*British, WW2 circa 1943, 3rd Pattern Fairbairn Sykes Commando Dagger, By Wilkinson for India, with its Original Scabbard, (With Mould no 3 and War Mark with I)*
This is A VERY RARE example of the increasingly scarce WW2 3rd Pattern Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife and Scabbard, by Wilkinson, made for India. The crossguard is marked with a war arrow and “I”, knurled brass grip, pommel marked “3” with round steel pommel nut. Blade is unmarked 17cm hand forged blued steel. Comes complete with its original leather scabbard with brass chape.
The ‘I’ below a Broad Arrow on the cross guard is a well-documented mark indicating Indian ownership. In December 1943, Wilkinson received an order for 2,500 knives and were instructed to expedite production by omitting their usual etching panels. The approved knives were to be marked with the Broad Arrow and ‘I’ for Indian Ownership.
The Third pattern, were produced from 1943 to the present. Early blades feature a distinctive ‘v’ grind on the central spine, a thick, hand-ground, and polished blade to fit through the cross guard, displaying a higher level of quality compared to later examples. The 2nd pattern’s chequered knurled handle was replaced by one with 27 concentric rings for better grip. The brass handle material was substituted with a non-strategic alloy, and the cast grips were outsourced to specialized foundries. Four companies; J. Maybry of London, Perry Bar Metal Co of Birmingham, Walsall Die Casting Ltd, and Wolverhampton Die Casting Company, were used and the grips bear their ‘mould number’ for quality control however only Wolverhampton Die Casting Ltd has been linked to the mould number ‘4.’ ONLY wartime grips carry the mould numbers 1, 2, 3, or 4.
The Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife, developed by Fairbairn and Sykes in Shanghai, resembles a dagger with a foil grip. Famous in World War II, it was issued to British Commandos, Airborne Forces, and the SAS. The knife’s acutely tapered, pointed blade is often described as a stiletto optimized for thrusting, but it can also inflict slash cuts when sharpened according to specifications.
*Condition*
The blade is in excellent. The grip shows some signs of wear and tear commensurate with age and service. The leather scabbard is broken at the throat and along the belt slip. As is common its original 4 sewn on leather tabs have been cut back in the period and its original elasticated retaining strap is absent. Please see pictures as these form part of our condition report.
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