The White Shadow Dojo is a Martial Arts school run by Gwynne and David in western New York. This blog features information on our book "The Rhythm of One", our class offerings, a calendar of events, an edged weapons forum, articles on knife design, and a community space for the research and dissemination of Martial Arts. "Sometimes irreverant, often opinionated, always brutally honest."

Saturday, December 05, 2015

Friday, December 04, 2015

"Most Gun Owners Are White"

Before I get into my comments, I want to offer a prayer for the dead, wounded and surviving relatives of the people caught up in the San Bernardino terrorist attack. God Bless America, Ann Coulter, our Armed Forces, and may ISIS rot in Hell.

A big news headline says "Most Gun Owners are White." This is implying that we are the problem with mass shootings and gun violence. Sorry you teary-eyed liberals it just ain't so. To begin with it ought to say we are the largest group of people who "LAWFULLY" own guns. I have copied Ann Coulter's article here that better describes the reality of mass-shootings so read on and use your brain for once instead of blindly following the Leftist media. I know its asking a lot of Left wingers to read this much when a totally fallacious headline could suffice for their sum of knowledge on the topic.


Written By: Ann Coulter
The San Bernardino shooting has just happened and the shooters are unknown, but in response to Robert Dear Jr.’s murder of three people at a Colorado Springs shopping mall last week, The New York Times exulted:

“Even as politicians and those in Congress pump up public fears at the supposed threat of refugees fleeing Syria, every day in America people — mostly white men — are walking into movie theaters, restaurants, churches, grade schools and health care centers armed to the teeth, determined to take as many people out as they can.”

Mostly white men???

I know it didn’t happen here, but is the Times really going to ignore the murder of 130 people in Paris two weeks ago?

Here at home, an Oregon Community College was shot up in October — by a mixed-race, half-black immigrant, Chris Harper-Mercer. Nine people were killed. It’s hard to remember every sensational crime, but that was just two months ago.

Last year, another mixed-race immigrant, Elliot Rodger, committed mass murder at a sunny college campus in Santa Barbara, killing twice as many people as Robert Dear did — in half the time! That seemed like a pretty big story to me, but the media passed over it pretty quickly. The Times has airbrushed it from history.

In 2013, two Chechen immigrants — also allegedly fleeing persecution — blew up the Boston Marathon.

In 2012, Haitian immigrant Kesler Dufrene murdered as many people in Miami as Robert Dear did in Colorado Springs. One of Dufrene’s victims was a 15-year-old girl. Dufrene had already been convicted of a felony in the United States, so he should have been deported, but our “Deporter in Chief” Obama had blocked his return to Haiti. As the murdered girl’s mother said, “Because of immigration, my daughter is not alive.”

Have you ever heard of Dufrene? I don’t think his murders got as much press as the “Planned Parenthood” shooting.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Jared Loughner. But have you ever heard of Eduardo Sencion?

In 2011, nine months after Loughner’s shooting spree in Tucson, Arizona, Sencion, a Mexican immigrant, shot up a Carson City, Nevada, IHOP, killing four Americans, including three National Guardsmen and a 67-year old woman.

Eduardo was a Mexican immigrant. The Times ran two stories on his mass murder — on Pages 17 and 18. By contrast, Loughner’s shooting got dozens of write-ups in the Times, including at least three front-page articles, three editorials and 10 op-eds.

The media are tickled pink whenever they have a white perpetrator because it happens so rarely in a country that is majority white.

In 2009 — the same year that model second-generation immigrant Nidal Malik Hasan murdered 13 soldiers at Fort Hood — model first-generation Vietnamese immigrant Jiverly Wong shot and killed 13 people in Binghamton, New York, because he was upset that people disrespected his English skills.

Who holds the record for the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history, you ask? That would be Korean immigrant, Seung-Hui Cho, with 32 murders in a matter of hours at Virginia Tech in 2007.

The Times cheered anti-gun advocate Carolyn McCarthy’s election to Congress, but today, the paper seems to have forgotten the event that propelled her there: the 1993 Long Island Railroad massacre that left six passengers dead, including McCarthy’s husband.

That mass shooting was committed by a Jamaican immigrant, Colin Ferguson.

It hasn’t even been a week, and the Times has already run more than a dozen articles on the shooting at a Colorado Springs shopping mall. Hey — everybody remember the wall-to-wall coverage of the mass shooting at a Salt Lake City shopping mall in 2007? Five people were killed.

