Description
WW2 era Patton Sword fighting knife by San Antonio Iron Works, TX. Large fighter made from WW1 Springfield Arsenal M1913 Cavalry Saber dated 1915; matching original GI-signed leather scabbard included. Rare type in great overall condition, considering the age.
Very rare WW2 era fighting knife made during the war by San Antonio Iron Works in Texas, USA from the hilt part of WW1 era M1913 Cavalry Saber, typically referred to as the “Patton Sword”. The original M1913 Calvary saber was developed by the now-famous General Patton prior to WW1. The sword was an excellent weapon but it was rendered useless by the advances in modern warfare by the time the United States has actually entered WW1. After the Great War ended most of the M1913 sabers ended up collecting dust in the government arsenals.
During the first couple of years of WW2 the US servicemen had no standard-issue fighting knife and the military was desperately looking for a quick way to satisfy the demand for the much-needed fighting knives early in the War. So someone came up with the idea of re-purposing these old (and by than obsolete weapons anyway) info fighting knives and daggers. A large quantity of Patton Swords and even older Civil War sabers were converted into somewhat crude, but very practical fighting knives and trench daggers. The “San Antonio” daggers and knives are some of the best known examples of such side arms. Each M1913 saber was made into 3 fighting knives. Obviously, the “hilt part” fighters are scarcer than the rest. Also, just in case if you are looking for an original, uncut M1913 Calvary Saber, I have one available for sale in my store
These intimidating “Patton Sword” fighters were made by a number of American makers during the war, including San Antonio Iron Works of San Antonio, TX. This exact type is illustrated on page 222 of the KNIVES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY WORLD WAR II book by Michael W Silvey – a well-established expert and the author of a number of books on the subject of the US military edged weapons (see book’s scans attached).
This huge fighting knife is about 15” / 38 cm overall; the blade is about 8-3/4” / 22.3 cm; the edge is very sharp still; the tip is intact. The original M1913 Saber that this knife was converted from was manufactured by the famous Springfield Arsenal (SA) in 1915. The ricasso is stamped SA / 1915 / US “flaming bomb” ordinance mark on one side, arsenal serial number 30363 / US on the other. The original M1913 handle scales are great condition, considering the age. One scale has a crack near the top screw but the handle is tight; nothing’s loose. The guard is solid; all parts are tight with no play.
Original San Antonio IW “long type” leather scabbard with the tooled floral pattern on the front; the back is GI-signed with numerous deployment locations in Europe and several cities and regions in Germany; further research is needed. The top of the belt hanger is signed in pencil with what looks like CONGLETON / CRIPPER BAY / WAYMOUTH / FRANCE / PARIS. The mid-section is signed ARLOW / LONGITY / BELGIUM / LUXEMBOURG. The lower section is signed with multiple locations in Germany: AACHEN / ESCHWIELE / DUREN / ZULPYCH / RHEIMBACH / GERMANY. Some names have faded and are hard to read; further research is needed.
These original super-embossed leather San Antonio scabbards are actually scarcer than the knives themselves as they did not last as long as the knives in the field. Finding a complete set is not so easy nowadays. This scabbard is well-used but it’s in great shape overall, considering the age. All original stitching is intact; the leather is pretty supple still; some typical damage to the tip is noted for accuracy (the blade would poke a hole in the tip of the scabbard if dropped on a hard surface). This WW2 era San Antonio Iron Works fighting knife made from the WW1 era M1913 Cavalry Saber is a great find – today most of the surviving WW2 era San Antonio Iron Works fighting knives are in private collections and are off the market. This is one of the best WW2 era “non-regulation” US fighting knives with a lot of character and in excellent overall condition, you will not be disappointed!
This original WW2 era Patton Sword fighting knife made by San Antonio Iron Works has not been cleaned or tampered with in any way, it is in 100% original “as is” condition. These are the actual photos; spent brass and Garand clips are not included with the lot 😉 I have several fighting knives made from converted sabers, as well as some scarce WW1 and WW2 fighting daggers and trench knives available for sale – please take a look in our Militaria section.
Argocoins accepts all major credit cards and payments via PayPal as forms of payment. Please email me at info@argocoins.com if you would like to make a credit card purchase over the phone. Old-fashioned checks and money orders will work as well; please take a look at the Payments section within our Terms and Conditions for additional details. Follow me on Facebook @argoman400BC to keep an eye on the latest additions and promotions.
DOMESTIC USPS PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING WITH SIGN-FOR DELIVERY CONFIRMATION WILL BE $15.75 FOR THIS ITEM
International shipping for this item will be $55 and up to most countries on our “ship-to” list.