Yankee Slayer II, D-Guard Bowie knife

This massive Bowie knife is not only impressive to behold, let along wield, but it is an accurate reproduction of knives from the Confederate arsenal found in Milledgeville, GA.

The clip point blade is forged from a 3/16" thick piece of 1095 spring steel.  It has been quenched and tempered for maximum edge retention and toughness.  The false edge has been sharpened to give the ability to perform a 'back-cut', just like the historic examples.  The D-guard has been hand forged from round stock, and the handle has been carefully carved out with a draw-knife.  

If you're interested in learning more about how I make this type of knife, check out the Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdlncNVKVlk.

The sheath design is also taken from the Milledgeville finds, with a full leather construction, reinforced throat, copper rivets, and a heavy belt loop.

This is the perfect knife for anyone interested in the Civil War, or for those just love big knives.  For those looking for authenticity, this knife was made much the same as the historic examples from 1860.

Blade length: 16"

Overall length: 21"

Grip length: 4.5"

Knife weight: 30.4oz

Knife and sheath weight: 40.1oz

Hudson Bay D-Guard: Photo Set

Check out the Youtube video: https://youtu.be/5pw3vwDfef4

12" blade, forged from 1095 steel. Steel guard, hickory handle.

The sheath is made from one integral piece of leather.

The leather was stained with homemade birch oil and neatsfoot oil.

"French Nail": WWI Trench Knife, Hand-Forged Replica and Historic Examples of Actual Trench Knives and Bayonets

The French Nail was a type of impromptu weapon made during the Great War by blacksmiths on the front for the troops engaged in trench warfare.  The typical bayonets issued at the time were to long for the close-in fighting and hand-to-hand combat that would occur when entrenched positions were over-run or raided, so the soldiers went to the local blacksmiths and farriers and asked them to make shorter, more effective stabbing instruments.  Wrought from barbed wire stanchions, the French Nail seems to have been a fairly prevalent design, with many historic examples existing today.  The knuckle guard protects the fighter's hand as well as allowing them to use it as an impact device, and the double-edged dagger-style blade pierces exceptionally well and cuts with remarkable easy. 

French Nail replica, by Blackheart Forge

My version of the French Nail was forged from a car coil spring and quenched in tallow to give it the blackened finish.  The sheath is made from full-grain leather and was stained using neatsfoot oil, for an authentic looking finish.  It is available for purchase here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/698511004/wwi-replica-fighting-knife-french-nail?ref=shop_home_active_1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/698511004/wwi-replica-fighting-knife-french-nail?ref=shop_home_active_1

Here are some historic examples of French Nails that were made during the Great War.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30001250

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30001250

At least two that I have found during my research had wooden scabbards with them, for a crude but effective carry method.  Below is a photo from what appears to be a genuine French Nail with a leather sheath, but I can't verify the source. 

German barbed wire stanchion, the principal candidate for recycled blade steel for making trench knives on the front.

Stanchions in use.

Scrap metal from the front.
You can see a stanchion buried in there.

I also found some interesting photos of blacksmiths and mobile smithies from the war.  

French blacksmiths; the man on the right has a "French" pattern hammer.

Mobile British smithy, 1915

British farriers, 1915

I couldn't find any photos of soldiers carrying French Nails, but here some photos of troops posing with their trench knives.  The pattern I notice is that the knives seem to have been worn on the left side, and wielded "tip-down" in a reverse or icepick grip. 

Dual-wielding a knife and grenade. 

The left hand wields the knife in an icepick grip while the right hand holds a revolver.

Some of the rifles and bayonets issued during the War.
Note the trend for longer blades.

The long bayonet mounted on a rifle gave soldiers tremendous reach,
but in the confines of the  trenches a shorter blade proved more useful. 

Remington bayonet for the Lee-Enfield rifle.

D-Guard Pirate Cutlass- Photo set

This D-guard knife was a custom order, and sports a 17" long blade forged from 1095 high carbon steel.  The guard is forged from a round bar of steel, and fitted to a walnut handle.  There is a quick "making-of" video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/fUp_lKsldl0.  The grind is similar to that of a sword, coming from the center of the blade to make a convex edge.  The blade stock was 3/16" thick, so while it is a large tool, it still handles nicely.  This knife cuts phenomenally and can chop through logs and branches with impressive easy.

Complete Build video: https://youtu.be/bfTCpJsYaiE