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Author Topic: Old Knife  (Read 8758 times)

Tatonka

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Old Knife
« on: September 02, 2011, 05:56:46 PM »



« Last Edit: May 13, 2020, 07:14:05 PM by rich pierce »
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Offline Dennis Glazener

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2011, 06:01:45 PM »
Welcome to ALR Tatonka, very interesting knife. Do you know any of its history?
Dennis
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Offline Shreckmeister

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2011, 06:04:26 PM »
Wow, first post is really nice.   I can't recall seeing that shape before.  Are those
museum marks on the blade?  What do you know about it?  Welcome and thanks for
sharing.
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Tatonka

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2011, 06:11:17 PM »
Thank you.  Unfortunately I know nothing, as is usually the case.  It is quite large and does appear to have old museum or collection markings on it that say "N.W." and then a year.  The year appears to be 1867, though it could be 1967.  My best guess is that this refers to the date it was found.  It has an antler handle.  I believe it was purchased at an auction, with no provenance accompanying it, somewhere in the midwest.  I have another one of similar design but in better shape.  However, it does not have the stylistically carved handle and does not have any pitting on it whatsoever.  I have them both hanging on the wall of my office together.  Actually they are separated by a warclub.  :)
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Offline okieboy

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2011, 09:25:10 PM »
 Suzkat, when I saw the knife I immediately thought, "Leaf pattern sax." That shape seems to form itself almost naturally when hammering out hot iron on the anvil and don't have a particular shape that you are trying to form. At least that is what has happened at my anvil sometimes.
 The piece looks like it wants to tell stories. Thanks for posting it Tatonka.
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Offline vtbuck223

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2011, 06:54:57 PM »
Interesting knife....it has the shape of a roach belly....only in reverse....if I'm seeing it correctly. Blade seems much longer than most...but I read that "voyageurs" used longer versions. However...it is likely that the sharpened side once flared out as well....maybe it was originally a pike that was converted to a knife? very cool handle. Thanks for the pics....you've got some good stuff on here!
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Tatonka

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2011, 08:15:05 PM »
It is a large knife.  I don't know who used it or why, but it does look cool and I wouldn't mind commissioning a repro of it for my own use.  I do have a similar old knife in better shape.  I will post photos of it when I get a chance.
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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2011, 08:24:49 PM »
 How is the handle attached, can you tell? The blade looks like it was in the ground for some time.

  Thanks, Tim C.
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Tatonka

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2011, 08:30:35 PM »
Quote from: Tim Crosby on September 07, 2011, 08:24:49 PM
How is the handle attached, can you tell? The blade looks like it was in the ground for some time.

  Thanks, Tim C.

I can't tell.  there doesn't appear to be any pins sticking in it, or any appearance of the tang which is visible.  However, every nook and cranny of the handle is entombed with petrified dirt, so I just may not be able to see it.
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Offline T.C.Albert

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2011, 08:52:44 PM »
I hate to even go here, but the handle looks in way better condition than the blade, to me thats a bit of a red flag...in fact the handle looks like it was actually darkened quite a bit, perhaps with leather dye etc???  

and that type of handle (sans carved decoratations) is usually associated with late 19th/ early 20th century English cutlery...and may have once had a silver ferrule and a standard commercial type blade...the blade hafted there is nothing like any carving knife Ive seen, perhaps implying a re-haft, but why rehaft such a wasted blade?? ...all in all, another red flag...

Sorry to be a doubting Thomas, especially since Im no expertand cant examine the piece in hand etc...but based on what I see, I have my doubts
about it being really old etc...  
« Last Edit: September 07, 2011, 09:36:49 PM by T.C.Albert »
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Tatonka

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2011, 09:43:32 PM »
I have seen quite a few antler, bone or ivory handles come out of the ground in exceedingly good shape.  But who knows?  As for the blade, I know people can do amazing things nowadays, but the pitting is about as genuine as I have ever seen on ground finds.  IMHO, the handle (except the carving) is not much different than most crude 18th and 19th century handles found on hunting knives.  This one however, is much larger than the usual hunting knife, it is almost like a camp knife.  I would venture to say that it would be way too big to be a carving knife.  My guess would be a skinning/camp/machete knife.
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Tatonka

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2011, 10:01:41 PM »






« Last Edit: May 13, 2020, 07:15:26 PM by rich pierce »
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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2011, 10:45:21 PM »
 Take a look at this:

  http://arms2armor.com/Knives/barong1.htm

 Tim C.
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Tatonka

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #13 on: September 07, 2011, 10:57:15 PM »
Wow that blade looks like it has dried blood on it.  :o  Similar look except for the stag handles.
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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2011, 12:32:25 AM »
 There are/were deer on the Philippine islands, one being the Philippine Sambar. It’s antlers are large enough to make a handle out of.  Maybe the carving on the handle is a Palm frond??

 Tim C.
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Tatonka

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #15 on: September 08, 2011, 12:40:04 AM »
Could be.  Maybe it was brought over to the "N.W." by a British sailor.
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Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Old Knife
« Reply #16 on: September 08, 2011, 12:54:53 AM »
 It would be interesting to find out what that museum mark, if that's what it is, would lead to.

 Tim C. 
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