Welcome!
This site is dedicated primarily to exploring the history of the iconic Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife (commonly known as the British Commando knife), the many variants of that weapon, and the brave men and women who trained with it, carried it, and whose valor made it famous.
Ben Carroll of Canada if you see this please contact me!
Under the header "AGENT'S DAGGERS" I have started a new page on Shanghai Daggers. Check out the latest story!
BOOK REVIEWS!
I received David Decker’s Clandestine Knives of World War II today and took the afternoon to read it. It was well worth the time. As David notes in the book there is very little information about the various OSS, SOE, Commando, SAS, LRDG, et. al. escape and close combat knives, and much of what there is, is contradictory. David does a good job of discussing the myth versus the reality and illustrating the vast array of knives that fall into that category. Because of the wide array of these types of knives it would be difficult to ever assemble a definitive book on them; however, David has come as close as I can imagine anyone coming. The information is fascinating, the photos are excellent, and writing is gripping. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in World War clandestine weapons. Leroy Thompson
Another review. Hi David,
Received your book this evening. Can’t thank you enough. Especially the dedication. Made my day! It’s so well done. Pics are wonderful ; layout is self explanatory. Your Daughter did a really good job. I had no idea you were so far along. with the Covert thing, etc. Hope you have great sales. I think your follow up books look like best sellers too. Every knife collector will need a copy. KF
Received your book this evening. Can’t thank you enough. Especially the dedication. Made my day! It’s so well done. Pics are wonderful ; layout is self explanatory. Your Daughter did a really good job. I had no idea you were so far along. with the Covert thing, etc. Hope you have great sales. I think your follow up books look like best sellers too. Every knife collector will need a copy. KF
Dave
I was expecting pretty pictures with some concise descriptions. What I got were spectacular pictures, extensive descriptive text. contextual history, and information about the users. M.W.
I was expecting pretty pictures with some concise descriptions. What I got were spectacular pictures, extensive descriptive text. contextual history, and information about the users. M.W.
MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT!
I have posted more info on my Clandestine Knives book in the blog. The proof copy came and I approved it. Now I am waiting to hear the books are printed. Only 50 copies to begin with so if you want one don't wait too long. I had to raise the price a few dollars due to unexpected printing and "Assembly" fees. The quality of the images is spectacular! The colors are perfect and the images are in some cases life size or larger. You will not find another book of this quality anywhere on these rare knives. I can say, with all humility, I am very proud of this book and grateful for my daughter's help in making it so artistic. It is 167 pages 8x11, full color, $55 shipped in the USA. Outside the US, shipping will be billed at actual costs (approx $30).
I have posted more info on my Clandestine Knives book in the blog. The proof copy came and I approved it. Now I am waiting to hear the books are printed. Only 50 copies to begin with so if you want one don't wait too long. I had to raise the price a few dollars due to unexpected printing and "Assembly" fees. The quality of the images is spectacular! The colors are perfect and the images are in some cases life size or larger. You will not find another book of this quality anywhere on these rare knives. I can say, with all humility, I am very proud of this book and grateful for my daughter's help in making it so artistic. It is 167 pages 8x11, full color, $55 shipped in the USA. Outside the US, shipping will be billed at actual costs (approx $30).
UPDATE
On 8/11/2022 I drove the 90 miles to Rochester, NY and picked up the books. The printers did a great job! The first 4 have been mailed out, and more will go out tomorrow. Unfortunately I had the Post Office check mailing costs for three different countries and they were all just a few pennies short of $30. So I do not want to turn away sales overseas, but please be aware I cannot do anything about the high cost of shipping.
On 8/11/2022 I drove the 90 miles to Rochester, NY and picked up the books. The printers did a great job! The first 4 have been mailed out, and more will go out tomorrow. Unfortunately I had the Post Office check mailing costs for three different countries and they were all just a few pennies short of $30. So I do not want to turn away sales overseas, but please be aware I cannot do anything about the high cost of shipping.
