Honored with a 20th century legendary blade

**New World Czech** · 2nd May 12, 07:04 PM

We recently had to move my Dad into an assisted living facility. As part of the living agreement no weapons are allowed. Dad remembered he had a knife in his USMC foot locker. Now for some history, Dad was recalled for the Korean War and served as an instructor at San Diego. He remembers the base received about two gross of a British fightng knife to see if it might become regular issue for the Marine Corps. Fast forward I am now the owner of a vintage Fairbairn Sykes Commando Knife. Dad had no idea about the history of this knife and it has been stored for over 50 years in his foot locker.
This would be an interesting dirk.

**Downunder Kilt** · 2nd May 12, 07:27 PM

I believe the dagger was first introduced in 1941 and issued to the Royal Marines, don't know if they had any official connection with any Highland regiments

**Joshua** · 2nd May 12, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by Downunder Kilt

I believe the dagger was first introduced in 1941 and issued to the Royal Marines, don't know if they had any official connection with any Highland regiments

(Slight tangent due to some of my own personal research for a friend upon the passing of his father in 2010, I know you said "Highland Regiments" but I wanted to place context regarding an American Marine having a British fighting knife...)

Prior to the creation of the K-BAR USMC Fighting knife, certain US Marines (especially Raiders) carried and used the Fairbairn-Sykes. Eventually they even had their own USMC, replicas of the style made - as this one, carried by my best friend's father through the volcanic sand of Iwo Jima:

And a little snippet from Wikipedia regarding how this whole thing came about...
"The history of the U.S. Marine Raider Stiletto began at the Commando Training Centre in Achnacarry, Scotland. The stiletto was patterned after the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, which was in use at the centre before the arrival of the Marine Raiders."

The FB is a bit longer, so I'm sure it would suffice better as a Dirk. This particular knife is too long to be a sgian dubh, and too small to be a dirk.

**Downunder Kilt** · 2nd May 12, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by Joshua

(Slight tangent due to some of my own personal research for a friend upon the passing of his father in 2010, I know you said "Highland Regiments" but I wanted to place context regarding an American Marine having a British fighting knife...)

Prior to the creation of the K-BAR USMC Fighting knife, certain US Marines (especially Raiders) carried and used the Fairbairn-Sykes. Eventually they even had their own USMC, replicas of the style made - as this one, carried by my best friend's father through the volcanic sand of Iwo Jima:

And a little snippet from Wikipedia regarding how this whole thing came about...
"The history of the U.S. Marine Raider Stiletto began at the Commando Training Centre in Achnacarry, Scotland. The stiletto was patterned after the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife, which was in use at the centre before the arrival of the Marine Raiders."

The FB is a bit longer, so I'm sure it would suffice better as a Dirk. This particular knife is too long to be a sgian dubh, and too small to be a dirk.

The Marine raider, the OSS stilletto and the Commando all had 7" blades. The OSS and Marine were made of inferior quatlity metals, infact, the metals in the Marine used to disolve themselves in some weird chemical reaction. See http://www.gotavapen.se/gota/artikla...ine_raider.htm for more info and plenty on the original Commando

**English Bloke** · 2nd May 12, 11:18 PM

It is indeed legendary...

**Joshua** · 3rd May 12, 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by English Bloke

It is indeed legendary...

And revered on this side of the pond as well,

**cable scot** · 2nd May 12, 07:36 PM

NWC,
That is awesome,I know this knife and it's history/development.You have something there and it sounds like you know it.
IMHO it would make a fine dirk.

**knotty** · 2nd May 12, 07:46 PM

A fine blade

**Downunder Kilt** · 2nd May 12, 08:03 PM

I think the 7" blade is a bit short for a dirk and I believe that a dagger, being twin bladed, would be out of context as such. You have a fine piece of history there, I would leave it and value it just as it is.

**Dale Seago** · 2nd May 12, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Downunder Kilt

I think the 7" blade is a bit short for a dirk and I believe that a dagger, being twin bladed, would be out of context as such. You have a fine piece of history there, I would leave it and value it just as it is.

I agree with that. And all honor to your father!!

(BTW, my own dad moved into a "retirement community" with my mom a year or so ago in Colorado; actually I'd call it a "retirement resort". He's of the same generation, a survivor of both Saipan and Iwo Jima. I began to follow in his footsteps by enlisting in the Corps; but after that enlistment I fell to the Dark Side and got a commission in the army.)