Fighting Knives

1 rare U.S. World War II Baker fighting knife.  This hard-to-find knife by Leo Baker would make a rare addition to any collection.

This is a rare design Leo Baker fighting knife.  It would be just nigh on impossible to find another.  

You can see Baker WW2 fighting knives on pages 78-80 of Mike Silvey’s book Knives of the United States Military–World War II.  Photo 6 above is page 80 in Mike Silvey’s book.  There is additional reference information in Bill Walter’s book U.S. and Allied Military Knives — World War II on pages 58-60.  

This fine combat knife is stamped on the blade ‘L. BAKER‘.  Leo Baker made his fighting knives using old files.  You can still see the file marks on the blade.  

The handle is made of wood, black, leather, and lead.  This knife has a steel guard, and a lead pommel.  This knife measures 10 13/16″ overall.  The blade itself measures 6 1/16″.  

1 fine Frank J. Richtig World War II fighting knife available.   This fine WW2 Richtig fighter would make a rare addition to any knife or military collection.
 
This Richtig WW2 fighting knife has a 6″ blade.  This Richtig fighter measures 10 3/4″ overall.  The handle is stamped ‘F.J.R. CLARKSON NEB.’. 
 
This listing represents a rare opportunity to own a knife by a maker that Presidents and generals have been proud to own. M.H. Cole in his book The Best of U.S. Military Knives Bayonets & Machetes wrote, ” SOME OF RICHTIG’S SATISFIED CUSTOMERS WHO HAD SENT HIM LETTERS TO THAT EFFECT, ARE GEN. GEO. PATTON, GEN. DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, GEN. DWIGHT EISENHOWER, & FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT, ADMIRAL CHESTER NIMITZ, AND OTHER NOTABLES .”

See photo 2 above from Mike Silvey’s book Knives of the United States Military World War II.     

1 U.S. World War 2 Richtig fighting knife available.  Richtig fighters of this style (with brass guard and aluminum pommel) are pictured in Bill Walters’ Book II, and in Bill Wright’s Theater Knives book.  This desirable Richtig fighting knife would make an important addition to any U.S. military or world militaria collection. 

This knife was made by a legend in knife-making.  Frank Richtig had a secret steel tempering process that allowed him to slice through railroad spikes and automobile leaf springs.  Frank would demonstrate this at county fairs–after slicing a railroad spike or leaf spring, he would slice through a piece of paper with the same knife.  Frank earned himself a spot in a ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not’ magazine in the 1930’s.  These knives can be used for decades, because of Frank’s superior craftsmanship.

This knife measures 10 1/8″ overall.  The blade itself measures 5 7/8″.  There is no sheath with this knife.  This Richtig knife is one of the unmarked knives that Richtig made.  Richtig was told by the War Production Board that he was only allowed to use a certain quantity of metals deemed important to the War effort.  Richtig called that decision ‘bul_____’–he felt what would be of greater importance than using these important metals in weapons?  So he made fighting knives during World War 2 beyond what the government allowed; he didn’t mark these knives made above his metals quota with his name, so the government couldn’t come after him.  

A brass guard/aluminum pommel Richtig dagger is hard to find–this knife would make a great acquisition for any collector.