British, WW2, Fairbairn-Sykes 2nd Pattern Fighting Knife, Field-Modified Scabbard & Pattern 37 Web Frog

*British, WW2, Fairbairn-Sykes 2nd Pattern Fighting Knife, Field-Modified Scabbard & Pattern 37 Web Frog*

A World War II Fairbairn-Sykes 2nd Pattern fighting knife featuring the correct solid brass knurled grip, straight steel crossguard and double-edged dagger blade. The blade measures approximately 16.8 cm, with an overall length of approximately 29.3 cm. The brass grip is finely turned with crisp wartime diamond knurling and terminates in a domed steel pommel nut. The straight crossguard is firmly fitted and displays even, honest patination.

The blade exhibits mottled darkening and surface wear consistent with age and service use, and clearly shows the characteristic triangular shoulder and flat ricasso transition associated with genuine mid-war 2nd Pattern production.

The dagger is housed in a cut-down leather scabbard carried in a genuine British Pattern 1937 khaki-green web frog originally intended for a bayonet.

Historical Note:
Introduced in late 1941, the 2nd Pattern Fairbairn-Sykes replaced the earlier 1st Pattern with its distinctive long S-shaped guard. The change to a straight crossguard is now widely understood to have been driven primarily by wartime manufacturing pressures: the simpler guard was far quicker to produce, required less skilled labour, used fewer materials and was easier for subcontractors to replicate consistently. The 2nd Pattern therefore represented a streamlined, more economical version of the original design. The triangular ricasso transition visible here is a recognised feature of Wilkinson and subcontracted wartime blade grinding, and is considered one of the most reliable indicators of an authentic 2nd Pattern knife.

The re-use of a standard P’37 bayonet frog with an adapted shortened scabbard reflects the practical field expedients often made when original Fairbairn-Sykes sheaths were damaged, lost or unavailable. Commandos, Airborne troops and SOE operatives frequently reinforced or adapted their leather scabbards.

*Condition*
The blade retains its correct profile and has stable age-darkening and mottled patina. The straight crossguard is tight and displays light oxidation. The brass grip has deep, well-preserved knurling and attractive wartime patina, with the pommel nut undisturbed. The scabbard shows trimming, age-darkening and service wear, while the P’37 web frog retains its original machine stitching but exhibits fraying to the worn retaining strap, areas of staining, softened edges and the honest toning expected of a well-used wartime piece.

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