This knife reputedly was obtained during WW2, I believe from India. It is dated 1941 and stamped also M.I.L. The "L" for Lahore I think. There are fakes and copies made in India to this day, though it is possible that this one does have genuine age. The fact that it has a 3" Crossgard in interesting and possibly copied from an original Wilkinson FS pattern. The Damascus blade is well fabricated. This may just be a knife sold to the tourist market. Does any forum member own or may have seen a similar pattern? Regards, Clive.
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When my wife and I were in Chennai I saw two of these. Worksmanship was not as good as this but I would still place it in the post war category. The stamps are in the wrong location for a legit FS knife for one thing. There are other Indian features on this knife that I have not seen on period India Pattern FS Knives(I have two standard ones at the moment).
GaryComment
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Clive, the clamp mark is remarkably similar to the one found on my B2 marked 2nd pattern knife. Can you please show a picture of the clamp mark found on the other side of the pommel nut?
Cheers, LucComment
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Will check that out in the morning Luc, if I did not take a picture of it I can take it again. The clamp mark is similar to most pommel nuts seen on WS manufactured knives, but this one is from India. I think it is quite possible that the knife is post-war, but I have nothing to go on, that is why I am keen to see other examples. The stamps are crude in comparison the the overall manufacture. Regards, Clive.Comment
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Please do Clive! What I forgot to mention is that the clamp mark found on my knife is upside down compared to yours, possibly the tools were handled by a left-handed employee?
Cheers, LucComment
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Image of the opposite clamp-mark Luc. Left-handed employee? How about he was ambidextrous! Regards, Clive.Comment
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I feel that the area of the so called 'CRIMP' marks on the FS top nut needs to be clarified.Originally posted by lnijherald View Post
There was NO crimp/tightening tool used on Wilkinson FS knives.
The assembly and finish of an FS knife was a s follows:
Assembly:
1. Blade, cross guard and hilt assembled and top nut spun on tang finger tight.
2. Knife passed to Fitter who put the tang in the vice and cut off the suprlus length. Next the top nut was placed firmly in the vice, the grip grasped and the nut tightened.
3. Knife placed blade point down in a vice with lead lined jaws and the tang peened over.
The vice marks on Wilkinson top nuts may well be the same/similar to other makers of F-S knives as they probably used the same make of vice.
Wilkinson used a mixture of Record No 5 , Attwoods, G Parker No 2 vices and some dating back to the 1880's by William Wright of Birmingham.
The jaws of these vices were changed from time to time as they wore out.
(After WW2, when the slotted top nut was introduced,the special tool was placed in the vice and the knife held by the Fitter, the grooves of the top nut engaged with the tool and the knife turned to tighten it. The tang was then peened over.Comment
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Excellent clarification Swordmaker
Regards, Clive.
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