were many attempts to iron out these issues on top of making them cheaper to manufacture with the 2nd and 3rd pattern variations which did away with the engraving and then the brass handle. They were dropped into occupied France in large numbers regularly too in supply drops for SOE and for the French resistance.
Yeah, many of them sharpens at least 2-3 inch from the tip . Shove a little wads of cotton ball with Vaseline into the tip of the sheath to protect tip .
Thanks Steve, I just purchased a 1970's reproduction of the 1940 military version of the "All In Fighting" manual by W.E Fairbairn to add to this sweet dagger. One day soon I'll do a video skimming through it. It's 1940 hand illustrations are epic. Take Care My Friend ✌️
It was made in England by J. Nowill & Sons which is a pretty reputable Cutlery with 01 tool steel blade & cast aluminum handle. The handle slips over a full spike tang & fastened with a threaded nut pommel. It's solid! I could take on a whole army of Zombies & it wouldn't break..lol www.thesheffieldcutleryshop.co.uk/shop/genuine-j-nowill-sons-fairbairn-sykes-black-commando-knife-sheffield-england-m-o-d-issue/ Damn, They're up to 95 GBP now - I paid 75USD for one shipped to door from a knife dealer here in the states - was his last one.😁
My late father who flew Vultee Vengeances in Burma with the RAF was issued with the Fairbairn Sykes, I still have it, I also have the modern version that is currently issued to British personnel, and believe me the modern issue version is a piece of crap, if I was issued with this modern version I would privately purchase a far better knife.
I agree Steve, The early models made by Wilkinson sword company are the most sought after..hence the high price value. This $75 reboot is a fun knife though, I've used it for a variety of things already & am so glad I purchased it. Just recently I used it to poke holes through a seat cushion so I could lash it to the chair! 😂..piece of cake!
The F and B is probably better for conceal carry. It was designed for carry around the streets of shanghai. But it is no good for utility. KA BAR is bigger and heavier but its better for utility. As a grunt your not likely to get into a knife fight with an enemy. But you can use your KA BAR just to get you buy. The British bayonet is shaped like a KABAR. The blade is set to the side of the handle. So you put the barrel of your rifle through the handle and shoot past the blade. Unfortunately the blade metal is extremely poor quality and very brittle. I think its cast.
I have my grandfather’s WWII FS dagger. He never stabbed anybody with it, but it still has a great backstory, and its very clean. I made a video of it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qQosH3js3fU.html
There were three different versions of the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting knife. As the war progressed the quaility continued to decline and the handle changed in many ways. The knife is still an issue item in British Special Forces but it is seen more as an ornament that a true fighting knife.
I love mine.. But I can't fucking stand the sheath. I'm gonna order a custom kydex sheath for this. I think a useable sheath would make this a thousand times better.
I have both knives and they re not the best.Cold steel Taipan is a better dagger, especially the one in cpm3v.Ontatio 498 feels much better in the hand that Ka-bar.
The FS had 3 different patterns you have the 3rd pattern which was made later in the war 43-44 because the needed large production for the British military the first and second patterns are more handmade knives the first and second have a turned brass handle and they have a 7-10 in blade the first pattern had a different guard and the ones carried in Shanghai by William fairbairn and Eric Sykes had a 5 in blade for better conceivability so know you know this stupid shit
LoL John, I bought it from a dealer who purchased them from Sheffield-Made.com - 100% made at Nowill, 01 tool steel, cast aluminum handle, it's solid. Yes, I hang it on the wall, but it comes off the wall fast if need be. I paid $75 dollars shipped to my door. Catalog prices range from $150-$250. I'd make that deal any day for a sweet reproduction of British history. Thanks for watching
@@Warthogg1 use it, and see what happens! I am ex British army, and i bought one, being from Yorkshire, just outside Sheffield. And it fell to pieces! Not what you need! I also purchased a big stag handled bowie. And that snapped at the handle. And i wzs not the only mug who bought them. Crap!
