Original U.S. WWII Theater-Made Aluminum Knuckle Fighting Knife with Original Leather Sheath

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Theater knives are knives made by military personnel in the various theaters of war. Each knife is unique in its own way due to the maker's style, preferences and materials available. Most theater knives were made from spare parts, wreckage, tools and already existing blades.

These knives were made by the armorers and engineers on request. The larger ships needed to have skilled fabricators on board to make repairs and modifications to weapons and gear. Usually the blades were made from existing weapons or from steel components, and the hilts were cast from metals such as aluminum or zinc.

This is a fantastic genuine WWII example of a custom theater made aluminum handle fighting knuckle knife with a 7-inch steel blade. Thanks to its construction, this example is rather lightweight and versatile. The knife comes in its original leather sheath, the securing snap of which has broken off of one of the straps.

The knife features a lovely hand-cast aluminum grip which has some small areas of material loss which likely occurred during the initial casting process. The 7-inch steel blade is technically double-edged with one side having a 1⅛” “spine” at the ricasso. The blade shows heavy cleaning over the years with a bright finish overall with spots of staining. 

The grind marks on the aluminum grip add some great character, with some light staining to the grip overall. There are some small spots of what may have been cracks but there is no serious damage to the knife.

The leather sheath is in good condition with 8 small rivets holding it together along with stitching, and there is a small hole at the tip for a leather thong. The belt loop is still pliable, and the securing straps are still in place, but the receiving snap has broken off of the strap and is still attached to the other side. Really the only serious flaw of this great example.

A wonderful example of a classic theater made fighting knife rarely encountered on today’s collector market. Check local legal restrictions on metal knuckles before ordering.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 7"
Blade Style: Double Edged Dagger
Overall length: 12 1/4“
Scabbard Length: 7 3/4" + belt loop