Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original U.S. Model 1918 Mark I Trench Knife manufactured by Landers, Frary & Clark and later modified with the guard being heavily cut down, and fitted with a custom leather scabbard of the type associated with WWII reuse. Its massive brass knuckle grip, double edged dagger blade, and dark aged patina, give this example the unmistakable appearance of a well used fighting knife that remained in service long after WWI. The sheath is inscribed with a laundry number, C-3584, and a nickname, THE SPANIARD, which may be a clue that the soldier who carried this was of hispanic descent. 

The U.S. Model 1918 Mark I was the second major knuckle knife officially adopted by the United States military. It was developed for the brutal close quarters fighting associated with the trench warfare of the Western Front during the final phase of WWI. The pattern remained in American military inventories after the Armistice and continued to see use during WWII.

The Model 1918 Mark I is immediately recognizable by its cast brass grip and integral knuckle guard. This example measures 11 ¾ inches overall and is fitted with a 6 ¾ inch double edged dagger blade. As mentioned the sides of the crossguard have been cut down so that the knife will fit into the thin sheath.

The brass grip is clearly marked:

U.S. 1918
L.F. & C.
1918

The grip and knuckle guard retain a deeply aged, darkened appearance. Much of the original blackened finish is now absent. The handle shows heavy scuffing and denting along the spine, together with visible casting flaws and wear accumulated through handling and service.

The rounded crossguard has been cut down on both sides, giving it a flat profile. This alteration appears to have been made so the knife would fit properly into the custom leather scabbard.

The custom leather scabbard is fitted with a thin belt loop and a leather retaining strap that passes around the grip through the pinkie finger opening. The strap is now heavily crazed. Its snap remains present and still functions but handle it with care. There is some cracking and material loss around the throat from the sharpness of the knife, and the entire sheath has some heavy overall wear. 

As mentioned, the front of the sheath is faintly inscribed with:

THE
SPANIARD

Over the laundry number C-3584. We could not identify the owner based off of these but there is research to be done.

As originally manufactured, Model 1918 Mark I knives were blackened, including both the blade and brass knuckle grip, and were issued with sheet-steel scabbards fitted with wire hooks for attachment to U.S. web equipment. Those steel scabbards were susceptible to damage and loss, and surviving knives that remained in service into WWII are sometimes encountered with replacement leather scabbards of unit, field, commercial, or theater-made construction.

The Model 1918 Mark I continued in secondary U.S. service after WWI and remained available in wartime inventories during WWII before eventually becoming obsolete. That extended service life accounts for surviving examples with modified guards, replacement scabbards, refinished surfaces, and other alterations made to keep them useful in the field.

American Model 1918 Mark I knives were produced by Henry Disston & Sons, Landers, Frary & Clark, and Oneida Community Ltd., while French-made examples marked AU LION are also known. Landers, Frary & Clark of New Britain, Connecticut, was a major American manufacturer of cutlery, tools, household goods, and military equipment and also produced other U.S. trench-knife patterns during WWI.

The combination of the U.S. 1918 / L.F. & C. markings, heavily modified guard, dark service-worn brass grip, custom leather scabbard, THE SPANIARD inscription, and C-3584 laundry number makes this an especially evocative example of a WWI trench knife that appears to have remained in use into the WWII era. The later modifications and personalized scabbard are integral parts of its history and give the knife considerably more individual character than an untouched issue example.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 6 3/4"
Blade Style: Double Edged
Overall length: 12”
Grip: 4 1/2" long x 3 3/4" wide
Scabbard Length: 7 ¾” + Belt Loop