Original World War Two British / US OSS Smatchet Heavy Fighting Knife
The OSS Smatchet was one of several “sterile” weapons manufactured during World War II for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the U.S. intelligence and counterinsurgency agency that served as the predecessor to today’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). These weapons were intended for use behind enemy lines by OSS agents and by indigenous resistance forces working against Axis occupation in their respective countries.
The Smatchet was designed by William E. Fairbairn, who was also instrumental in the development of the Sykes-Fairbairn commando dagger. Production of the Smatchet was undertaken by the W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company. Knife maker, researcher, and author M.H. Cole established Case’s role in its manufacture through correspondence with the company. In a letter to Cole dated September 13, 1960, the president of Case wrote, in part:
“We have your letter of September 9, as well as your sketch of the Bolo combat knife.
This knife definitely was manufactured by our company as we were the only concern manufacturing this particular knife during World War II. The knife was manufactured for the O.S.S. Services or Office of Strategic Service Command.
The reason our name is not on the knife is due to the fact that they requested it this way so as the country of origin could not be determined.”
The absence of any manufacturer’s markings was therefore intentional. The OSS specifically requested that the knives remain “sterile” so that their American origin could not be readily identified if they were recovered by the enemy.
Cole identified two variations of the Smatchet, which he designated Number 1 and Number 2. There is no indication that Case itself used these designations, although it is generally assumed that Number 1 represents the earlier pattern. The Number 1 Smatchet featured a black plastic handle and a blade that was either left bright or given a parkerized finish. The Number 2 featured a parkerized blade, walnut scales, and a pot-metal pommel cap containing a hole for a leather lanyard. Cole also identified two types of scabbards, which he similarly designated Number 1 and Number 2. The Number 1 scabbard was made of brown leather and featured a single, narrow belt loop on the rear along with a snap strap to retain the knife. The Number 2 followed essentially the same design but incorporated a thin wooden inner layer covered in black leather.
Fairbairn considered the Smatchet an ideal close-combat weapon for personnel who were not equipped with a rifle and bayonet. He emphasized not only its physical effectiveness but also the psychological effect it had on the person wielding it:
“The psychological reaction of any man, when he first takes the smatchet in his hand is full justification for its recommendation as a fighting weapon. He will immediately register all the essential qualities of a good soldier - confidence, determination, and aggressiveness. Its balance, weight and killing power, with the point, edge or pommel, combined with the extremely simple training necessary to become efficient in its use, make it the ideal personal weapon for all those not armed with a rifle and bayonet.”
The Smatchet was used by both British and American special operations forces during World War II, including the Special Air Service (SAS) and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), respectively. Although the OSS catalog described it as a cross between a machete and a bolo, the weapon was more accurately a dedicated combat knife derived from the Royal Welch Fusiliers trench knife of World War I. Its broad, leaf-shaped blade was sharpened along its entire length on one edge and from the tip to approximately halfway down the opposite edge. The blade was finished with a dull, non-reflective coating, intended to eliminate stray reflections that might reveal the user’s position at night. Combined with its substantial weight, balance, multiple striking surfaces, and relatively simple handling characteristics, the Smatchet was purpose-built as a close-quarters fighting weapon for personnel operating without the conventional rifle and bayonet.
This example is in very good condition, and does show signs of extensive use. The blade still has most of the original parkerized finish, and does appear to have been sharpened multiple times as well as having the top chipped off. The walnut handle is in good shape, with no major issues with the wood as well as bearing the initials “RKL” hand carved into them.
