While in my garage tiding up about 2 years ago, I pulled out a knife buried in long term storage.  I had inherited it when I was about thirteen years of age, it belonged to one of my uncles, he was a World War 2 veteran, and for years I believed it was a modified bayonet brought back from the war. The design was similar to bayonet designs at the time with a long clip point blade, leather washer handle, a metal guard and pommel.

Uncle Verdun was just one, of a very small group of men, that were part of the 2/3rd Light Anti Aircraft Regiment. After arriving in Egypt, they were hurriedly sent, with virtually no weapons, to help defend the recently liberated town in North Africa called Tobruk. In 1941, after a decisive German counter attack, he along with thousands of other Allied troops were surrounded by the Axis army.  As a gunner in the AA Regiment it was Verdun's job to damage and destroy as many Axis aircraft as possible, which they did using captured Italian AA guns and other improvised weapons. For 241 days Tobruk was held, till a major counter attack by the Allied forces, relieved the garrison and the survivors were liberated back to Allied controlled zones for a well earned rest. Verdun eventually returned to Australia, retrained and was sent off to serve in Milne Bay and Finschhafen in Papua New Guinea.

After re-uniting myself with the bayonet I decided to give the knife a new lease of life, so I pulled it apart, with the intention of cleaning it up and placing it on display as part of the family history. Once stripped down it dawned on me that this was not a modified bayonet. There were no military markings, factory stamps or identity numbers to be seen.

Under a magnifying glass I found some odd parallel lines and the faint remains of a few letters. After some research, the knife turned out to be an old Sheffield file, some time later it dawned on me, as to the significance of the piece. The knife was most likely made in Tobruk. The pommel and guard were made from aluminium, a rare metal at that period of time but common in aircraft wreckage. The file, was probably from the supply depot and the best metal around for a knife. They also had plenty of time and the need for improvised weapons.

After refurbishing the knife, I got the idea and inspiration to make a series of kitchen knives, as presents for my siblings, in the approaching Christmas of 2016. So this is what got me started into knife making and during the last year and a half, I have cut, filed and ground into shape about 15 knives up to the end of 2017. Some were made from knife steel but a few were made from old metal files as well as old hand saw and circular saw blades. Most have been fixed blade kitchen or hunting knife styles but a few simple, friction folding knives, have been trialed and tested too.

As a hunter and general hand around the kitchen I have always had an affiliation with knives and enjoyed their design, practicality and the unique styles. Knives, though basically the same are used to fulfill various roles in the in the kitchen and out in the field. Their shape and size can enhance the cutting ability for certain tasks, but rarely can a knife fulfill all roles equally. So now I have decided to start selling my own variety of knives to the public. I am starting off with three basic models at reasonable prices and hope to expand into a chef's style knife and a simple friction folder in the near future. 

If you have any questions about my knife making, please contact me via the web page.

Regards Mark Bickham