A Tale of Two Fairbairn Sykes Daggers

Perhaps it’s not the knife that is most interesting, but the story it tells. Here are two examples.

[@paddyspotatopeelers2154]

Mate I find these stories very emotional especially as an ex serviceman.preserving their stories when we can is an honour and also our duty when we can.thank you.🙏👍🇬🇧

[@gadgetgus]

Absolutely 💯 brother 🙏 I hope and pray, that one day, 'Paddy Mayne' - my favourite soldier, is issued a posthumous VC for gallantry, as should of been done years ago... I shall visit Newtownards and pay my respects to the big man... ♥️☘

[@zazzyboy8592]

Amazing I only watched this video just to see what these daggers look like close up but stayed for the history. Great storytelling

[@GrumpaLoz]

Very thoughtful upload. The history of these knives really do illustrate the close-up brutality of war. I’m old enough that my uncles went through these times. one uncle was lucky enough to get off that beach -minus a leg because he was stood up at the front as the ramp dropped and everyone crouched behind him didn’t survive. I remember a great-uncle showing me one of these as well as a captured SS dagger and his service revolver as a small child.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

Provenance! Something that is crucial for historical archives. Excellent way to put it. Those who grab a replica or those who seek out an original often do it because of the history of those who use. To have one with an actual history is very special and often very personal.

[@slick_slicers]

Absolutely! A replica of an historical artefact is like a replica gun. It might look like a gun, it might feel like a gun and it might even sound like a gun, but if bullets don’t shoot out of the barrel, its not a gun, its a toy.

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

@@slick_slicers , And I have a few replica firearms and they are indeed wall hangers or glorified toys! But I can legally own and display them. And they can be used as teaching aids. The Army used to use rubber copies of Soviet weapons as training aids all the time. Cheaper and just effective Sometimes you just didn't have 250 Soviet weapons laying about for your OpFor to play with.

[@LegionTacticoolCutlery]

Lots of military history with these knives! These knives started it all!!

[@TheStreamingEnderman]

Reminds me of an Italian Stiletto. Lovely history lesson. Very much enjoyed.

[@paulh9439]

Really interesting to hear more about your relative, I've got my grand dad's machete from his service years, I wish I knew his war stories. Great stuff thanks.

[@zeme0556]

As a boy growing up in the 50’s I loved going to old army and navy surplus stores. On one occasion I found a box of around 29 FS knives in a box. Every one was missing about 1/4” of the tip. I would guess they were used as a tool and the tips snapped off!

[@rhino5419]

Very interesting. I always enjoy hearing the history of a knife. My film reference is the Longest day with John Wayne etc. All the best.

[@tonyrome655]

I enjoyed learning about your grandfather. Thank you for sharing his story. I really love hearing the stories about this great generation of brave men and women. Every soldier had a story to tell, it’s unfortunate that most have been lost to time.

[@slick_slicers]

It’s getting to be too late, but I’ve always encouraged old soldiers/sailors/airmen etc. to write their history whilst they’re still able.

[@stephengarrett8076]

Thank you for the best review and historic information told with the upmost respect and gratitude of the people who served!!!

[@slick_slicers]

As I’ve said elsewhere, these knives are common as cat shit, but the stories behind them are unique. I know the full history behind one, but the other is more enigmatic. I know it was found on a D-Day beach, but who dropped it and what happened to them, we can only guess. One thing is certain though, they were brave enough to disembark from a landing craft knowing they might not even make it on to the beach alive!

[@tuberaider]

Very interesting history behind these knives. The top is likely a third pattern knife. The bottom example looks like it has a second pattern blade, due to the triangular, machined remnant of the ricasso (with possibly a repaired/re-ground tip) and a newer, third pattern handle. It might have an original Wilkinson made blade, by the way, so you should search for a logo at the base of the blade.

[@slick_slicers]

They’re both third pattern. There are many variations as they were made by so many manufacturers. To me, it’s the history that matters, not the steel. Third patterns are common as cat shit, but their stories are unique.

[@sebatianalvarado7171]

i believed that triangular bit at top of blade was stoped at end of and before 3rd isssue .. to make them quicker to pump out .. is any have handle (brass top screw) but handle fine tiny round rises or pimple look with circle top and bottom , FBS handle??... was with dads hitler youth(enscibed blade, r they re 38?.. blud und gultz ? or something like thst on blade on one ) , other plain blade .. couple navy cerimonial daggars, fedor?? , oak leaf scabbard and beatifully fine engraved( chemically etched?) blade , other plain .. now the oak leaves and engraving had to be personally paid for ..couple bayonets, one engraved some armoured devision , and couple fairburn sykes ... was wondering about handle.. been well used and tip beenb roken and rounded ,, as a lot were.. but that one was always there as long as remember those knives , mine now as im 60s .. courious about handle on that FBS is 3rd gen ...