Here’s a clue: Two days after the attack, the Times ran an article titled, “Anti-Bosnian Backlash Is Feared in Utah.” (The killer: Bosnian immigrant Sulejman Talovic.)

After Mexican immigrant Salvador Tapia slaughtered six employees at the Windy City Core Supply warehouse in Chicago in 2003, the Times plastered the story all over — one article on Page 14 of the late edition. The Washington Post also ran one.

The media use their own lack of coverage as proof that mass murder by non-whites almost never happens. It’s exactly what they’re doing to Donald Trump over his claim that a lot of Muslims celebrated the 9/11 attack.

At the time, normal people were enraged that the media refused to cover the Muslim reaction to 9/11, all while lavishing endless column inches on a non-existent “backlash” against Muslims.

But now these journalist-referees turn around and insist that the only acceptable proof that Muslims cheered the 9/11 attack is the existence of the very media coverage that they obstinately refused to provide.

There’s a reason most people trust their own recollections over media reports.

After 20 years of nearly non-stop mass murder by non-white immigrants in a country that is still majority white, our media have the audacity to claim that tens of thousands of Syrian Muslims are less dangerous than the most pacific human beings in world history: 21st-century white American men.

 

Click here to read more stories!

Until next time!

~National Tea Party Alert

 

Friday, November 27, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my readers. I will try to keep this updated more frequently in the coming year. There are lots of new knives to talk about and also progress on my FS knives book. I am still hoping some publisher will take pity on me and pick up my manuscript. It is over 300 pages long now with some very rare insights into the history of the FS knife and photos of knives never before published, anywhere. Have a great weekend and be thankful for the gifts of freedom we have here in America.

 

Saturday, November 21, 2015

When is a Fake, not a Fake?

“A Fairbairn Sykes reproduction Commando Knife dagger high carbon steel blade. A NEWLY  MADE  STEEL MADE ANTIQUE REPRODUCTION DAGGER WITH TANT LEATHER SHEATH  HIGH CARBON STEEL BLADE UNSHARP.” This is how one Ebay® seller lists his commando knives. Despite the slight confusion over certain words (due to translation issues). After reading that description, if you still bought one of these knives thinking it was a genuine WW-II Wilkinson Sword knife you are a complete MORON!  Yet, several people have been blowing horns and sounding alarms, calling these knives fakes and counterfeits, sending out warnings so that collectors will not be deceived. REALLY!  If you are this easily deceived I have a bridge to sell you.
 
 
I, on the other-hand, own the largest collection of fake commando knives in the world, according to some sources. One of those “fakes” is this newly acquired Agent’s dagger. While for sale on Ebay it was maligned by the experts as a fake. Unfortunately for them, there is a known provenance. It came from a reputable source, in fact one of the foremost authors on the subject of commando knives. He purchased it over thirty years ago in England from the original SOE agent who carried it in WW-II. Defining what qualifies as a “Fake” is often not as simple as it seems.
 
 
So, getting back to the “Fairbairn Sykes reproduction Commando Knife,” They are not fakes, they are very nice reproductions. I have talked with Mukesh, the owner of the company Antiqueweaponary.” Mukesh tells me he employs ten or so workers making reproductions of many objects. He has been in business for over ten years, these knives being only one of many products they make. I bought two commando knives from him,” a 2nd pattern and a 3rd pattern. They are both well made and noticeably larger than a standard FS, maybe by 5-10 percent. They are of a quality equal to those made by most of the British firms today. The blades are not sharpened (although the maker says they are properly tempered). They are slightly larger in size than the original models and have a lovely, distinctive Indian flair about them. The prices are extremely reasonable and delivery is quite fast considering they are coming all the way from India. I do not hesitate to recommend these knives to anyone looking for a nice reproduction F-S for display or reenactment purposes. Before I would recommend one for combat I would have to investigate further into the heat treat and probably test one to failure. If anyone wants me to go that far send me money for a replacement, because I like mine too much to destroy it.
 
 
If you can find a nicer FS reproduction for under a hundred dollars, GO FOR IT!

Sunday, November 08, 2015

Friday, October 30, 2015

more knives for sale.

I have listed more knives for sale on my web site. at this link. http://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/fighting-knives-for-sale.html

Please check them out and I will be adding even more but in a week since I am back on the road for work again. I want to thank everyone who has purchased knives from me and helped me pay for the mini-agents daggers. You can see a photo of them on my home page. Thank you one and all!

http://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/

Saturday, October 17, 2015

First Group of sale knives


First of many knives I will be selling on here and my Fairbairn website. All prices include shipping in the continental US, AK and HI. Canada and overseas sales require additional postage. Shipping quoted upon request. 
 
