Pioneer knife.

kronckew · 29th January 2015, 10:02 PM

Picked this one up today,

british (? - no broad arrow) pioneer full tang knife/short sword.
57 cm. LOA, 64 m. blade*. brass guard, pale horn handle slabs attached with brass cutlers screws. no scabbard, 'cast steel' blade, fullers one side only. marked Rabone Bros & co., a UK maker who apparently made these for the (south?) american market. sadly no scabbard.

*-yes i know - these are the vendor's measurements, as they do not compute. i shall measure it myself when it arrives. twice.

Fernando K · 30th January 2015, 07:42 PM

hello

I think that is a weapon-tool as a "machete", used perhaps in the war of Cuba-United States. I have somewhere an article about the weapons used, but would have to look for it.

Affectionately. Fernando K

Berkley · 31st January 2015, 06:41 AM

Rabone Bros & Co, 297-299 Broad Street, Birmingham, were “foreign merchants” (exporters) of cutlery and guns to Central & South America, and a principal supplier of materials for Cuba’s railway.
As best I can tell, they did not actually manufacture the cutlery they sold. Bernard Levine shows s horn-handled Bowie knife bearing their trademark lion couchant, which he says was probably made in Germany or Bohemia.

Ken Maddock · 31st January 2015, 09:41 AM

Hi
The knife handle has the very characteristic shape of a
Faschinemesser
A german working knife issued to engineers and pioneers for cutting sticks and small branches faschine is a bundle of sticks and messer meaning knife

Maybe this along with the german exporter idea of Berkley would add up
I have a few similar examples in storage if deemed helpful I could provide photos, different material on grip though
Google and you will find numerous types and examples
Regards
Ken

fernando · 31st January 2015, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berkley

Rabone Bros & Co, 297-299 Broad Street, Birmingham, were “foreign merchants” (exporters) of cutlery and guns to Central & South America, and a principal supplier of materials for Cuba’s railway.
As best I can tell, they did not actually manufacture the cutlery they sold...

Right you are Berkley.
I have a little turn off barrel pistol, with British proof marks and signed Rabone Brothers & Cº London on the top of the barrel, the typical place for traders (not makers) marks. It was usual for gun makers not to appose their mark on pieces as ordered by merchants and instead, engrave their trade name.

kronckew · 31st January 2015, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fernando K

hello

I think that is a weapon-tool as a "machete", used perhaps in the war of Cuba-United States. I have somewhere an article about the weapons used, but would have to look for it.

Affectionately. Fernando K

vendor did call it in his catalog a 'british made victorian machete/pioneer knife'.

searching on 'cuban machete sword' brings up a number of these with very similar blades, and a few with S-guards and horn grips with riveted scales.

i think you've cracked it. thanks.

kronckew · 10th February 2015, 12:45 PM

just arrived. blade is 44 cm. LOA is 57 cm. blade is 4mm. thick at the guard & the exposed full tang, 3cm. wide, it is distal tapered toward the point. sharp.

29th January 2015, 10:02 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	Pioneer knife. Picked this one up today, british (? - no broad arrow) pioneer full tang knife/short sword. 57 cm. LOA, 64 m. blade. brass guard, pale horn handle slabs attached with brass cutlers screws. no scabbard, 'cast steel' blade, fullers one side only. marked Rabone Bros & co., a UK maker who apparently made these for the (south?) american market. sadly no scabbard. -yes i know - these are the vendor's measurements, as they do not compute. i shall measure it myself when it arrives. twice. Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 29th January 2015 at 10:27 PM.

30th January 2015, 07:42 PM	#2
Fernando K Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 669	hello I think that is a weapon-tool as a "machete", used perhaps in the war of Cuba-United States. I have somewhere an article about the weapons used, but would have to look for it. Affectionately. Fernando K

31st January 2015, 06:41 AM	#3
Berkley Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Austin, Texas USA Posts: 257	Rabone Bros & Co, 297-299 Broad Street, Birmingham, were “foreign merchants” (exporters) of cutlery and guns to Central & South America, and a principal supplier of materials for Cuba’s railway. As best I can tell, they did not actually manufacture the cutlery they sold. Bernard Levine shows s horn-handled Bowie knife bearing their trademark lion couchant, which he says was probably made in Germany or Bohemia.

31st January 2015, 09:41 AM	#4
Ken Maddock Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Ireland Posts: 104	Hi The knife handle has the very characteristic shape of a Faschinemesser A german working knife issued to engineers and pioneers for cutting sticks and small branches faschine is a bundle of sticks and messer meaning knife Maybe this along with the german exporter idea of Berkley would add up I have a few similar examples in storage if deemed helpful I could provide photos, different material on grip though Google and you will find numerous types and examples Regards Ken

10th February 2015, 12:45 PM	#7
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	just arrived. blade is 44 cm. LOA is 57 cm. blade is 4mm. thick at the guard & the exposed full tang, 3cm. wide, it is distal tapered toward the point. sharp.