West African or Mathew Hopkins bodkin?
 

I think it would be right to call this a bodkin? 24cm long, the blade 14cm. I was expecting a larger thing altogether. The seller included the tassles as part of the total length, but did mention the blade length. So from the rubbish picture the handle section appeared a lot bigger by the stated total length. Still a nice thing. The blade is 5mm thick, the edges are rounded. The scabbard is wood, box section and leather covered. Reminded me of a witch pricker. I will post some illustrations.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ppy/new005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ppy/new007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ppy/new008.jpg

Looks like a very nice stiletto.

Armour piercing bodkin?
 

Thanks Freddy. The big one here is what I would call a stilleto. The very small one is more like a knife with fine edges. A bodkin sounds industrial or domestic. I see the recent one not as a knife or a stilleto.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ppy/kkk036.jpg

Hi Tim,
I think a nice piece....as you already know ;) I too thought this knife was much larger.(never occured to me the seller would include the tassels) Is that metal (steel ?) overlay on the hilt?

Bodkin.
 

Yes steel over wood. In a melee situation a bodkin and punching shield or buckler would be most effective when up close and personal. Held with the thumb over the pommel so to pierce chain armour. The frenzy of it all is too horrible to dwell on.

Bodkin description. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodkin_point Plate armour not developing in Africa as in Europe. Medieval weapon types remained in use up unitll the very early 20th century as observers mention in the battles like the fall of Kano and others.

Stone's has bodkin as "small dagger".