Ethnographic folding knives

[Freddy]

I'm a bit like Alan. When I visit a fleamarket and I see an inexpensive folder, I just buy it. Goes together with the rest.

I've been doing this since I was in school (and that's a long time ago). From every schooltrip, I returned with a small knife. Must be in my blood Just can't help it.

When we (from the States or Europe) talk about etnographic knives, we always think about knives from China, Japan, Afghanistan, etc.... People living on that side of the planet might consider European knives also as typical and etnographic.

Here are some which might fit into that category : Opinel, Albacete and the unknown knife with horn grip.

Finally a portion of what I found the past few years : from tourist knife to Swiss knife. And there are a lot more in my collection.

[A. G. Maisey]

Well Freddy, you're a bit better organised than I am.

Here's some of my indiscriminate accumulation --- how they're stored and most of what's in that drawer laid out.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by Freddy

...
When we (from the States or Europe) talk about ethnographic knives, we always think about knives from China, Japan, Afghanistan, etc.... People living on that side of the planet might consider European knives also as typical and ethnographic.
...

i'll go along with freddy on that. some of these french, spanish, and other folders may be european, but are also traditional knife forms of historical designs associated with specific ethnic cultures which happen to be in europe, rather than the bland one shape fits all modern 'tactical' designs that could come from anywhere. we do have a european armoury sub-forum for those arms predating the 20th c. but i see no reason why a certain amount of overlap and discussion of traditional ethnic folders from europe should not occur here as well. we so rarely include them in any discussion at all.

i throw in a gratuitous photo of my marjacq knife with it's ebony grip, another french ethnic design still in production. neat ring lock that not only locks in the open position like the opinels, but in the closed position as well. i gather that opinel has now modified their design to include a similar functionality that was not there in my earlier opinels.


we have yet to see the butterfly knives that i somehow think of as filipino...i'll have to dig out a photo of mine, i think there is one traditional one amoungst some of the more 'tactical' designs....

[shangrila]

Well...there are some funny stuffs above here.

[ThePepperSkull]

I have a great uncle who is from Batangas, Phillippines. Being an old batangueno, he loves knives and has a fairly large collection of Balisong, ranging from very old to brand spanking new. I'll make a mental note to take pics for this thread the next time I visit.

[Rick]

A couple of Mom and Pop manufactured balisongs .

[Lew]

Here is an Indian folding knife that I had some years back.

[kronckew]

took a quick & nasty photo of my balisongs,


Top:marked: Frosts Cutlery - Surgical Steel - Japan
2nd: Hand Made Phillipines 11-521
3rd: (Butterfly logo), Pacific Cutlery - Japan.
Bottom: (unmarked) Rostfrei

the bottom two are amoungst the bland 'tactical' blade shapes that could have come from anywhere. the top two are more 'ethnic', with the filipino one being the most traditional.

(my favourite is actually the bottom unmarked stiletto bladed one )

[olaicollector]

In regards to Andrew's post (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...4&postcount=48), the engraving on the handle is as follows:

ஆரு. ப.அ

which are just initials, presumably indicating the owner. Translated into English, it just says Aru. Pa. A

Cheers,

Ram