-
Legacy Member
Sometimes the handle and cross-piece have markings and perhaps your's does too?
Some of the F/S knife scabbards that I have seen have been in significantly worse condition than the example shown in post 1. It all depends on how much use the knife in question has actually had, I guess. The bluing to the chape to the scabbard, post 1, looks to be in almost perfect condition, so perhaps it's been re-blued, or perhaps the scabbard is not original to the knife?
-
-
07-28-2020 10:20 PM
# ADS
Friends and Sponsors
-
Legacy Member
Unfortunatly I have no history of this knife. There are no other markings besides the acid etched ones shown. Thanks for the input.
-
-
-
Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
King carp
Unfortunatly I have no history of this knife. There are no other markings besides the acid etched ones shown. Thanks for the input.
Ask the seller, if he doesn't know, ask who he got it from? Provenance isn't everything, but it's a lot.
And BTW, notice how polished those leather 'nubs' are where the flaps are sewn on? That is from rubbing against clothing for a long period. The original idea of the sew-on flaps was that the scabbard would be prevented from catching on the blade or guard as the knife was withdrawn, rising up with it and preventing a "clean" withdrawal. In general the scabbard and hangers weren't very well thought out. The flimsy elastic came off, as yours has done and then there was nothing but gravity to keep the knife in the scabbard. A proper rigid throat on the scabbard with a friction retainer would have been a far better idea, as would a pocket down the back of the scabbard for a pistol cleaning rod to stiffen the whole thing and prevent the problem the leather flaps were intended to address. But the rush was on in 1940...
I don't think I'd want to be jumping and rolling around with one of those on my belt held in by nothing but a bit of garter elastic!
Last edited by Surpmil; 07-30-2020 at 09:32 PM.
Reason: Revised
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”
Edward Bernays, 1928
Much changes, much remains the same. 
-
-
Advisory Panel
I think we need some more pics of the scabbard before we can determine if it's real or repro. Need to see the belt slide, see if it's exaggerated by being worn on a belt at all...
-
-
Legacy Member
pics
Here are some pics of the scabbard.
-
-
Advisory Panel
A great aunt of mine lived in Shanghai before the war. I remember I was very impressed as a boy that she knew Capt. Fairbairn! She and her husband went through the internment camps and got back to Canada
, but her husband went back postwar and came to a mysterious end in 1949 as the Reds took over.
The book. Funnily enough the knife gets very little coverage; the Smatchet gets more!
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”
Edward Bernays, 1928
Much changes, much remains the same.
-
Thank You to Surpmil For This Useful Post:
-
Advisory Panel
Yes, pic one shows belt wear. I expect the elastic band was just removed.
-
-
Legacy Member
The stitching on the re-enforcement on the upper back has rotted and let loose. It happened to mine.
-
-
Contributing Member
King Carp,
I would venture it is absolutely authentic, as the Chinese can't stitch like that to save their lives 
if they wanted to make a copy, enjoy it mate, and as I said earlier if the seller has ANY provenance fantastic. Just spoke to a friend in an auction house, he said he had a FBS knife and medals go with a WW2 story for over £3500 grand last year, so stick with it. Wouldn't it be nice if the seller could give you the name of the user who it was issued to.
'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA
-
-
Legacy Member
This knife came in a lot with U.S. items so no story to go with it. It is still nice to know it is an original example. From the article recommended there was a F.S. knife that was issued to the U.S.M.C.That must be a rare version. I will keep an eye out for one of those.
-
PM
