FJ-Fighting knives

[Peiper]

Greetings kameraden

Unfortunately the "Gravity knives" thread has been locked ??, so without
getting into "politics or the law" what are your reccomendations, this goes
to the Fallschirm lads

I was thinking of getting an Ami para-knife or M1 bayonet as an extra side
arm/ close combat weapon for Para portrayment, what do you reckon.??

I already have the standard German boot-knife as i wanted something different,
hence my intrest in Gravity knives but as on the other thread it is impossible to
get one here so am looking for alternatives.

Any advice or suggestions lads??

Cheers Pipes

[KB Martinsen]

In general I'm not a big fan of using 'captured' equipment, so I'd give it a miss if I were you. If you insist on doing it anyway, do not even think about carrying a Garand bayonet, as it's too big and clumsy to be something that a real Fallschirmjäger would consider adding to his already heavy load.

I'd stick with your issue trench/boot knife, or perhaps a period hunting knife of similar size.

All the best.
KB

[Franz repper]

Would it not be best to look for photos of the said ami stuff beaing used

[GRFJ]

I like to study period pictures and try to make my impression as close as possible to the norm. I've seen only one photo where an Fj Officer carries what seems to be a K-Bar knife on his belt. Come to think of it I haven't seen many Fj with a fighting knife either.
Usually I fight with a K98 and having a bayonet is more than enough.

[Peiper]

In general I'm not a big fan of using 'captured' equipment, so I'd give it a miss if I were you. If you insist on doing it anyway, do not even think about carrying a Garand bayonet, as it's too big and clumsy to be something that a real Fallschirmjäger would consider adding to his already heavy load.

I'd stick with your issue trench/boot knife, or perhaps a period hunting knife of similar size.

All the best.
KB

Cheers chaps
I was refferring to the M1 short type bayonet which looks similar to the k-bar/para type
(leather handle etc), anyway thanks for your comments.
Regards Pipes

[Stigroadie]

Do you mean the M4 bayonet? The M1 bayonet never had a leather handle.
Why must you have a knife? They are not that common as 'accessories'. Yes, you do see them but you see more without.

[GRFJ]

.... an Fj Officer carries what seems to be a K-Bar knife on his belt....

My mistake, it is a Bowie knife.
Here the pic.

[Franz repper]

Could also be a Puuku knife if he had been a veteran of Norway

[KB Martinsen]

Do you mean the M4 bayonet? The M1 bayonet never had a leather handle.
Why must you have a knife? They are not that common as 'accessories'. Yes, you do see them but you see more without.

An M4 bayonet would have to have been captured very late in the war as they weren't put into production before October/November 1944, and would have been unlikely to have been issued in the ETO before January 1945 at the earliest.

[Stigroadie]

I was going to get to that point. You dont usually sharpen a bayonet either, they are for stabbing not cutting.
Why not an steal an M3 fighting knife from a US paratrooper? That way you can say you were in Normandy?
You might also consider that carrying a knife not specific to the uniform you are wearing might not be legal.
It is historically dubious, therefore not a requirement of the uniform and not essential to your impression. You are carrying it to satisfy your ego not history. You would be wearing an illegal knife in public without good reason. [blade over size and fixed]

[Peiper]

Some good points lads, although you could say that about wearing bayonets etc,
as for the M1 bayonet i was refferring to the M1 Carbine type bayonet which was
as i said a shorter type like a fighting knife, as for ego?? who knows? maybe i
haven't really thought about it, it was just some ideas to make my portrayal look a
bit different thats all.

Anyway cheers lads, Pipes

[Sean]

Carbine bayonet! Ahh next we'll be getting onto bayonet lugs etc etc

[KB Martinsen]

Yes, that's the M4 bayonet that we were talking about which would be an historical anachronism before 1945. The whole 'looking a bit different' thing is the first step on the road to Farb City, and you don't want to go there (unless you're wearing a pea dot or splinter A smock).

[Jaws]

Piper, if you want to look menacing, shove your entrenching tool under your belt.

Regards,

Gary.

[GRFJ]

...if you want to look menacing, shove your entrenching tool under your belt...

..and be VERY careful how you bend!!