TRENCH COAT

Here's a few of my authentic American World War One trench knives made for trench warfare in 1917 and 1918. For much of America's involvement in the First World War, American soldiers(known as "Doughboys" back then) carried the 1917 triangular bladed trench knife. They are considered one of the most dangerous knives ever made and were designed specifically to pierce thick German trench coats. The triangular blade was then banned for use in warfare because blades with 3 edges cause wounds that often don't heal and are difficult to stitch up. Today these knives are rare collectables and believe it or not the leather sheath for the 1917 trench knife can be worth just as much if not more than the knife itself since so many of the leather sheaths have been damaged or destroyed from age or mishandling. Towards the end of the war 1917 trench knives were replaced with the double edged 1918 "Mark I" brass knuckle knife but by the time they were issued to the troops, WWI was pretty much over so they were put into storage then reissued during WWII mostly to paratroopers. The first row of 1918 trench knives shown were made in France under contract before American makers could take over production and are the most likely ones to have seen combat during WWI. They have blades marked "Au Lion". The ones to the right are American made and are marked "LF&C 1918" for the company "Landers Frary and Clark" and "OCL 1918" for "Oneida Community Limited". There was one other maker of these ...