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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 456
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I just impulse bought this dagger because it was cheap and I liked the elegant curves of the blade. The seller only said that it was "probably" from Vietnam, but I don't see any resemblance to other knives from that region. The blade looks pretty well made but the hilt looks like it was made from brass bolts and knobs from a hardware store.
Any idea where it might actually be from? Will take better pictures when it arrives. |
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#2 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Centerville, Kansas
Posts: 2,196
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Hello Blue Lander, I would like to wait for better photos of this to be posted, but for now my best guess would be either the Philippines or Mexico. The Philippine people were/are great ones for using whatever was at hand at the time when making weapons. Also because this blade has a definite raised medial ridge giving a more diamond cross section it would not surprise me one bit that this could turn out to be from Luzon
I have also seen daggers and knives from Mexico where the same practice that whatever was readily accessible at the time was used in their production. Again I have also seen this kris or serpentine style of blade on many daggers made in Mexico, but most (not all) did not have a raised medial ridge. Instead they had more of an oval cross section. Either way it is a very well made little dagger and a great addition to your collection. Congratulations. Best, Robert |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 456
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Thanks! It does look similar to other Luzon daggers on this site. I'll take better pictures once it arrives.
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 456
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Any idea what this material might be? It appears to be stacked rings of something. It's weird... if you look at a ring directly it's brown, but as you rotate the handle it turns gold depending on the angle or how the light hits it.
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 413
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Interesting knife!
Some materials that are slightly translucent will refract light at different wave lengths based on the angle of lighting. Without going deep into the physics, this property is due to the manner of arrangement of crystalline molecules in the substance. Quartz is one example. Some types of bone also have this property. I think the layers in your hilt are probably made of alternating bone and quartz. There appears to be quite a bit of info about this phenomenon on the net, but nothing I've found in a quick search lends itself to ease of use in identifying materials based on color change. If I come across anything useful, I'll post it here. Dave A. |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 456
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Thanks! That actually makes alot of sense. When the material turns gold it seems to be coming from slightly below the surface of the material.
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#7 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Centerville, Kansas
Posts: 2,196
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Hello Blue Lander, Sorry for taking so long to answer your question, but after looking at your last photo I was thinking that the sections making up the hilt on your dagger look more like alternating pieces of bone and horn. Or possibly just bone where the pieces have been alternately stacked and the grain on the open end has taken on more color from age and being handled just like wood will do.
Best, Robert |
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