An interesting old Chamorro knife

not2sharp · 19th February 2006, 07:33 PM

The stamping on the blade reads "Tokyo Japan/ano bei" (italian for beautiful year)

Has anyone come across a similar knife or stamp.

n2s

Justin · 19th February 2006, 09:36 PM

It vaguely reminds me of these:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=keeling+knife

There are also some knives from Guam that might be a closer match but working only from memory I think they are a little different,shorter and wider mainly.

not2sharp · 19th February 2006, 10:49 PM

Here are a few more examples. It is a fading art but there are still a few knifemakers producing these today. These are all from around or before WWII. The one with the star shaped rivets dates from the 1920s.

n2s

not2sharp · 9th April 2006, 08:58 AM

BTTT,

The markings on the original knife may read Tokyo Japan/5nd BEI; could that be read as Tokyo Japan 1905?

I am reading this as a Guam made knife produced for a sailor in 1905 ("5nd BEI" may provide a hint as to which flag this guy sailed under?)

n2s

Rich · 9th April 2006, 11:53 AM

Interestingly, I've seen a number of these on ebay being sold (without sheaths)
as Civil War bowie knives :-)

Rich S

Ian · 9th April 2006, 02:14 PM

The shape of these blades looks very much like mainland SE Asia general purpose knives. Take the riveted hilts off these, and replace with a piece of bamboo or hardwood (mounted blind tang) and a single ferrule to hold it tightly in place, and they would be typical working knives from Burma to Vietnam. This blade style has been around a long time in that region.

Perhaps some are Japanese copies post-WWII.

Has anyone etched these to see if they have a hardened edge?

Ian.

not2sharp · 9th April 2006, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

The shape of these blades looks very much like mainland SE Asia general purpose knives. Take the riveted hilts off these, and replace with a piece of bamboo or hardwood (mounted blind tang) and a single ferrule to hold it tightly in place, and they would be typical working knives from Burma to Vietnam. This blade style has been around a long time in that region.

Perhaps some are Japanese copies post-WWII.

Has anyone etched these to see if they have a hardened edge?

Ian.

Much of Guam's original native population perished from desease after Spain took pocession so the population was augmented with immigrants from SEA especially the Phillipines.

Here are recent photos of these style of knives at a local Guam shop:

n2s

not2sharp · 20th January 2015, 10:43 PM

BTW, if you look very closely at episode 17 "The turkey shoot", of the 1952 NBC TV documentary series Victory At Sea, you will get a glimpse of one of these knives being used by a native to trim a palm during WWII. IIRC it is visible at about the 17 minute mark on that episode.

n2s

edited to add link to the Turkey Shoot episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK-UjS4ntao

spiral · 22nd January 2015, 01:09 AM

Thanks for sharing...

19th February 2006, 07:33 PM	#1
not2sharp Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 210	An interesting old Chamorro knife The stamping on the blade reads "Tokyo Japan/ano bei" (italian for beautiful year) Has anyone come across a similar knife or stamp. n2s

19th February 2006, 10:49 PM	#3
not2sharp Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 210	Here are a few more examples. It is a fading art but there are still a few knifemakers producing these today. These are all from around or before WWII. The one with the star shaped rivets dates from the 1920s. n2s Last edited by not2sharp; 19th February 2006 at 11:02 PM.

9th April 2006, 02:14 PM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,203	Blades look mainland SE Asian The shape of these blades looks very much like mainland SE Asia general purpose knives. Take the riveted hilts off these, and replace with a piece of bamboo or hardwood (mounted blind tang) and a single ferrule to hold it tightly in place, and they would be typical working knives from Burma to Vietnam. This blade style has been around a long time in that region. Perhaps some are Japanese copies post-WWII. Has anyone etched these to see if they have a hardened edge? Ian.

20th January 2015, 10:43 PM	#8
not2sharp Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 210	BTW, if you look very closely at episode 17 "The turkey shoot", of the 1952 NBC TV documentary series Victory At Sea, you will get a glimpse of one of these knives being used by a native to trim a palm during WWII. IIRC it is visible at about the 17 minute mark on that episode. n2s edited to add link to the Turkey Shoot episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK-UjS4ntao Last edited by not2sharp; 21st January 2015 at 07:55 PM.

19th February 2006, 09:36 PM	#2
Justin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 175	It vaguely reminds me of these: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=keeling+knife There are also some knives from Guam that might be a closer match but working only from memory I think they are a little different,shorter and wider mainly.

9th April 2006, 08:58 AM	#4
not2sharp Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 210	BTTT, The markings on the original knife may read Tokyo Japan/5nd BEI; could that be read as Tokyo Japan 1905? I am reading this as a Guam made knife produced for a sailor in 1905 ("5nd BEI" may provide a hint as to which flag this guy sailed under?) n2s

9th April 2006, 11:53 AM	#5
Rich Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: comfortably at home, USA Posts: 432	Interestingly, I've seen a number of these on ebay being sold (without sheaths) as Civil War bowie knives :-) Rich S

22nd January 2015, 01:09 AM	#9
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Thanks for sharing...