Applegate–Fairbairn fighting knife

Applegate–Fairbairn fighting knife
Applegate–Fairbairn fighting knife
Type	Dagger
Place of origin	US
Service history
In service	US
Used by	US
Production history
Designer	William Ewart Fairbairn and Rex Applegate
Designed	1941
Manufacturer	Al Mar Knives, Blackjack Knives, Gerber Legendary Blades, Böker
Specifications
Length	11 inches (28 cm)
Blade length	6 inches (15 cm)
Blade type	Dagger
Hilt type	lexan
Scabbard/sheath	leather
Head type	Brass

The Applegate–Fairbairn fighting knife is a combat knife designed by Colonel Rex Applegate and William E. Fairbairn as a version of the Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife. The blade has a similar double-edged dagger profile, but is wider and more durable. It features a different handle, made most commonly of Lexan plastic with adjustable lead weights which can change the knife's balance-point. Later models and some custom variants included weights made from pure Teflon, tungsten, stainless steel and aluminum. The blade profile was also changed from a V-grind to a convex, or "appleseed" profile. While this changed the effectiveness of the blade in puncturing, cutting and slicing, it does not lend itself to being sharpened in the field by an inexperienced user. In addition to these modifications, the tang was also strengthened.^[1] The current production model made by Böker in Solingen, Germany, uses a fiberglass reinforced delrin handle which solves the issues with earlier models where the handle would crack if exposed to heat.

History

While Applegate was a student of Fairbairn, he came up with a series of modifications to Fairbairn's Dagger and worked with Fairbairn on implementing them. Applegate first approached Randall Made Knives with their design. Bo Randall made a handful of prototypes based on his "Model 2 Dagger" and sent them to soldiers for field testing; they proved not to be popular with the troops and Randall declined to produce the knife beyond the original prototypes.^[2]

Applegate took the design to custom knifemaker Bill Harsey, Jr. who made several prototypes for Al Mar Knives.^[3] In 1995, Harsey would design a folding version for Gerber Legendary Blades, which won the 1996 International Blade Show "American Made Knife of the Year" award.^[4]

After Al Mar ceased production of the A–F fighting knife, a number of variations were made by Blackjack Knives, Gerber and Böker Knives, all with limited degrees of success.^[3] The US Military Stock Number for the Gerber folding version is NSN: 5110-01-436-1548.

Related UK-SFK knife

The post World War 2 UK-SFK (United Kingdom Special Forces Knife) was designed by Micheal Janich specifically for and issued to British special forces and followed the Applegate–Fairbairn fighting knife blade design with a differing grip borrowed from the XFS-1 dagger designed by Brent Beshara.

References

^ Applegate, Rex. Combat Use of the Double-Edged Fighting Knife. Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press. 1993.
^ Hunt, Robert E. (2002). Randall Fighting Knives in Wartime: WWII, Korea & Vietnam. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing Company. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-56311-779-4.
^ ^a ^b Walker, Greg (1993). Battle Blades: A Professional's Guide to Combat and Fighting Knives. Paladin Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-87364-732-8.
^ Shackleford, Steve, Blade Magazine, “1996 Blade Magazine Knives of the Year”, October 1996, p. 16-20

[1] Applegate, Rex. Combat Use of the Double-Edged Fighting Knife. Boulder, Colorado: Paladin Press. 1993.

[2] Hunt, Robert E. (2002). Randall Fighting Knives in Wartime: WWII, Korea & Vietnam. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing Company. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-56311-779-4.

[Walker-3] Walker, Greg (1993). Battle Blades: A Professional's Guide to Combat and Fighting Knives. Paladin Press. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-87364-732-8.

[blade1996-4] Shackleford, Steve, Blade Magazine, “1996 Blade Magazine Knives of the Year”, October 1996, p. 16-20

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v t e Knives and daggers
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Daggers	Anelace Applegate–Fairbairn fighting knife Arkansas toothpick BC-41 Bagh nakh Balarao Baselard Bichuwa Bollock dagger Cinquedea Dha Dirk Ear dagger Emeici Facón French Nail Gunong Hunting dagger Jambiya Jile Kabutowari Kaiken Kalis Katar Khanjali Khanjar Kris Kunai Liaoning dagger Mark I trench knife Microtech Jagdkommando Parrying dagger Poignard Pugio Push dagger Rondel dagger Seme Shobo Sica Stiletto Tantō U.S. Marine Raider stiletto V-42 Yoroi-dōshi
Manufacturers	Aitor Knife Company Al Mar Knives American Tomahawk Company Aritsugu Benchmade Böker Buck Knives Camillus Cutlery Company Cattaraugus Cutlery Company Chris Reeve Knives Chroma Cnife Clauss Cutlery Company Cobray Company Cold Steel Columbia River Knife & Tool Cuisinart Cutco Dalian Hanwei Metal Dexter-Russell Ek Commando Knife Co. EKA Emerson Knives F. Dick Fällkniven FAMAE Fiskars Gerber Legendary Blades Füritechnics Glock Ges.m.b.H. Imperial Schrade Ivan's Ka-Bar Kershaw Knives KitchenAid Korin Japanese Trading Company Kyocera Leatherman Mad Dog Knives Marble Arms Medford Knife and Tool Microtech Knives Morseth Muela Murphy Knives OLFA Ontario Knife Company Opinel Randall Made Knives Ranz Cuchillos Rösle Sabatier Shun Cutlery Slice, Inc. SOG Specialty Knives Spyderco STI Knives Strider Knives Thiers Issard TOPS Knives Tramontina Victorinox W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Carl Walther GmbH Wenger Western Knife Company Wilkinson Sword Wüsthof Yoshida Metal Industry Global Zero Tolerance Knives Zwilling J. A. Henckels
Knifemakers	Rex Applegate James Black Tom Brown Jr. Blackie Collins John Nelson Cooper Jack W. Crain Ernest Emerson Jerry Fisk Bill Harsey Jr. Phill Hartsfield Gil Hibben Jimmy Lile Bob Loveless William F. Moran Ken Onion Ralph Osterhout Bo Randall Chris Reeve A. G. Russell Jody Samson William Scagel Mike Snody Robert Terzuola Michael Walker Buster Warenski Daniel Winkler
Associations	American Bladesmith Society Cutlery and Allied Trades Research Association Knifemakers' Guild
Category:Knives / Daggers