custom ww2 trench knife...

[razors edge]

I picked this up at a gun show this past weekend. The blade has been changed in a real cool way. The top nut has the sharpened shaft of the blade going through it. The knuckle head polished the handle. Are these modifications common ?

[Ron James]

I believe you have one of the many replicas made by almost all the third world countries ( oops, PC incorrect, the term is developing countries now ). The hilt was made in such a manner to ease production. Not a special modification. Could be wrong, been wrong before.

[ebeeby]

I have several M1918 knives. Maybe half are modified. None of the US M1918 knives made it to Europe in time for the Great War. The French produced M1918 knives some of which saw combat. These are distinguished by the Au Lion stamp on the ricasso

It was not uncommon for a non-com to modify his M1918 knife by grinding off the hilt in such a way that it could lay flat against the body. Some very very nice sheaths were then fabricated to accommodate the modified knife and to be rid of the rotten original sheath design. Many of these knives then saw combat in WWII.

I'm certainly no expert but I believe you have an original though modified M1918.

[Misfit-45]

Isn't this knife simply an M4 bayonet blade with a 1918 trench knife handle?
Marv