Still a Mystery ...

[Ian]

I've posted this knife twice previously on the Forum. The first time was in the old UBB Forum (now defunct), and the last time was 17 years ago here. I'm still not much closer to identifying exactly where it came from and what it is.

Unidentified Oriental-style Knife with Dog's Head Hilt in Brass Sheath

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In the last round of suggestions, the most likely use for it seemed to be a tobacco knife. The question as to where it came from was not answered directly, although a Filipino-Chinese origin seemed plausible. There is extensive tobacco growing in N. Luzon, mainly owned and operated by Chinese families and companies.

In the intervening 17+ years since my last thread, has anyone seen a similar knife or can offer a more definitive answer to what it is and where it came from? It bugs the heck out of me not to have seen another example or be able to answer two simple questions.

[JeffS]

I've seen that profile used for large game skinning knives...

[Fernando K]

Hello

For me, it is a capador knife. I don't know if camels or dromedaries get rid of...

Affectionately

[Fernando K]

....castrate.....

[milandro]

the shape seems indeed very common in Europe ( all cardinal points ) too and with general purpose functions, not only castration it could certainly be used to skin animals.

So I think this may mean that there is parallel evolution and that there are only so many variations that can happen to a blade before it repeats itself somewhere else without any apparent connection.

[Edster]

Does the engraving on the sheath offer any insights? The man appears to be doing something.