1.       REDUCED PRICE: Wharncliff knife made by Adam, a young man on the USN forums. I cannot remember his last name.  It has never been carried or used. BOS heat treat and sharp! Nice pancake style, heavy leather sheath by “Lifter Leather.” Handle is pretty figured birdseye wood with mosaic pins. Price is $100.00

2.     Randy Doucet Karambit; as new in mint condition with nice kydex sheath. It has low profile carbon fiber handles with two stainless steel pins. Price $250.00

3.       Neat little knife by Newt Livesay with kydex sheath and ivory Micarta handles. Holllow ground blade has some scuff marks from the kydex. Comes with lanyard and skull bead.  Price $80.00

4.       Brock neck knife. Very sharp chisel ground blade with hollow grind and ready to go. Nice kydex sheath for upside down carry. As new condition. Para cord wrapped handle. Price $125.00

5.       Brent Sandow custom fighting knife made in New Zealand. Micarta handles and calguard blackened blade with integral guard. Blade is hollow ground from heavy stock and well sharpened. Features a long sharpened clip and back edge. Great utility/fighting knife from a member of the New Zealand knife guild. Comes with a nicely made, heavy leather sheath with belt loop.  Price $175.00

6.   THIS KNIFE IS SOLD    I do not remember who made this neat, light weight fighting knife. The blade is quite thin but has no flex to it. It has wonderful lines and sweeping integral guard. The handle slabs are ebony with small pins. The low profile sheath uses a magnet for retention which works very well. It has a belt/boot clip on the back side.  I know I paid a lot more for it but. Price $75.00

10. An original WW-II Fairbairn Sykes in very good condition with nearly 100% blade finish and copper handle flashing. Someone had painted the handle gold at one time. This knife came out of Canada. It has an original WW-II era M8-A bayonet sheath which was a common exchange since it is more rugged than the original sheaths were. Nice tight knife, full length blade, basically unmessed with. Price: $175.00







Monday, September 28, 2015

Knife Sale Coming!

Major knife sale coming: In order to pay off a big indiscretion on my part I am going to be having a VERY BIG knife sale on the sale page of my website. As soon as I get photos I will be listing them first come first served. All fighting or self-defense knives of various styles and sizes. So stand by! Everything from karambits to Bowies. All of the proceeds will go towards a small collection of FS knives I am buying. Remember, Christmas is coming make sure you get one thing besides a neck tie : ) You will find them here in a couple days.

http://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/fighting-knives-for-sale.html

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Looking for Publisher

I am looking for a publisher for my book on Fairbairn Sykes Fighting Knives. If you have an idea email me at ghdave2@hotmail.com
 

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Its Only A Word

There is a word that has been bothering me lately, A LOT.

We are cruising at 35,000 feet above Cleveland headed east to a small regional airport in NY. As I look out the cabin window at the lights of the sleeping city below I am suddenly terrified by what I see. Like a tsunami of darkness a wave sweeps across the land snuffing out the lights and lives below. Our plane lurches, the engines go dead and we begin an uncontrolled descent to the earth.

Suddenly over the intercom the pilot says to the attendants; "Please prepare the cabin for our final descent." I realize I was dreaming and the irony of the pilot's words signaling a "final" descent echo in my ears.

There is a certain terrible inevitability overtaking this nation. It began with the election of our first president of color and may end with him as well. There is  the inevitability of our being led to the fires of hell, fires fueled by the hatred of this man for our nation and others like him, the Mullahs of Iran and the moron running North Korea. There is the inevitability of a congress who bows to the emperor and shuns the people who elected them.

There is an inevitability in the push to elect a woman so corrupt and dripping with scandal that she could make John the Baptist's head roll. We are faced with a travelling circus of potential nominees facing out from amphitheaters of salivating reporters and lurid pollsters. No one talks about the real issues. No one points out that in the last seven years we have been disenfranchised from all of our old allies and neatly packaged and placed into the hands of terrorists, communists, socialists, democrats and dictators. Maybe that was the wave of darkness in my dream. There is an inevitability that we will once again face the threat of nuclear extinction. God forbid, but somehow he was elected, the source of our demise, twice.

