Ethnographic folding knives

kronckew · 27th November 2008, 12:12 AM

another ethnic folder i like is the barrel knife from sweden, they are each unique and the parts are not interchangeable.
this is sometimes referred to as an '1874' model as that was when it was 'patented' in the USA by a maker who had learned to make them in sweden, one of the swedish makers, john engstrum stamped his with the date he started making them, also 1874, this is NOT necessarily the mfg. date, he made them from 1874 thru 1918 and all were stamped 1874. they were made from 1864-1925 by the major mfg. mine is a p. holmberg, made between 1900-1920, 2.75 in. barrel.

photos showing how it's opened (reverse sequence to close

)

closed

unlocked and removed from grip - there is a little spring loaded pawl/lever near the ring

blade swinging into position. you can see the little spring locking thingy

reinsterted and locked into grip and you have a nice scandi fixed blade knife.

KuKulzA28 · 4th September 2009, 04:01 AM

For those interested, I found the website of the traditional knife-maker in 士林, Taipei, Taiwan. I believe he is 5th generation in the practice, making these traditional bamboo-leaf shaped blades. He has no apprentices as far as I know. There's a price list and sampling of the hand-made / custom-made 士林刀! Here's also a short youtube video of him. I've ordered a blade with him, and it should be done in November (he has me in the queue).

I am not sure if I am allowed to post his website as it is a commercial site (though not an "ongoing auction"). I think he also has a partnership that is a multi-person assembly process that makes decent but not quite as good knives.

Oriental-Arms · 4th September 2009, 05:49 AM

Regarding the small folder posted by Maisey, thus was discussed before in the forum. See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=918

asomotif · 4th September 2009, 06:36 AM

Thanks !

Anandalal N. · 4th September 2009, 07:47 AM

The folding knife posted by Alan Maisey is a knife used by scribes. The blade is a multiple use blade including the preparing of the 'ola leaf' of the palm tree on which traditionally writing was done. The point is a stylus with the use of which images are scraped on the palm leaf and blackened in with charcoal and oil or some other substance. This example is from South India; the script appears to be Tamil.

Certain Pihakaettas from Sri Lanka that still retain their sheath have a seperate channel to hold the stylus. These knives are a portable version of same.

By the way I have one of these knives where the stylus has rusted into the grip and cannot be removed. The grip is of wood. Any advice on how I could release the stylus would be appreciated.

The carpet makers knife has a small nick at the end of the point to catch the string and pull it through.

Anandalal N. · 4th September 2009, 07:57 AM

Here is an ola leaf written with a stylus. The script is sinhalese and the contents is Ayurvedic text.

By the way the wood of the grip in Alan Maiseys example also looks like coconut or some other such palm?

A. G. Maisey · 6th September 2009, 02:17 PM

Thank you Anandalal for what I believe to be the correct ID of the folder I posted a pic of in post #4.

I obtained this knife from an importer of hand woven carpets, and it was he who suggested that it was in fact a carpet maker's knife.

Perhaps it was, but probably not used for making carpets.

Your explanation makes perfect sense.

Again, my thanks.

4th September 2009, 07:47 AM	#5
Anandalal N. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 84	The folding knife posted by Alan Maisey is a knife used by scribes. The blade is a multiple use blade including the preparing of the 'ola leaf' of the palm tree on which traditionally writing was done. The point is a stylus with the use of which images are scraped on the palm leaf and blackened in with charcoal and oil or some other substance. This example is from South India; the script appears to be Tamil. Certain Pihakaettas from Sri Lanka that still retain their sheath have a seperate channel to hold the stylus. These knives are a portable version of same. By the way I have one of these knives where the stylus has rusted into the grip and cannot be removed. The grip is of wood. Any advice on how I could release the stylus would be appreciated. The carpet makers knife has a small nick at the end of the point to catch the string and pull it through. Attached Images

4th September 2009, 07:57 AM	#6
Anandalal N. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 84	Here is an ola leaf written with a stylus. The script is sinhalese and the contents is Ayurvedic text. By the way the wood of the grip in Alan Maiseys example also looks like coconut or some other such palm? Attached Images

27th November 2008, 12:12 AM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,235	another ethnic folder i like is the barrel knife from sweden, they are each unique and the parts are not interchangeable. this is sometimes referred to as an '1874' model as that was when it was 'patented' in the USA by a maker who had learned to make them in sweden, one of the swedish makers, john engstrum stamped his with the date he started making them, also 1874, this is NOT necessarily the mfg. date, he made them from 1874 thru 1918 and all were stamped 1874. they were made from 1864-1925 by the major mfg. mine is a p. holmberg, made between 1900-1920, 2.75 in. barrel. photos showing how it's opened (reverse sequence to close ) closed unlocked and removed from grip - there is a little spring loaded pawl/lever near the ring blade swinging into position. you can see the little spring locking thingy reinsterted and locked into grip and you have a nice scandi fixed blade knife.

4th September 2009, 04:01 AM	#2
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	For those interested, I found the website of the traditional knife-maker in 士林, Taipei, Taiwan. I believe he is 5th generation in the practice, making these traditional bamboo-leaf shaped blades. He has no apprentices as far as I know. There's a price list and sampling of the hand-made / custom-made 士林刀! Here's also a short youtube video of him. I've ordered a blade with him, and it should be done in November (he has me in the queue). I am not sure if I am allowed to post his website as it is a commercial site (though not an "ongoing auction"). I think he also has a partnership that is a multi-person assembly process that makes decent but not quite as good knives.

4th September 2009, 05:49 AM	#3
Oriental-Arms Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Haifa, Israel Posts: 183	Regarding the small folder posted by Maisey, thus was discussed before in the forum. See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=918

4th September 2009, 06:36 AM	#4
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,235	Thanks !

6th September 2009, 02:17 PM	#7
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,044	Thank you Anandalal for what I believe to be the correct ID of the folder I posted a pic of in post #4. I obtained this knife from an importer of hand woven carpets, and it was he who suggested that it was in fact a carpet maker's knife. Perhaps it was, but probably not used for making carpets. Your explanation makes perfect sense. Again, my thanks.