Very rough 3rd pattern FS knive

[Jerry B]

Picked this one up today and took a chance as I know almost nothing about them. I think it is a 3rd pattern, but the condition is poor and I have yet to find a mold number on the handle, but the cross guard is marked Sheffield England, which I think is less commonly seen. Very difficult to catch the markings on the cross guard with the camera, but it is there. There is no scabbard with it.

I have not tried to clean it, though I might try and clean the grip, but not the blade at some stage.

Is it a late WWII original?

[Blackpowder44]

If you wish to restore the blade the best method is to draw file it. A suitable file onto which you have rubbed a piece of chalk into the teeth of the file ,then you hold the file at right angles to the blade and draw it from top to bottom of the blade, hope this makes sense, John.

[Jerry B]

Just adding that it has the correct number of ribs on the handle, 27 of them.

[Jerry B]

If you wish to restore the blade the best method is to draw file it. A suitable file onto which you have rubbed a piece of chalk into the teeth of the file ,then you hold the file at right angles to the blade and draw it from top to bottom of the blade, hope this makes sense, John.

Thanks John. By a strange coincidence I did an apprenticeship as a toolmaker when I left school and remember draw filing various objects I made in my first year at technical college as part of various file & fitting exercises.

[Jerry B]

After a bit of a clean, the Sheffield England mark.

[Jerry B]

And what the mark should look like, copied from this site, hopefully they won't mind as I have clearly marked it as such where they state it is less commonly seen. The Fairbairn Sykes Fighting Knives - Introduction

[rvr]

Post WW2 3th Pattern.

Regards!

[Scout]

I concur
I got one just like it albeit in slightly better condition.

[Jerry B]

thanks rvr & scout. I had reached the same conclusion from further research, but it is always good to get others opinions.