Check out my blog for more photos of Oliver Campbell's works of Art. So many great artists have made their way to our website it is rewarding to see the genre' flourish. Oliver's latest knife, shown below. Oliver says: "I decided to deviate slightly from the original specs and made the handle and guard larger and more robust. It's loosely based on a 3'' guard with a ribbed handle. This was the first piece that hasn't been commissioned, so for once I got to choose the parts and finishes." This knife is currently for sale. Contact him direct at this email for more details. okcampbell@gmail.com
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Ollie's latest work, exhibiting a clear association with the OSS and SOE type "toys."
Below: Here is a photo of an instructor's set handmade by Travis Evans Knives of Melbourne, Australia. Yes you have seen other work by Travis here under Custom knives when he made me a gorgeous X-dagger with matching thumb dagger. Travis also made me the lovely push dagger featured further below. His work is detailed, accurate and of the highest quality. Incredible work from the knife making lad Down Under. (Photo of the Evans X-dagger near the bottom of this page.)
Well, I have teased everyone way too long about this kit. I had some very expensive and unexpected bills arise and I have not acquired this kit, yet. Travis is one very skilled craftsman who does things right or not at all. I am proud to own those pieces of his that I do.
Ben Carroll if you see this please email me. I have been trying to contact you.
CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO GO TO MY KNIFE SALES. NOTE: It is increasingly difficult to ship double edged knives to many foreign countries. Check your laws before you ask about buying one to prevent unhappy situations. My Post Office is very strict about respecting the weapons laws of other countries.
Below: CHECK THE CUSTOM MAKERS PAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS!!! Here is a handmade Third Pattern from HDG, Hamilton Dagger Glasgow. They are making 1st, 2nd, and 3rd pattern daggers as well as Fatmen, Beaded and Ribbed, and Australian Army Stiletto. I have put in my order for an AAS because I like the unusual look of the hilt and the dimensions of the blade. Third pattern knives are much maligned for the shoddy quality of commercial offerings. A well made one like this, with a beefy blade and a proper guard and hilt, is a totally new animal and a truly credible Commando Knife. contact them at https://www.h-d-g.co.uk/
Below: Well folks, I was going to shrink this photo down but I decided to let you see the quality of workmanship up close.
.Just click the button to go to my Blog.
My Philosophy: I realize that despite my best efforts I may not get everything right here the first time. That is why there is a contact page for your input and questions. My website is a continual work in progress, a journey in search of truth through the dim pages of a World War long past and fading history.
NEW HDG IMAGES!
Below: A couple more photos of an HDG First Pattern knife. With prices of original First Pattern knives ranging from $2,500 to $6,000 they are out of the reach of the everyday collector. This is presuming you can even find one for sale. The line of customers waiting for originals is extremely long. If you want to experience the heft and mytery of holding and owning a P-1 (and are not endowed with a fortune) consider a recreation of one from a short list of two or three makers. In all honesty I have not seen any that exceed the quality of this one.
Note: I have frequent requests from visitors to give an appraisal of the value of their Commando knives. I do appreciate the interest and questions but I can only give you approximate values because there are so many variables, such as condition, model, maker, etc. So please feel free to ask me but I apologize in advance for not being able to give you exact values. Also, you may see knives like yours on an online auction site listed at much higher values than I quote. The question you must ask yourself is, are they selling them for those inflated prices? Many of these same knives have been on auction for several months or years with out selling. How do I know? Because I track them almost daily looking for knives to buy. If they weren't so overpriced I would have already bought them.
Yes I am always interested in buying and adding new knives to our collection, so you are welcome to contact me using the form on the bottom of the "contact us" page for that purpose or to just say hello. I will do my best to make you a fair offer although sometimes you must understand my cash flow is limited. I am also open to trading a modern fighting knife for your F-S knife. I have some very exotic and classic fighting knives in my other collection. Before you ask, I generally do NOT trade or sell any of my F-S or miniature knives. 
Above: Not every discovery has to be a magnificent specimen for it to become part of a collection. I got this knife from ebay for $268 and with a little cleaning it will make a nice addition to the variants I own. Based on the blade, brass guard and the top nut I believe this was originally a wood handled knife. The wood is prone to shrinking and splitting near the guard. Or, maybe the owner just wanted something different. I don't know what the story behind it I am just saying you don't have to spend a million bucks to get started collecting. Sometimes the really unusual knives are the ones you can get the cheapest by looking around and taking a chance.