Saturday, September 05, 2015

Vortex Optics


They say you only get one chance to make a “First Impression.” Well a month ago I decided to order a scope from Vortex Optics. This is my third order since I previously ordered 2 scopes for a pair of Remington .260s through a 3rd party. This was my first time dealing direct. Experts say you should spend as much on your scope as on your rifle. I have never spent as much money on a rifle as I did on this scope! What prompted me to do so was a conversation I had on the phone with their representative. First impression, friendly staff. Second impression, knowledgeable and helpful staff. I asked about the ability of my other Vortex to withstand the recoil of my new 338 Lapua Magnum. He said even their cheapest scope would take the recoil but if I wanted to reach out to1500 yards I needed a scope with more movement in the crosshairs. So I ordered a 5x20 50mm Razor with a Horus style MOA reticle and MOA knobs. It has a large 35 mm body so I also ordered my rings right from Vortex.

When the scope arrived I had a second chance at a first impression. The packaging is impressive. You sense that you are buying a quality product just by the beautiful way the scope is boxed. You almost think to yourself it’s a shame to put the scope on the rifle and stick the box away in a closet. The scope came with flip-up lens covers and a sun shade. Included are manuals, and a lens cleaner. I’ll let the photos speak for the aesthetics of the scope. It looks every bit as nice as those in the $4-5,000 range. My next chance for a first impression will be once I have it on my gun. Once I do I’ll do another blog to let you know how it all works out. Stay tuned for the next review. Did I mention they sent me a nice quality T-Shirt? The scope, and mounts are all American Made.
 

 

Sunday, August 09, 2015

A WW-II Barong

This wonderfully preserved “Brush Knife” belonged to PFC. Wm. M. Mears, 19135664. He was stationed with the Headquarters Battalion, DIVARTY. He was born in 1919 and enlisted at age 23 in 1942. With a recorded three years of college he was probably better educated than many of the men his age. Most likely that education landed him his position with the JAG (Judge Advocate General) Department. The 1st Armored Division Artillery (DIVARTY) is the divisional artillery command for the 1st Armored Division normally stationed at Fort Bliss. The DIVARTY served with the division in World War II.

 
One of the most exciting parts of this purchase was the shipping container. Suffering a few splits, occurring over the last 70 years, the bamboo that was used as a shipping tube has held up quite well. The knife has been well cared for and there is no rust on the hand forged blade. The buffalo horn handle is iron mounted and has a full length tang which is peened over on the butt cap. It remains tight and without and cracks. The bamboo tube contained the knife housed in its rather crude wooden scabbard. The scabbard has several cracks, either from age or shrinkage. The outside of thte bamboo was wrapped with a parchment type paper and still has military inspection marks, the shipping and return address. The labeling is rife with valuable information. Mear’s  APO 25 address places him somewhere in the Phillipine Islands, which certainly provided him with the opportunity to buy this fine brush knife, better known as a barong. It would be more dramatic to envision Wm. Mears hacking his way through the jungle, tracking down Japanese soldiers, but being assigned to JAG he probably spent most of his life behind a desk.


Back in 1970 while in route to the island of Diego Garcia we made a refueling stop at Clark Air Force base in the Filipines. Imagine the Commanding Officers comments when we re-boarded and I had led a buying spree wherein we cleaned out the local bolo knife maker. The CO was a good sport and did not make us take them back.


Saturday, July 25, 2015

Where in God's Mercy or Man's Insanity is this Okay?

Just when I thought life could not get any more hideous or cruel, having seen ISIS burning men alive, cutting throats, drownings and beheadings, cutting little children asunder, raping women and small girls: we have Planned Parenthood. What a nice, wholesome sounding name, not like ISIS. I cannot imagine anything more macabre than aborting living fetuses and cutting off pieces for sale to the highest bidder. I do not want to even think of how this could be topped by the liberal progressives but wait... they will find a way. 

Anyone with a shred of humanity would cry out to stop it. BUT. The leftist newspapers defend it, the DOJ is going to prosecute the people who blew the whistle on it, and the president vows to veto any legislation that might defund Planned Parenthood. It makes me want to vomit. How low the great have fallen. Nero is his greatest debauchery, Caligula in his most outrageous fits of insanity could not out-do Planned Parenthood.
 

What do People Want?

What do most people want? To be left alone, to lead their lives unimpeded by nosey bureaucrats and threatening tyrants.  If you scratch the surface of a "patriot," what do you find underneath? A person who just wants to be left alone. "But we cannot have that says the government. If the people are not ruled and regulated surely they will go astray. Therefore we must tax the shit out of them and use that money to control their lives. If we leave them too much of their hard earned income they might squander it so we will take more for their own good. We have hundreds of thousands of laws on the books and even more regulations but they are still not doing what we want. They are still following their own destinies and that must stop, for the greater good, IT MUST STOP!"

