- Trench knife
Trench knives are either purpose-made weapons, or are made from cut-down (shortened)
bayonets orsword s, and intended for close-quarter fighting, the design originating in thetrench warfare of the First World War. They were particularly useful fortrench raiding operations, along with othermêlée weapon s.U.S. trench knives
Perhaps the most easily recognized American trench knife is the Mark I, introduced too late to see
World War I service in the trenches, but adopted and carried by U.S.paratrooper s in the Second World War. This knife was a full-tang design with a double-edged blade and a brasshilt incorporating a guard shaped as a knuckle duster, though the guard existed much more for the purpose of being a guard than for any perceived benefit as a punching aid. The pommel incorporated a 'skull-crusher' extension reputed to increase the flexibility and thus lethality of the weapon (although it should be noted that skull-crushers on other types of knife involve improper usage of the knife, "striking one's opponent with the pommel of one's knife is a dubious practice, the fanciful notion of those who have no real experience with knife fighting. Why not stab the fellow and be done with it?" [http://www.888knivesrus.com/category/allbrands.sheffield_knives.sfstory] and that use of the pommel rather than the blade is less lethal option).The Mark I was preceded by the U.S. M1917 and M1918 trench knives, which featured more complex designs including a triangular
stiletto blade, wooden grip, metal knuckle guard, and a rounded pommel. The two versions differed primarily in the construction and appearance of their knuckle guards.The brass-hilted U.S. Mark I trench knives were made by three American companies -- Landers, Frary & Clark (L.F.&C.) of New Britain, CT; Henry Disston & Sons (HD&S) of Philadelphia, PA; and Oneida Community Limited (O.C.L.) -- and one French company (Au Lion/Societe General). American models of the Mark I are stamped on the right side of the brass grip "U.S. 1918", with the contractor's initials below that. These three American companies were among the four that also made the earlier U.S. M1917 and M1918 trench knives.
The French version of the Mark I is stamped on the blade
ricasso with a recumbent lion, and "Au Lion" below that. The grip of the French version is typically stamped with "U.S. 1918". Several versions of the French model exist - some with grooves on top of the grip, some without. Some have letters and numbers cast into the knucks that are smaller than others.The American Mark I knives and steel sheaths were issued with a blackened finish to prevent reflection, but some owners believing this to be tarnish attempted to polish them and remove the blackening. The French knives were issued with iron sheaths. American versions of the Mark I appear to be better finished than the French version, and are slightly larger dimensionally as well. American-made sheaths for the Mark I trench knife are marked "L.F.&C. 1918", while the French sheath is unmarked. American-made knives have 8-sided skull-crusher pommels, the French model is 4-sided.
Other fighting knives used by U.S. forces are sometimes referred to as trench knives, indicating their purpose. These include the stiletto-shaped daggers carried by Marine Corps Raiders in World War II, and fighting-utility knives made by
Ka-Bar and other manufacturers.British & Commonwealth trench knives
The
British Army and its Commonwealth allies (egAustralia ,Canada &New Zealand ) used a wide variety of trench knives duringWorld War I . Some were privately purchased commercial models based on Bowie knives. Others were more specialised types egpush dagger s with a roughly cylindricalaluminium grip which was shaped to fit comfortably when the user's hand made a fist. The attached 4inch blade protruded between the knuckles of the user. It was common British practice for trench knives to be used in combination with other "quiet" weapons duringtrench raiding expeditions eg trench clubs, pick-axe handles andhatchet s - backed up withrevolvers andgrenades . Years later, during the Second World War, theFairbairn-Sykes Knife was widely issued to British commando type forces such as theRoyal Marines , Parachute Regiment,Special Boat Service and theSpecial Air Service . Though not a true "trench knife" per se, the Fairbairn-Sykes was used for similar purposes.German trench knives
The
German Army used similar trench knives in the First and Second World Wars, often featuring a wooden or, in some cases, all-metal or composition plastic handle.During
World War I , some German trench knives were privately purchased, but many standardized versions were made by government contractors and officially issued. Most had slab wooden grips and metal sheaths and were sturdily made. According to one authoritative source, German-issued trench knives of World War I were "...conventional, general-purpose, cut-and-thrust knives..." with blades that were "...for the most part approximately six inches in length, single-edged with a top leadingfalse edge ...although double-edged blades are occasionally encountered." [ Johnson, Thomas M., LTC (Ret.) & Wittmann, Thomas T.: "Collecting the Edged Weapons of Imperial Germany", Vol. I, Privately published, 1988, p. 317. ISBN 0-9600906-0-6 ]German trench knives carried during
World War II were similar in design and are usually known today as boot knives, although they seldom were carried in boots. Most also had steel sheaths but with clips that could be attached to boots or clothing, and most were made by government contractors and issued as combat gear.Trench Knives in Popular Culture
* Popular character
Snake-Eyes has an extensive collection of spike-knuckled trench knives.*
The Zombie Survival Guide praises the trench spike as "the best compact anti-zombie weapon on earth".* The character "Bobby Maxwell" (played by DeVeren Bookwalter) in the Clint Eastwood movie "The Enforcer" carried a Mk. I Model 1918 (brass knuckle) trench knife.
* Lee Marvin's character "The Sergeant" in Samuel Fuller's "The Big Red One" carried a Mk. I Model 1918 (brass knuckle) trench knife.
* Frank Sinatra's character "Cpt. Tom Reynolds" in the John Sturges movie "Never So Few" carried a Model 1917 (triangular bladed) trench knife.
* Roberta, a military-trained assassin in
Black Lagoon , uses a trench spike amongst a vast array of weaponry.*
William H. Macy 's character in the film "Edmond" carries a 1918 model Trench Knife.*Roland Weary in
Slaughterhouse Five carries a three-bladed trench knife with a spiked knuckle at all times, and often describes its various properites.* Sylvester Stallone has been an avid knife collector for many years. In the first "Rocky" movie, he has an M1917 (triangular bladed) trench knife stuck in a corner on top of his dresser bureau (to the right of the mirror), and there is a Mk. I M1918 (brass knuckle) trench knife stuck in a side near the top of his dresser bureau.
*Kane of wields a trench spike of unknown model throughout the game.
*Can be used in the MMO Dead Frontier and is quite powerful.
*
Sarutobi Asuma of the popularanime Naruto uses two trench-knives of the knuckle-duster variety as his weapons of choice. After his death, they are taken and used by his pupilShikamaru .Reference literature
*
Frederick J. Stephens Author of: "Fighting Knives: Illustrated Guide to Fighting Knives and Military Survival Weapons of the World"ee also
*
List of daggers
*Combat knife References
External links
* [http://arms2armor.com/Knives/m1trench.htm Images]
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