Description
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This is a faithful replica of the rare “French Nail” (Clous Français), a steel knuckle bow combat knife forged amid the brutal conditions of the Western Front. Its design is plain but effective,a stabbing weapon born from urgent necessity. These knives were often crafted in French front-line artillery workshops, known as ”parcs d’artillerie,’’ using steel salvaged directly from the reinforced concrete of German field fortifications. Some were fashioned from metal posts used by the Germans to anchor their barbed wire defenses. The handle was cleverly formed by bending the metal post into a knuckle guard, offering both hand protection and a steady grip. The blade is double-edged and flattened, featuring a strong piercing point reinforced by a pronounced central rib for added strength. The original came with a wooden box sheath fastened by a leather strap, which this replica also includes.
This piece is referenced in Frederick Stephen’s Fighting Knives, page 23.
This is a faithful replica of the rare “French Nail” (Clous Français), a steel knuckle bow combat knife forged amid the brutal conditions of the Western Front. Its design is plain but effective,a stabbing weapon born from urgent necessity. These knives were often crafted in French front-line artillery workshops, known as ”parcs d’artillerie,’’ using steel salvaged directly from the reinforced concrete of German field fortifications. Some were fashioned from metal posts used by the Germans to anchor their barbed wire defenses. The handle was cleverly formed by bending the metal post into a knuckle guard, offering both hand protection and a steady grip. The blade is double-edged and flattened, featuring a strong piercing point reinforced by a pronounced central rib for added strength. The original came with a wooden box sheath fastened by a leather strap, which this replica also includes.
This piece is referenced in Frederick Stephen’s Fighting Knives, page 23.
- Overall length: 12-1/2″
- Blade length: 7″
- Weight: 14 oz
Fun Fact: The “French Nail” wasn’t just named for its slender shape,many were improvised by soldiers themselves, who turned scrap metal and battlefield debris into deadly close-combat weapons during World War I.