The people on Ruby Ridge, the people in Waco Texas, all they wanted was to be left alone. "BUT how do we know what they are doing," worries the government. They might be fomenting rebellion, they might be cooking up mischief, or maybe just trying to live their own lives. What drives some people to demand total subjugation of the people who elected them? What insanity eats away at the minds of politicians who cannot get enough power, enough control? What moral vacuity within the body politic has scrubbed their useless bodies free of heart and soul.

I have been warned that my posts paint a target on my back. I've been told the nail that sticks up gets hammered down. A very long time ago, back when I was a teenager, I was told that the truth would set you free. Was that a lie? Are we destined as a "FREE" people to hide from our oppressors? Are we supposed to turn our heads when the domestic terrorists are the ones who threaten us daily with new laws, new regulations, burden us with new taxes, lie to us to get elected, send our young men off to die in frivolous wars, send thousands of us to prison (sometimes on trumped up charges), who make bad deals with BAD people and true terrorists, who break the very laws they write and live outside of the cages they build for us? Will the truth really set you free or send you to prison? Here is an iconic image of the patriots at Bundy Ranch doing what was right, protecting another man's rights, and praying to their God for guidance and protection. May God Bless them and their like all across this great nation!


Friday, July 17, 2015

As a Teenager I remember Nuclear ICBMs

A Sponsor of World-Wide Terror. The country that aimed Nuclear Missiles at our shores, whose people hi-jacked our airplanes. Another win for the Communist in Chief.
Cuban flag to hang in State Department lobby as embassies reopen
But no Confederate Flags will fly!

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

New Ek

I was excited to hear the new Ek Knife was available from KaBar, Olean, NY. That was good news indeed. I saw a photo of the knife on a forum and immediately put in my order. The website is a little funky but I finally figured out how to place my order and the price was very reasonable. Since I only live a few hours drive from Olean it did not take long for my new knife to arrive. Unfortunately they did not use (or maybe did not have rights to) the old style box and logos like my last Ek Knives came in. Robert Buerlein, owner of the previous Ek Knife co, was a stickler for tradition and did things with a certain grace. But what the heck it’s just a box. I really like the knife. The handle is textured such that it should offer a good grip under any condition. While I have not compared it to my other Eks it feels longer and is nicely sculpted with the hollows Ek knives are famous for. The handle slabs are affixed with typical bolts like have been used for the last 30 plus years. The knife is of course of full tang construction and of a thickness more commensurate with WW-II knives than the Vietnam era and later knives. One of my favorite parts is the return to a more traditional WW-II style and thickness guard. The guard is nicely “S” shaped and very correct looking. I do not like the new logo at all! It is too small and indistinct. I should like to see something bolder. As much as I like the knife I hate the sheath! I own over 400 fighting knives of all styles and it boggles my mind that someone in the cutlery industry could not find a good combat sheath to copy that would be better than the contraption that came with this knife. At the very least they could have riveted and sewn together a traditional leather sheath with retention strap and forgone this lunatic setup. My knife did not ship fitted in the sheath but in a cardboard slip. I wonder if they ever tried fitting the knives in this unfriendly piece of plastic masquerading as a sheath? I already wrote them and suggested they at least offer the buyer a choice of a more traditional (insert “useable” here) sheath. I received a return email from a friendly lady in Customer Service but I doubt it will go any further than that. Another suggestion I offered was for KaBar to offer a reproduction of the original Ek Manual. That is the sort of class thing that Robert Buerlein and the folks back in Richmond, VA did. I highly recommend the knife with the caveat you better prepare to make, or have made, a replacement sheath. Seriously guys, I know KaBar can do better.

 

Monday, July 13, 2015

Kate Steinle

President Barack Obama Mayor Edwin M. Lee

White Lives Count! American Citizens lives count! Do your job. Stop the madness of Sanctuary Cities. Close the Borders, Deport the Criminals! 

Saturday, July 04, 2015

Indian Fairbairn Sykes

Happy July 4th. I received a new reproduction F-S fighting knife July 3rd all the way from India. I have been finding more knives from India lately, it is really odd. Anyway some of them are WW-II and this one is a nice reproduction of that genre. The surprising thing is it is all steel including the finely knurled handle and heavy weight guard. I have always liked the shape of the flared pommel on the Indian knives. The knife is very well made and comes unsharpened. Overall length is a foot with a full seven inch blade. The knife is a little bigger than most British Second Patterns but still well balanced and graceful. The sheath is about the same quality as those made in England today, which is to say a little thin. The only thing I see that needs work is the F-S etching. It is too small and a little crooked on mine. Otherwise the knife is well worth the asking price especially if you cannot find a WW-II Indian F-S for your collection. Check on ebay under the name Antiqueweaponary. Yes that is the spelling. Good luck.


