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Using, collecting and simply enjoying knives has been a life long passion. I inherited my first Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife at around 14 years-old but only commenced collecting & studying the F-S in the early 1990s. Since then my focus has narrowed somewhat and is now directed towards those original knives made by Wilkinson Sword Co Ltd. In recent years my interests have expanded to include other Wilkinson arms, especially their antique knives. However I still maintain an active interest in other WWII F-S variations and Commando knives in general.

I decided to create this website for the express purpose of sharing knowledge and in part to separate fact from the many myths which have been attached to this iconic knife. My views, opinions and/or comments may at times disagree with accepted and/or published knowledge. It is not my intention to critique or offend other collectors, experts or authors. However through the years there have been many views, opinions and ‘stories’ which over time have been interpreted, and in some cases accepted, as fact. It is for this reason and as a passionate collector, purveyor, writer and amateur historian that I feel a responsibility to do my part in protecting and advancing our passion so that all collectors, novice and experienced alike, can have a balanced informed view of the history and facts (as we know them) of the F-S Fighting Knife.

My main focus here is to tell the full history of the original Wilkinson F-S Fighting Knife using information and documented facts from Wilkinson’s own archives and importantly from surviving examples of the knives themselves. I will be focusing on the knife specifically and how it was made, the different patterns and the many variations/production anomalies that one is likely to encounter. As much as is reasonably practicable, I have endeavored to show as near perfect examples as I am able.

This site was created in the spring of 2011 and will be constantly updated and improved, so please be patient with any lack of content and/or any omissions. I hope you enjoy browsing through the site and if you have any comments, suggestions or questions pleased feel free to contact me.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest and sincerest gratitude to Robert Wilkinson-Latham, not only for is support of this website but also for his willingness to share his research and extensive personal knowledge, without which this site would be substantially lacking. But more importantly for his unwavering generosity, kindness and friendship.

Roy Shadbolt