Julia Peter

Amazing Facts about the Brass Knuckle Knife: Why was it Invented?


Without a doubt, the brass knuckle knife is one of the most awesome WWI and WWII weapons; the brass knuckle knife is also known as the trench knife. A historical analysis of the brass knuckle knife lets us know about so many things and awesome information with regards the purpose and reason for which the brass knuckle knife was developed in the first place.

Since the start of the American civil war, the various think tans of the time came up with one important question: how could they assist their soldiers and fighters to kill in an effective way. The quest to the answer to this question got intensified with the start of WWI. It is important to note here that the WWI and WWII were essentially fought within the trenches. This is also one of the reasons for naming the brass knuckle knife as the trench knife.

What was the Quest?

Before we proceed to peak into the quest which leads to the invention of the all-time-famous brass knuckle knife; it is crucial to understand about what exactly was going on during the WWI and WWII with regards to the fighting mechanics of the soldiers. As mentioned earlier, both of the world wars were brutal; moreover, these were fought within the tight spaces of the trenches. Not to mention the fact that the "spaces" existing between the opponents' trenches was worse than a nightmare due to continuous firing from both sides. The only time any troop could make some sort of advancement was during night time.

The Brass Knuckle Knife was Essentially a Trench Knife…

Once a troop entered the line of their enemy; they had to stay as silent as possible since alerting even a single soldier of the enemy could have a disastrous result. In this regard, they couldn't afford to fire a gun; they were in a dire need to come up with a silent yet lethal weapon to do the needful jobs. The broad machetes were plentiful at the time of WWI and WWII; however, these couldn't be effectively used within the trenches similar to the long-barreled rifles. It was during this time, that an engineer came up with a brilliant to the quest of finding a better way to kill: the brass knuckle knife.

Who Invented the Brass Knuckle Knife?

The first kind of brass knuckle knife was the Mark 1 brass knuckle knife. In fact, the first manufacturing company of the brass knuckle knife was "Henry Disston & Sons" who performed the wonderful job of adding a set of brass knuckles along with s spiked pommel to the blade of a combat knife. The final result was overwhelmingly successful; the brass knuckle knife, also known as the trench knife became one of the most favorite combat weapons for the soldiers of WWI and WWII due to the fact that it could be maneuvered effectively even in tight space within the trenches. This is also the reason the brass knuckle gun came into existence. However, for now, we are focusing on the brass knuckle knife and the purpose of it being invented in the first place.

The Design of the Primary Version of the Brass Knuckle Knife

The first proper version of the brass knuckle knife comprised a rather flimsy blade which was meant for quick stabbing exclusively. However, further developments were made and the first proper brass knuckle knife model introduced was the "M1918" brass knuckle knife/trench knife which is still popular even today. The newer version of the brass knuckle knife comprised a dual blade and proper handle with an inbuilt set of the knuckle duster.

In contrast to the previous version of the trench knife, this brass knuckle knife was deemed as ideal for a variety of "killing" tasks, including thrusting; cutting; slicing, and slashing. This model of the brass knuckle knife turned into an instant hit causing the soldiers of WWI and WWII to heavily rely on the trench knives. Despite the fact that the brass knuckle knife isn't used as much as during the era of the WWI and WWII; still, it makes an amazing piece of conversation. If you are a collector of amazing blades, then the brass knuckle knife is definitely for you!

Read More: What Airsoft Guns Can You Get for the Best Price of Under $50?

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