[@nedimzukic627]

Pozz molim vas koristite Google transmiser jer ne znam engleski ja sam iz BOSNIAN AND HERZEGOVINA POSJEDUJEM IDENTIĆAN BODEŽ ORGINAL POSJEDUJE TRI 3 LOGA 2 NE VIDIM DOBRO TREĆU LOGO JE ENGLAND DUGI NIZ GODINA JE U OBITELJI PRODAO BIH GA MOŽETE LI MI REĆI CIJENU OKVIRNU KOLIKO VRIJEDI MOJ BODEŽ ILI VI AKO STE ZAINTEROSOVANI DAO BIH GA ISPO CIJENE HVALA PUNO 🌋 PLEMIĆ 🌋

[@ianrosie4431]

Something to lighten the mood - Dad was lifted from Dunkirk. Mum got the word he was arriving by Train, and on the day got her sunday best on, walked with all the other Wives, Mums, Dads etc.. to the station and lined up to wait. The train duly rolled in. Dad literally fell out, a little (a lot) tired and emotional, one sandshoe on, and a chicken under his arm. Mum, mortified, about turned and began the two mile walk back home. Dad fell in line a suitable distance behind, not a word passing their lips until the door shut. Guess what the celebration dinner was? What surprised me most when I first heard the story, was working out their ages. Mum was 19, Dad, 21. A different time.

[@slick_slicers]

All these stories are just as valuable. They all weave a thread in the tapestry of history.

[@gizmocarr3093]

Remembering history is important so we learn to not making the same mistakes twice. ✨🦉✨

[@richardmcginnis5344]

i bought one last december, a brand new nowell and sons third pattern, its a sweet knife that i sleep with under my left leg in the sheath, or i sleep with the ontario spc3-93 under my left leg or the gerber mk2depending on how i feel, i have slept with the taylor eye witness dagger a lot more than the others because the stacked leather washer handle and brass are age correct for ww2, its sort of my favorite of the 4

[@Roosterdad50]

"Common as cat s**t" LOL!!

[@terrillschneider3778]

Thanks for your carefully said words about a terrible topic and for your Grandfather’s incredible service to your nation Let us pray that peace may prevail

[@slick_slicers]

Some of his stories were amazing, but I hope my son never accrues any like them!

[@gadgetgus]

A great, poignant video Eric 👏👏 Touching on the Shanghai, street-fighting policemen's joint venture... such an iconic design. Moreover, to hear your own families story behind it and indeed the other one, which I thought for a second may be found in Dieppe - the precursor to Normandy. Then you mentioned Normandy anyway. Indeed, where ever they are found or sourced, they all have there own story to tell... My great, great grandfather was Lieutenant-Colonel of the First Gurka Rifles, in India - a story for another time... I'm glad you mentioned the 'Chindits' - unsung hero's, like the Gurka's some of the best ever jungle soldiers, with MG Wingate. Now, that I'm 53, I've just started my family tree, so interested to see what that pops up! Thanks for sharing & hope your well in yourself Eric, All the best, Gus 👍

[@slick_slicers]

It’s always worth collecting this information. History is a story of Kings and Queens, 99% of us never get a look in!

[@bwxbwx6453]

Fantastic story he must of been some man These knives are quite scary I have to admit videos/pictures don't do them justice when you have one in hand you really do get a sense of the brutality of the design i certainly would not want to be on the receiving end of one

[@slick_slicers]

He was. Luckily he was persuaded to commit his career to words before he died.

[@LegionTacticoolCutlery]

Going to share this!!!! Too good!

[@slick_slicers]

Thank you!

[@powerplay4real174]

Most Fairbairn from what I'm told but Skyes did have a hand in thing , plus check out the Applegate Fairbairn Combat Daggers series they are a upgrade of that deadly killing tool & Heart Stopper Dagger 🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️

[@larpingtonboogecke]

Very nice . I've yet to get a ww2 fairbairn. Someday hopefully

[@slick_slicers]

With these the provenance is everything. A modern iteration is a poor knife in so many ways, but the stories they can tell can be truly inspiring.

[@canukdcv905]

Great video. I am a FS collector and even though you’re not wrong about the abundance of FS knives, the WW2 carried examples are not really considered “common”. In every year that passes the kit carried by these brave young men is being lost, overlooked and discarded. We have a duty to them and the sacrifices many made to be whenever possible custodians of their memory.

[@nedimzukic627]

Molim vas koristite Google transmiser jer ne znam engleski posjedujem F-S Bodež Orginal ima ugravirano na unutrašnosti tri riječi ne vidim dobro prve 2 ne vidi a treća riječ je ENGLAND ja sam iz BOSNIAN AND HERZEGOVINA molim vas koja je cijena Bodeža kojeg posjedujem okvirno ja ne znam ni pribžno AKO MOŽETE ODGOVORITE MOLIM VAS HVALA HVALA

[@han57]

​@@nedimzukic627 oko 100-200 €

[@powerplay4real174]

I own a few replica Fairbairn Sykes Daggers 🗡️ and would like a more accurate replica but they can get a bit costly 🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️⚔️🗡️🗡️

[@loodaye3961]

i found the 1976 nato one for 12 dollars at a thrift store!

[@slick_slicers]

A bargain!

[@jerseyknifeguy6382]

You can use them for a bayonet too!!!!! Reach out there and touch someone!!!! Lol 😂

[@slick_slicers]

A plug bayonet?

[@ObsidianFrog]

Whenever I see a video of these FS knives, I'm always reminded of my gross stupidity in the early 90's. I was at a Steam Engine rally in Suffolk and one of the stalls was selling a vintage FS, I think it was Wilkinson inscribed on the roccasso . But the blade had been snapped in half and l thought it a bit of scrap and didn't buy it........he was asking the grand sum of £8.50....

[@vitapita3555]

если бы этот блогер убрал свои кривые руки с кадра, а ещё помолчал бы, видео было бы идеальное!