History Knife & Tool Commando Dagger

'The History Kife & Tool Commando Dagger is a reproduction of the renowned Fairbairn–Sykes Fighting Knife, widely regarded in specialist literature as the ancestor of modern fighting knives. The original F-S was developed by close-combat experts Lieutenant-Colonel William Ewart Fairbairn and Major Eric Anthony Sykes while serving with the Shanghai Municipal Police. After presenting their ideas to Wilkinson Sword Ltd. in Sheffield, the first 50 knives were produced there in 1941. The design was first issued to Allied commandos such as the SOE, SAS and OSS, and during World War II it was increasingly issued to regular forces and later adopted by special units in many countries. Today the F-S remains a symbol on the insignia of numerous paratroop and special operations units.\n\nThe form used here follows the classic 3rd pattern introduced from 1943, for which the UK government finally issued a uniform specification (E/1323E) in 1949; NATO catalogs these knives under supply number 1095 99 963 2037. Key features of this pattern include a narrow, double-edged, medium-pointed blade 18 cm long; an oval but straight guard; the characteristic jimping on an aluminium spindle handle with a through tang; and all parts finished in black. The dark brown leather sheath has a blackened, studded patch plate, a belt loop secured by two studs, a simple yet effective 20 mm rubber strap to retain the handle, and two leather straps for optional sewing onto or into a uniform. The blade is made from tough 420 stainless steel.'