Faca da ponta?

kronckew · 19th December 2008, 10:54 PM

just picked this one up on ebay (item 140289167600)

billed as a 'vintage tobacco cutting knife', it looks more like a faca da ponta to me.

no dimensions noted in the description, so i'm hoping it's not a miniature.

will let y'all know dimensions when it arrives. anybody have any more info on these?

fernando · 20th December 2008, 01:10 AM

Hi Wayne
I had one of these; sold it the other day.
Its blade will certainly mesure 20 centimeters; probably nickel plated. You're right in that it is a version of (Brazilian) faca de ponta. The handle is made of German silver and some plastic material. The sheath would be very well made and stitched, although a commercial item, i would say.
Fernando

Gonzalo G · 21st December 2008, 12:10 AM

Fernando, can you identify this scabbard style of construction as portuguese or Brazilian? Thank you.
Regards

Gonzalo

fernando · 21st December 2008, 12:47 AM

Hi Gonzalo
I confess i don't have enough 'luggage' to discuss that.
I concluded my example was Brazilian after several discussions. Actually i took some time to find out, as the motto on the blade sounded French (Enfin), which has misguided me a lot. Eventualy the other day i saw a similar specimen in a street fair, with a different motto, which made me conclude this is current stuff and tourist orientated. I once spotted a Brazilian web site tagging similar items as faca de ponta.
I dare to say that this scabbard type has a South American touch, but that is very contingent, as such South American tendences originated from here in the Peninsula.
Fernando

kronckew · 22nd December 2008, 03:10 PM

the faca has arrived, nice little knife, single edged 16 cm. off-centre blade and an 8 cm. false edge, 1.8 cm. wide at grip, 2.8 mm. thick at the small 1.4 cm. x 1 mm circular german silver guard. the blade is inscribed 'PILOTO' in a 1 cm. high serif font. i gather this may be the name of a tobacco company in brasil that may have had these made as commemoratives, possibly why the seller referred to it as a tobacco cutting knife. it does appear to be nickle plated as noted above.

the grip, in alternating sections of german siver and a tan/custard colored plastic is 9.5 cm. the tang goes thru a final german silver rounded nut with annular grooves, where it is peened. the final domed shape metal section covering a hemisphere of the final plastic ball pommel section is inscribed with a dotted flower pattern and appears to be patinated brass.

the scabbard is leather with a leather chape and a throat section sewn over it with a downward protruding tongue to act as a belt stop.

kronckew · 26th February 2017, 08:07 PM

'piloto' appears to be a type of south american tobacco used in premium cigars.

19th December 2008, 10:54 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	Faca da ponta? just picked this one up on ebay (item 140289167600) billed as a 'vintage tobacco cutting knife', it looks more like a faca da ponta to me. no dimensions noted in the description, so i'm hoping it's not a miniature. will let y'all know dimensions when it arrives. anybody have any more info on these?

21st December 2008, 12:47 AM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Gonzalo I confess i don't have enough 'luggage' to discuss that. I concluded my example was Brazilian after several discussions. Actually i took some time to find out, as the motto on the blade sounded French (Enfin), which has misguided me a lot. Eventualy the other day i saw a similar specimen in a street fair, with a different motto, which made me conclude this is current stuff and tourist orientated. I once spotted a Brazilian web site tagging similar items as faca de ponta. I dare to say that this scabbard type has a South American touch, but that is very contingent, as such South American tendences originated from here in the Peninsula. Fernando Attached Images

22nd December 2008, 03:10 PM	#5
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	the faca has arrived, nice little knife, single edged 16 cm. off-centre blade and an 8 cm. false edge, 1.8 cm. wide at grip, 2.8 mm. thick at the small 1.4 cm. x 1 mm circular german silver guard. the blade is inscribed 'PILOTO' in a 1 cm. high serif font. i gather this may be the name of a tobacco company in brasil that may have had these made as commemoratives, possibly why the seller referred to it as a tobacco cutting knife. it does appear to be nickle plated as noted above. the grip, in alternating sections of german siver and a tan/custard colored plastic is 9.5 cm. the tang goes thru a final german silver rounded nut with annular grooves, where it is peened. the final domed shape metal section covering a hemisphere of the final plastic ball pommel section is inscribed with a dotted flower pattern and appears to be patinated brass. the scabbard is leather with a leather chape and a throat section sewn over it with a downward protruding tongue to act as a belt stop. Last edited by kronckew; 22nd December 2008 at 03:24 PM.

20th December 2008, 01:10 AM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Wayne I had one of these; sold it the other day. Its blade will certainly mesure 20 centimeters; probably nickel plated. You're right in that it is a version of (Brazilian) faca de ponta. The handle is made of German silver and some plastic material. The sheath would be very well made and stitched, although a commercial item, i would say. Fernando

21st December 2008, 12:10 AM	#3
Gonzalo G Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Nothern Mexico Posts: 458	Fernando, can you identify this scabbard style of construction as portuguese or Brazilian? Thank you. Regards Gonzalo

26th February 2017, 08:07 PM	#6
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	'piloto' appears to be a type of south american tobacco used in premium cigars.