French M1916 Trench Dagger

Like every other continental power in the First World War, France responded to the realities of trench warfare by developing a dagger. After the first few years of improvised, field-expedient blades the M1916 Trench Dagger was introduced.
The unpleasantness of 1870-1still graveled the French so this knife was known informally as "The Avenger or 1870".
Produced by several different French cutlery firms, it consisted of a 7" double-edged blade with a steel cross guard and a turned wood handle. This knife was popular both with French troops and the Americans. The blade shape, with its waisted ricasso was copied by the Americans for the McNary pattern M1918 Mark I trench knife.
The pictured example in handled with walnut but others are available.
$150 plus $7.50 shipping.
To order e-mail me.

Belgian Trench Dagger

"Poor Little Belgium..."

In the first minutes of the war they were overrun by Kaiser Willie's legions but they put up a stiff fight nonetheless. Their efforts slowed the infallible Schlieffen Plan mostly by throwing a wrench into the works when the border fort of Liege proved a tough nut to crack and the Kaiser's boys had to send for the big guns.
When the inevitable capitulation occurred the Belgian government relocated to England.
They contracted with various Sheffield firms to produce their trench dagger and stayed in the fight.
It's an odd looking thing what with the dished, oval steel guard and that seemingly clunky handle.
But don't mess with Belgium even though their beer is like high-gravity pancake syrup.
Don't mistake neutrality for something it's not.
8" blade, 13" overall.
$200 shipped.
To order e-mail me.

Clements "Death's Head" Spike

This knife is based on another of the Charles Clements firms offerings from the first war.
The six inch, carbon-steel blade has a triangular cross-section similar to that of the US M1917/18 Trench Knife.
This style of stabbing blade was supposed to leave a wound that closes less readily tan that of a conventional dagger. Furthermore, I suspect that The spike is far easier to withdraw than a flat blade.
It's riveted to an aluminum handle, cast in the shape of a stylized "Death's Head" with spiked knucks (the "teeth" of the skull so to speak).
Overall length: 10 1/2"
Includes a hand-stitched cowhide sheath.
$125 plus $5 shipping.
To order e-mail me.

Clement's Knuckle Knife

A\change from the standard dagger, this type of knife, often called "the throat cutter" because of its "upside down" blade, was produced by many Sheffield firms although it's referred to as the Clements knuckle knife after a large London retailer. They were a popular private purchase item particularly for officers and the design proved so effective that it was revived with a few modifications as the Second War, BC-41 British Commando knife, precursor to the Fairbairn-Sykes daggers.
Blades are forged from file steel and measure 5 3/4" long. They're riveted to a cast aluminum handle and include a sewn and riveted cowhide sheath. Overall length, 9 3/4".
$120 lus $5 shipping.
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Robbins of Dudley Push Dagger

Here's a particularly wicked little piece of trench weaponry that English industry produced during the Great War. Robbins was a metalworking concern operating in Dudley, Worcestershire from the 1870's until the mid '20's. Fans of industrial history may be interested to know that Dudley was also the home of Peter Wright's forge, the maker of the first "built-up" forged anvils. Little is known about the company's wares other than that, except during the war, they didn't produce knives at all. At one point they were registered as "fender makers", the fireplace kind. When they did made knives they specialized to the extreme. They produced a line of knuckle knives, push daggers as well as more conventional blades all of which comprised an aluminum handle cast onto the blade.
Like the original Robbins knives, the aluminum handle is cast onto the blade, which in this case, is hand forged from file steel and blackened. Blade length is 3 5/8".
Includes a sewn leather sheath.
$95 plus $5 shipping.
To order e-mail me.

Robbins Knuckle Knife

Here's another bash and slash weapon from those sensitive souls at Robbins of Dudley. This is a reproduction of a two stall knuckle knife with a blackened, dagger blade 5 5/8" long. The blade was hand forged from a file and the aluminum handle was cast in place. I should note that the pattern with these British knuckle knives was to engineer them to be used to best effect in the overhand, "icepick" style of grip. The idea being that if one is punched in the jaw, on the follow-through the blade slashes their throat. Lovely thought. This example in particular, is only really comfortable when held in this manner. Includes a sewn and riveted cowhide sheath.
$120 plus $5 shipping.
To order e-mail me.

Robbins Punch Dagger

This may count as one of Robbins of Dudley's more bizarre designs. In that it was extensively copied by other manufacturers during the Great War, it must have been a popular design as well. There even exist some homemade examples, cobbled together from scrap brass and at least one hollow cast iron one. Another non-Robbins knife has the knuckle bow cast in aluminum integrally with the handle.
The Robbins originals comprised a cast aluminum handle cast onto a steel knuckle bow and a double-edged 5' blade resulting in a weapon whose design makes it almost impossible to drop while being nearly idiot proof in action. And yes, you CAN stick it through a car door. See link below.
I've made this knife from aluminum with a blade of hand-forged file steel, hardened and tempered. The blade is blackened as is the steel knuckle bow. Includes a sewn cowhide sheath.
$140 plus $5 shipping.
To order e-mail me.