 

Thursday, June 25, 2015

SCREWED

OBAMA DOESNTCARE! SCREWED AGAIN BY THE SCOTUS AND POTUS
 
Scalia on Obamacare: 'We Should Start Calling This Law SCOTUScare'

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

conservation

on occasion I get older F-S knives that have light rust on the guards or top nuts. While it is important not to reduce the value by scrubbing the patina off, it is also important to preserve the knife for future generations. Recently I received an India-made WW-II F-S with a steel guard and handle. The joint between the two had developed a small ring of surface rust. To remove it I used the solution shown in the photo. BUT you must experiment with it on a small spot first before using it. I have found it to be gentle on even painted surfaces but your experience may be different so proceed cautiously! I had another knife that was rusting heavily at the guard and this stuff not only removed it but prevented further rusting. I had rust problems with this knife for over 10 years! So be a good conservatoire and try it but be very careful not to remove any original finish. I make no claims, or accept any responsibility for damage to your knife for using this chemical, so be sure to test it carefully. I take the spray can top and squirt a little liquid into the cap. I then use a Q-tip to lightly scrub the rusted area and then remove the rust and liquid with either a clean Q-tip or a Kleenex tissue.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Genuine or not?

Just because its old, stamped Sheffield, England, and has some rust does not mean it is a genuine World War Two Commando knife. Some dealers will say World War Two “era.” What exactly do they mean? Are they saying between 1939 and 1945, or somewhere between WW-I and Korea? The quickest way to determine if a third pattern is genuine WW-II is by looking at the guard. If the guard is thin ___ and exhibits shearing marks around the edges it is a postwar knife. World War Two knives had the guards nicely polished on all of the surfaces including the edges. If it is stamped “Sheffield England” it is probably not WW-II either. And one further test is to look for the casting mold number near the pommel. It might be worn, but there should be a raised number, 1 – 4, present. If not it is a post-war knife. Sheaths can be a dead giveaway, BUT, it may not be the original sheath for the knife. So you might be able to determine the sheath is post-war but not whether the knife is. What prompted me to write these few paragraphs was a knife on auction that was clearly post-war yet described as WW-II era. The seller also said the sheath might not be original to the knife since it was stamped “Germany.” Really! What a revelation, that during the war Germans were probably not making sheaths for British Commando knives. It is quite common to find an old knife in a newer sheath. New sheaths have a sloppy fit and wide black elastic. Old sheaths fit well and have narrow brown elastic.Do your homework before buying. Stop by our website. Knife shown is NATO 1983 issue and not WW-II. http://www.fairbairnsykesfightingknives.com/

Tuesday, June 02, 2015

Cloak and Dagger

I have been fascinated by the enthusiasm of the young man operating the new Cloak and Dagger company. He now has a blog started and I hope you will visit it. His main interest right now is focused on clandestine weapons. He and his friend Xylon Cate made the awesome skull dagger I listed on here a few months back. I have a couple things on order from him. If you are interested I'd suggest you contact him before his list gets too long. Once people see his stuff its not going to be long before he gets real busy.
http://cloakanddaggerww2.blogspot.com/2015_06_01_archive.html (copy and paste into your search bar.)

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Dodgy Daggers?

Well I know these knives are supposed to be fakes too. In fact I probably have the finest collection of “fakes” in the USA. Many of the experts have decided they were all made by a man in Canada. Then when I say this they get all testy and email me about how I am misquoting them. It is comical in some ways, very annoying in others. I’ll probably get an email (again) just for posting this. This Metford-Fairbairn knife (aka X-Dagger) was purchased from a man in Australia who purchased it from a very reputable arms dealer over thirty years ago. No the arms dealer was not from Canada, LOL. As you can see, it is a magnificent fighting knife with a full eight inch blade. This dagger makes a First Pattern Wilkinson knife pale by comparison. What I noticed second was that the knife had perfect balance. It balances one finger’s width behind the guard. This how W.E. Fairbairn said they should balance. If you make the blade an inch longer, then to achieve that balance you also have to extend the handle, and this one is longer. What makes the blade look so long is the small guard. Most of the X-daggers I own have larger guards whereas this one is petite. Nicely nickel plated it has small thumb grooves on each side. These are so the user can orient the knife in his hand even in the dark of night. The ricasso is marked with the usual bayonet stampings indicating the blade was originally made in May 1903 during the reign of Edward the King. It was made by Wilkinson London and is deeply stamped as such. It also has the bending test mark “X”, and the broad-arrow or crow’s foot for India stores. There is no question. This is one absolutely correct “fake” from the land below the equator. Cheers.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

