V-42 First Special Service Force style knife

M

Michael Minto

Guest
Finished this today; sheath (and lastly, sharpening) to come. This is my attempt at making a V-42 FSSF knife. I'm sure most here know the FSSF was a joint US/Canadian commando force formed in WW2, and were the precursor of the US Special Forces, among others no doubt. Anyway, about 12 1/2" long (bigger in the hand than in photos I've seen), and weighs 8 oz (the original was 7 oz, I read, I attribute that to the density of the A2 steel I used, maybe not, I don't know). Mine is flat ground, not hollow ground like the original, as well. Cold gun blue on the metal parts. I just got a harbor freight mini lathe, and made the skull crusher, tapped and threaded/glued onto the 1/2" thru tang, out of mild steel, on it; my second metal lathe project. Handle of leather, guard of aluminum - I've read both steel and aluminum were used as guard material on these, if someone knows otherwise I'd be happy to read whatever you post about that. I couldn't figure out a way to put the "depression" that the original had on the ricasso, but I did file friction grooves into it to reinforce the grip. Rc58.
 

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I like it.
These ww2 variations on the Sykes Fairborn dagger are always pretty cool.
 
Thanks for the kind words, fellow knife-nutz! mike
 
Great work, and an excellent replica of the original.
Your post prompted me to go and do a search on the original knife that yours is based on, and it was interesting information. In turn, I ended up searching for the Fairbairn Sykes model and I believe I have an upcoming project...;)
 
here are a few more photos; the metal hangars i bought arrived today, so i got one installed here, and the project is FINALLY done. lotta work :)
 

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