Australian Z Special Unit Knuckle Knife

[reneblacky]

Doubt you'll find another for sale in a hurry!! I'd take it but way too pricey for me!!!

[AZPhil]

Hey mate.
Any chance you’d be selling these?
Very nice knife.
Cheers.

Are these legal down there?

Semper Fi
Phil

[reneblacky]

Are these legal down there?

Semper Fi
Phil

Only if you go through a nasty draconian police process that involves being in an accredited collectors club & having each prohibited item being on police record and having to store the frikken things like Bloody M60 machine guns!!! here in Victoria anyway!!! just found out frikken swords are a no-no too!!!!! me mad now!!!

[AZPhil]

No legitimate purpose for public use.
That's a BS excuse!! I had one for every time it said that!!!LOL

Thanks Rene' for the explanation and regulations
Seems they be as tight as a twat done there!

Semper Fi
Phil

[DaveR]

I keep seeing these knuckle knives on collector sites, and I do wonder how practical they were in the field. They look fearsome and intimidating, but they seem unique to the US and Australia whereas just about every other country went for the more classical plainer styles.

[MilitariaOne]

Greetings Dave,

The English had them as well. Yes, agreed, knuckle knives are intimidating/fearsome in their appearance, yet when used for most other (read: mundane, OK, normal) cutting tasks (e.g. opening ration's or ammunition's crates) they are not particularly practical. In 1943, the US ditched them (after issuing some & melting down/recycling others) because bronze was a strategic metal needed for other wartime applications. And too, it was realized that a large quantity of knives were going to be required for issue to Soldiers who were not authorized bayonets (which quantity-wise were well above than the numbers on hand); so the question of production's scale (& of course, practicality/use in the field) raised its head (lastly, individual unit's cost).

Additionally, newer doctrine (read: Post WWI) on knife fighting had come into play and these new methods stressed lightness, balance, and maneuverability (in a knife's design), which a knuckle knife and its "locked-in grip" does not fare well. The knuckle knife does excel in a situation where your target/opponent is unawares (e.g. a surprise trench raid or taking out an unalert static guard), not necessarily the case when they are; whereas a M3 (or too, an FS Knife) is far and away a better instrument in a more fluid "come as you are" type of fighting's situation. That all said, the FS Knife is not exactly set up for mundane/normal tasks either, yet its low weight makes it an easier "carry" than a knuckle knife (at least, an American variant).

Thank you Dave, for the opportunity to wax upon my favorite knives' style, the knuckle knife. Not particularly practical, but simultaneously, impressive and terrifying.

Best,

V/r Lance

P.S. I didn't even discuss the blade down (holding) orientation of the UK/Commonwealth knuckle knives' doctrinal use versus the Americans' blade up orientation, which is a whole other wrinkle to their employment/use.

P.S.S. Fifty pounds and thirty years ago (OK, you can stop laughing now) I (once) made the mistake of carrying a US Mk. I Trench Knife for a week in the field and a associated twelve-mile foot march. I used a US Navy Mk. 3 Knife's scabbard and that set up beat the hell outta my sides at every twist and turn. Looked great, but it was not worth the weight's penalty or the beating my leg/side took on the march. Had the sides (or a the side facing me) been cut down it would have been significantly more pleasant to carry (yes, I'm channeling US WWII Paratroopers here) but it was heavy encumbrance, which I never carried again. Still love the design's look, but from personal experience a Kabar or even the US Navy's Mk. 3 are better all-around working knives. And if you actually have the opportunity to stab someone, they will do that job fine too.

Double click to enlarge the image

[DaveR]

I have been a collector for over 50 years, and stumbled on this site when chasing up Shin-Gunto... hence my profile pic of a pre WW2 military Sake cup. I have recently got interested in Daggers, and particularly Trench Daggers. (Easier to store than swords). So I will be spending more time on this side of the site for a while. Knuckle knives always looked to me more of a fantasy item than a serious weapon.... Slightly jokey comment If they were so good, why didn't the German army issue them?

[MilitariaOne]

"Slightly jokey comment If they were so good, why didn't the German army issue them?"

Greetings Dave,

Great question, I would surmise it was because the Germans appeared to be more interested in trench clubs and entrenching tools/shovels for the same shock value/purpose. The Germans (with some exceptions) converted and evolved their WWI trench knives' designs from existing pattern hunting knives used to dress (& occasionally, finish off wounded) game. As a result, when it came to knives, the German's interest seemed to be more focused on a design's usefulness in the field and portability; versus a one-trick death dealing knuckled fist. Again, there are exceptions and I am speaking in generalities.

Additionally, one may make the point that the trench club/entrenching tool provided a longer reach than that of a knife (of any design) and perhaps that was reason enough (for the Germans) to address the perceived need for a compact and deadly trench weapon. That's not to imply WWI German trench knives were slouches, they could (& did) kill and most assuredly added lethality to any trench raid, just IMHO the Germans possessed differing priorities when it came to their trench knives' designs versus an Allied troop wielding a knuckle knife.

Best Regards,

V/r Lance

[Anderson]

Might be timely to post the New Zealand Knuckle knife from WW2, that is sometime mistakenly called an Australian knife. It's not. With various blades and the same alloy hilt they were made by NZ Cutlers Company of Auckland in early 1940's. Issued to NZ Army personel in the Pacific with two edged dagger blade and the Bowie type blade for RNZAF air force crew (see photo of RNZAF aircrew on truck). Some turned up with NZ troops in the Italy campaign and these were also poplar with the US Marines in Pacific in 1942/43.