credit where its due

I was contacted by the makers of the OSS Skull dagger. I forgot to credit the artist who sculpted the incredible skull. His name is Xylon Cate. Together they are forming a company appropriately called "Skull and Dagger." There are more projects to come from this pair of artists including more OSS, and SOE type weapons. This is one exceptional assassin's tool. There are images on a previous posting. For some reason I am having problems posting new images right now. I am very excited to see their next project and will likely be at the head of the line wanting one.

Saturday, May 02, 2015

which one is the Fake?

This is the knife we finally proved is legitimate
this one is supposed to be a fake.
Hard to tell them apart without a program. I don't think either one is a fake.

Friday, May 01, 2015

Another Fake, Really?

I have to make a correction to my wording. One of my most ardent viewers noted a discrepancy in my story here and my response to him. I did not ask my friend to post my photos, I "gave him permission" to post the photos. I warned him it would likely raise a ruckus and it did. Within hours he had an answer. It was not the one I expected. Several people immediately said it was a fake. “A fake what,” I asked. The knife was clearly marked “Pooley Sword” and came in a fitted Pooley sword case. It
is a lovely knife but it is not a fake. The man I got it from provided the original invoice for the knife on Pooley Stationary. The experts still said it was a fake. The original owner conveyed his interchange of emails with a man who is very familiar with the Wilkinson and Pooley sword companies. The owner tried to jog this man’s memory about having requested a plain brass handle and he said the man at Pooley's personally picked one out of a bin of old Wilkinson sword parts. But his response was he denied any part in it and said it was a bit of this and a bit of that thrown together, a fake. The people on the forum said that the man I got it from must be mistaken because Pooley sword would never put a non-conforming handle on one of their knives. My friend said they did exactly what he asked them to do and he said the invoice reflects that. No, said the forum members must be you provided the handle. And on and on this argument went. Once again I was dealing with people who had never held the knife in question, had never talked to Pooley sword, and who used all of their collective experience to refute the word of the man who had personally ordered the knife. Their justification was based purely on what they knew, which did not jive with what was presented before their eyes, ergo it was a fake. So I finally emailed the president of the Pooley Sword company for his take on the whole thing. All I wanted was an answer as to where the handle came from. I was not claiming fraud, or looking for restitution of some sort, because I love the knife. The General Manager graciously responded to my enquiry and assured me that the handle was indeed from an inventory of Wilkinson parts that Pooley bought when Wilkinson Sword went out of the knife making business. She said they had installed it on my friend’s knife five years ago and she hoped that it had not caused me any grief. I owe this woman a fine dinner if I ever get back to England. See how simple that was! I should have gone to Pooley first instead of relying upon the opinions of experts. I am trying to finish writing my book on Fairbairn-Sykes knives but it seems as though every week or month I come into contact with a new variety I have never seen before. They are legitimate WW-II knives but according to the protocol established by this particular forum, since I have never seen one of these knives before I must immediately label it as a fake. You know, I don’t go to that forum much anymore. It has all the ambiance of the Spanish Inquisition. While there is a lot of very good information there, one has to tread very lightly or get pounced upon for having upset one of their sacred cows. Who was it said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing? Sometimes that can also be said of the people with a lot of knowledge who then presume to be all-knowing. My mother always told me: “If you don’t know what you’re talking about just shut up.” I was a very quiet child.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Diamonds and Rust

