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Fairbairn Sykes Commando Knives

culdee

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
<span style="color: #FF0000">Added a bunch of new stuff today november 16th. </span>I just happened to think that many of you might enjoy visiting my website dedicated to British Commando knives. It is growing all the time and provides a lot of information on one of my favorite fighting knives. I have been collecting F/S knives for over 40 years now. http://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/
 
Re: Fairbairn Sykes Commando Knives

Nice site you should include info on the fighting style used. Were they employed in a traditional fencing style like this for example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnI0WMApB1Y ? I have a Fox Bellum which is a lot like the Commando knives and is well suited to being held in a fencing style grip. It does seem like only the Italian have continued the western blade arts to the present day. Some of the techniques can be extremely effective against an untrained opponent.
 
Re: Fairbairn Sykes Commando Knives

Thanks Tom, That you tube style is probably similar. There is actually a video of Fairbairn teaching a school (in Cyprus I think) but the sound is dubbed over in German. You can find a link to the DVD on our contacts page. I like your idea though and will write up something about the techniques. I teach knife defense/offense but it is an eclectic mix of eastern and western schools.
 
Re: Fairbairn Sykes Commando Knives

Sorry I have been MIA from my own thread. I don't know, the knife leaves me kind of cold. Maybe its the lexan/plastic handle. I own one by Bill Harsey and its very sharp and well made. Partly they are too light and lack a sense of mass that a good fighting knife has. I think they should have kept the longer blade of the original FS knife. The wider blade does cut better because the blade angles are flatter and the handle being oval does not roll in your hand. So it all boils down to personal preference. I prefer a good second pattern or a heavy blade WW-II era 3rd pattern.
 
Re: Fairbairn Sykes Commando Knives

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dwd</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sorry I have been MIA from my own thread. I don't know, the knife leaves me kind of cold. Maybe its the lexan/plastic handle. I own one by Bill Harsey and its very sharp and well made. Partly they are too light and lack a sense of mass that a good fighting knife has. I think they should have kept the longer blade of the original FS knife. The wider blade does cut better because the blade angles are flatter and the handle being oval does not roll in your hand. So it all boils down to personal preference. I prefer a good second pattern or a heavy blade WW-II era 3rd pattern. </div></div>

Bill is a friend of mine and if you have one of his FS knives it is indeed a quality piece of work IMO, hang onto that knife, I haven't seen too many around these days.. If you
prefer a knife with more mass I would point you to George knives FS model. George is another one of those guys that builds really nice stuff that can withstand the types of things knuckle draggers such as myself subject knives to.
 
Re: Fairbairn Sykes Commando Knives

What would you consider to be currently the best combat killing knife (not utility or survival)?

If I remember rightly a criticism of the Fairbairn Sykes Knife was that the tip was liable to snapping.
 
Re: Fairbairn Sykes Commando Knives

the one that works for the person using it. There are so many knives and knife makers out there these days that I don't think you can narrow it down to one knife or knife maker.

I would offer that the FS was a specifically purpose designed knife and using it for anything other than its intended use would and or could damage the tip.