Very well posed question Kukulz, and as you note, many tribal and ethnographic cultures cross utilize weapons as tools, especially in the SE Asian, Indonesian, Filipino and many other cultures where weapons such as machetes are required.
As Jens has noted, in India, the tulwar and shamshir were often used in hunting, and examples with scenes in relief of hunts etc (motif termed shikargar) are well known. In India, it seems that the hunt was not only for sport or food , but actually served as essentially a form of training and exercise for military and combat acuity. It has been suggested that in some ways, contests against wild animals were a sort of test, and it was especially challenging to fight predatory animals such as the tiger even with a katar or dagger.
The pichangatti shown by Jens was as noted, a utility knife, often with added and attached items for tonsorial use etc. however, as with most implements.....could certainly serve as a weapon as required....much as we have certainly heard of kitchen knives used. Most knives in tribal areas serve as eating utensils on occasion, dressing of game, while in most cases those of station often used various forms of knives en trousse.
As you have mentioned, the chopper type weapons such as Malabars, ayda kaetti, may have served in any number of utility uses as required, but it is doubtful such use was specifically intended.
Many weapons such as the kora, and as Jens mentioned, the kukri, were not only weapons, but used as sacrificial implements. The ram dao, which surely again, could have been used as a weapon, usually was for sacrificial use only.
These are mostly what comes to mind at the moment, but cannot think of a weapon of the subcontinent offhand made to serve as both tool and weapon.,
All best regards,
Jim
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