A replica of the American M3 trench knife with an M8A1 sheath. The knife replica is made of blackened 8Cr14MoV steel, while the handle is made of layered leather, just like the original. The blade has a spear-point profile and is approximately 17 cm (6.75 inches) long. The cutting edge runs the entire length of one side and halfway along the spine. The set includes an M8A1 sheath made of plastic with metal fasteners. The replica is fully functional.
- Product by MFH!
- New, unused item!
- Knife dimensions: total length: 29.5 cm, blade length: 17 cm!
- A budget replica! There may be some play in the handle guard and a slight misalignment of the blade from the knife axis!
FOR REENACTMENT?
The U.S. M3 Trench Knife was introduced to the U.S. Army in March 1943 as the standard assault knife for close combat during World War II. It replaced the Mark I M1918 knuckle-duster dagger, which had served as the primary combat knife. Its production was prohibitively expensive, and the brass used for the handle proved to be a strategic resource needed by the military. Between March 1943 and August 1944, nine American manufacturers (including Imperial, Camillus, Utica, and Case) produced a total of exactly 2,590,247 of this model. Initial batches were issued with a leather M6 sheath, often attached directly to the calf by paratroopers. However, this was quickly replaced by the more moisture-resistant M8 sheath, and later the M8A1, made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic and featuring a metal belt hook. Production of the M3 ended in the summer of 1944 when the Army decided to add a bayonet mount to the M1 Carbine. The M3 knife became the direct base for the new M4 bayonet, which differed from it only in the ring on the guard and the latch in the pommel of the handle. Despite the end of production, M3 knives remained in such large stocks that they were used throughout the Korean War and the early stages of the Vietnam War. Its blade profile, in turn, persisted in subsequent generations of American military bayonets, such as the M4, M5, M6, and M7 models.
* The customer is obliged to check before ordering whether the above-mentioned item is approved for import. The NESTOF store is not responsible for the seizure of the item by a customs agency or other authorized services.
