Fairbairn sykes.
Everyone knows about them. Everyone and their brother makes a “tactical” copy. But this is the original “tactical” knife.
Not a powerful lot of them were made, I am given to understand, so to see one at a gun show, even a really good gunshow, is a rarity.
The price, I figure, is probably dead on.And I sure as hell wouldn’t want anyone sticking one of those fuckers in ME.
Back during the 80’s Wilkinson (one of the original makers of the F-S) made a limited run of high-quality replicas, with the first-generation brass handles and etched trademark. Wish I’d bought one back then.
Interestingly, for something that gets referred to as a “fighting knife” they were pretty narrow purpose, and one that could hardly be called “fighting”: The blade length and geometry were allegedly optimized for coming up behind a German sentry in heavy winter gear, covering his mouth & nose and stabbing him up under the brisket and still reaching his ticker.
It was really good for that. For other stuff, not so much.
Yeah, the guy at the show said the 3″ closest to the hilt was just there to get through clothes.
@Tam: The actual target in a sentry assault was the kidney, not the heart. Piercing the kidney resulted in massive hemorrhage of blood as well as shock. The kidneys are conveniently located for a stab from behind, whether the assassin is left- or right-handed.
Your point is going to be made, either way.
That is a seriously cool knife though.
“The kidneys are conveniently located for a stab from behind, whether the assassin is left- or right-handed.”
~~~~* The More You Know!
Robert,
“The actual target in a sentry assault was the kidney, not the heart.”
Well, I knew that’s where you were supposed to stab them, but the Brits drive on the wrong side of the road, and so I figured they might stab sentries in odd places, too.
Besides, I’ve been carrying that nugget around in my head since I bought my first Sheffield-made Sykes-Fairbairn in the Brigade Quartermaster showroom when I was 17. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for a chance to use it in a conversation? :D
roflmao. You know, I always lusted after the Boker V42, because of the ‘Devils Brigade”, but after seeing the Fairbairn Sykes, I can see why it was so feared.