I am aware that there is a bit of conjecture about these knives about whether they are wartime or post war, however, from what I have read I believe that the current thinking is that they are late war, possibly private purchase or RAF issue. There is also a view that they were for the tropical climate of the Far East.
This one has clearly been stored somewhere damp for a few years as it is a little rusty in places and the wood has split, however, it is stable. The scabbard is clearly field made from scraps of leather (possibly a belt or horse tack) and is ‘sewn’ together with wire.
My personal view is that they are late war production, possibly made with wooden grips to speed construction or to cut down on metal use.
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