Here is a welcome new addition to our collection. When you look at it you will wonder why, with a large collection of knives, I bothered to spend money on a relic like this. It is a genuine WW-II Wilkinson, although it is hard to find the shadows of the etchings. The seller said the knife was "dug-up" and was unsure if it was genuine or not. To me knives like this deserve some recognition and respect, like a tired old veteran. Incredibly the knife is tight and could still perform its job. Whoever cleaned it up did not ruin it by using power tools and did a fair job considering what it must have looked like. We always wish we knew the rest of the story with knives like this. Our other relic was found on the beach at Dieppe, France. This one.....well who knows. It still remains full length and its a tribute to the quality of the knives Wilkinson Sword Co. produced during WW-II. I bet whoever lost it was heartbroken at its loss. Like all of our adopted stray cats, its got a good home now.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

lucky penny

A Lucky Penny: Every once in a while, no matter how closely you look at the photos, you will get fooled by a knife. I bought this knife off of Ebay and, based on the photos, I was sure it was a bayonet knife. It may still be but comparing it to a Metford Bayonet I have pretty much ruled that out. The good news is this knife is of superb construction and design. It came from England and was described as a “theater knife.” So I cannot fault the seller. I bought it for a pittance and do not regret my action. The handle is, like so many were, made up of multiple washers of various materials. Some are phenolic, some are aluminum. The brass guard is a little thin but well-shaped and tightly fitted. Underneath the guard there is a very narrow brass band similar to a Japanese habaki. A heavy brass pommel tops the four and a half inch, comfortably shaped handle. The broad blade is six and three quarter inches long, precisely ground and nicely sharpened. On top of the pommel is an English copper penny with the bust of King George the sixth. The bust has nearly been worn away over the years. To cap off a perfect set, the sheath is a professionally cut-down bayonet sheath complete with the original canvas frog. Over the years I have owned a few theater knives and sold off most of them. This one though is a keeper.

Thursday, April 09, 2015

finally another post

I know there have been long gaps between my posts lately. I have been very busy with work, travel, researching the S.O.E. and writing on my Commando Knife book. The writing and editing is slow going because I want it to be right. I have discovered several stories of the development of the British Commando Knife that are previously unwritten
and will shake up a few people. The path to discovery has been a confusing one and I am still trying to work out some of the snags and tangles. The text alone is over 190 pages now and editing it in spurts is driving me nuts. I have added over a dozen new knives in the past few months. This meant more examples to write about and even more material to edit. Also I was provided with a huge selection of photos of French daggers and text. The text is in French and Mes Amis I am working at sorting that out. I can tell you that online translators do not do some things well, bayonets and daggers for one. During this period I purchased two French daggers (of the Vietnam era) and one that is probably a WW-II resistance dagger. In addition I bought a rare Wilkinson and a Canadian marked knife. It has been a fruitful first quarter of 2015 for collecting although an expensive one. I have sold a few knives off the website to help offset the costs of my new additions. I have also listed a lot more nice knives for sale as I further refine my collection. Politics and meetings, and fighting for restitution of our gun rights and more meetings, has also consumed a lot of my time. Seems like now I spend more time fighting the good fight than I do actually shooting. Maybe this is what the government intended. We must never give up though because “they won’t.” Lose our gun rights and soon we will lose all of our rights. Free men own guns, slaves do not. Its really that simple.

Sunday, March 08, 2015

Bloody Sunday

I grew up when there were still "separate but equal" facilities and Blacks were treated poorly. I remember the Freedom Riders and the National Guard in the streets. So, I do not mean to diminish the struggles of the civil rights movement but long before Selma there was another struggle to make all men free. Yes it started out as a states rights movement but quickly morphed into a crusade to free the slaves. New estimates place the number of men killed during the "Civil War" reached 750,000! I have never heard any Black historian, minister, or civil rights leader offer a grain of thanks for men who died in that horrible slaughter. Owning slaves was a terrible practice that long outlived the advance of society and its abolition was as sure to come as day follows night. What annoys me is the President who said "we are in a post racial" world but attended ceremonies which only open and magnify old wounds. He is the great divider. This is the same president who chose to go golfing instead of attend the monumental march for freedom in Paris. So as we "celebrate" Bloody Sunday please also say a prayer for the 750,000 men who died for an ideal over 150 years ago.

Saturday, March 07, 2015

SOE Approved?

Here are some images of a type of knife like the OSS and SOE used but with the addition of the skull. What I like about it is the skull makes it comfortable to handle and would not hurt your hand if you hit some hard gear, like with the standard SOE nail with small handle. Capt. Mason said he hated using the commando "nails" because they hit a nerve center in the palm of his hand. Harder to conceal no doubt. The detail of the hand-sculpted skull is incredible. It came with a kydex sheath but I am going to make a leather one like they had in WW-II. When I bought it I decided the handle was too long so I sent it back to the maker and had him shorten and rethread it for the skull. Now when you hold it your thumb and forefinger comes right to the end of the handle/blade juncture. Perfect! Overall length is 8 1/2 inches. Long enough to do some serious damage.

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