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SO WHATS NEW?
As I add new photos, information, or acquire new knives I'll tell you about it right here first. The other day I got an invoice for an item and I could not remember what I had ordered. Now I know I am getting old but I usually remember when I order a knife. It just so happened I ordered this one on a backorder status. It also happens that the maker's products are so in demand that it took a long time to fill my order. The spike is from Havocworks owned by Channing Watson. I bought an HN9 with black handle. It came with a very nice kydex sheath. The knife is fairly sharp but the tip is like a needle. The grind is such that the tip is quite strong despite the taper. If you like it, I suggest you get one on order because they go fast. Pre-Order – HavocWorks By the way Channings dagger is illustrated in my new book on cclandestine knives under the new maker section.
Below: Steel hilted dagger of the F-S family but not a factory piece. I am not sure what to make of this piece. It is very well made but apparently not from a bayonet. If anyone has a clue as to the numbers let me know. The other side is stqamped WSC.
Below: Here is a strange version of what might qualify as an X-dagger. More about this knife on the page for X-Daggers. It is not the handsomest of the genre, but it is a serious fighting knife. It came in a very interesting and heavily worn sheath.
Below: A genuine WW-II Whitingslowe Australian Army Stiletto. The hilt has some shrinkage issues but is solid. The sheath appears to have provided a snack for a rodent. I am particularly fond of the heavy blade of the Australian dagger with its very thick ricasso and greater length than the British Commando dagger. In all of my years of collecting this is only the second one I have had the opportunity to buy. So.. despite the damage to the hilt, I bought it anyway. You can't always find mint specimens of any WW-II knives. Buy what you can now, and you can always upgrade if something better comes along.
A new and beautiful recreation of an X-Dagger made by my friend Travis Evans in Australia. Yup I bought the set! Great work as usual from Travis. Travis borrowed the handle idea from an original third pattern I own with this type of cord wrapping. This dagger is made from a file not a bayonet. It is one sweet X-dagger and the thumb dagger is potentially lethal too.
Below: Here is a knife that was made by Paul MacDonald of Edinburgh, Scotland. He made this in response to the outlandish comments on some forums that it was impossible to make a fighting knife from a Lee- Metford bayonet. The thumb dagger is made from the tip, just as they were during the war. I am very pleased to come into possession of this knife from a friend I met through this website. Thank you Henk! Paul is also making for sale very close copies of the original Shanghai daggers. Contact him if you are interested at MacDonald Armouries in Edinburgh, Scotland. Photos below
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Push dagger by Travis Evan: travtek88@hotmail.com
From these raw materials came the above dagger. It takes great skill and an ability to conceptualize, creating form from formlessness to produce such work. Thanks Travis for the beautiful work.
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Paul MacDonald Shanghai Daggers. As close as you can get to an original short of paying tens of thousands of dollars. Very Nice work Paul.
Below: I am always looking for bayonet conversions like these or those on the left side of the page. I think these below were made by Phoenix Iron Works (PIW) during WW-II.
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WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO VIEW MY F-S WEBSITE?
DO NOT forget to click on the Main Headers i.e WW-II Commando knives, as well as the sub-headers i.e Second Pattern, and even more details under the individual categories i.e. Nickel plated, as these pop out to the right. Otherwise you will miss a lot of information and photos.
All images and written materials on this site are copyrighted as are the images in the banner at the top of the page which are courtesy of the Imperial War Museum. Materials on this website are (C) copyrighted 2013. As a courtesy, please contact us for permission to use them, as we have asked permission ourselves to use many of the photographs which are the personal property of the veterans or their heirs. Please do not ask, we do not provide exact measurements of the rarer original WW-II knives to prevent people making counterfeits of the models in our possession. That is why you do not find detailed descriptions with specific measurements.
Dear Visitors the old counter disappeared after recording over 140,000 visitors, and getting lots of great communications from all of you. We are starting out with a new counter on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23rd, 2017. Wow you folks are great. We are NOW OVER 270,000 visits total!
