In my humble opinnion, the chain is also fundamental to find this piece's purpose.
Say Radleigh, is the chain band placed at the middle of the scabbard, fixed (welded, riveted), or could you slide it towards the tip ... in a way that it would hang correctly, when you suspend it by the chain ? Are the chain links open or closed (welded) ?
In other words, if this piece can not be (belt) suspended, isn't it hard to conceive that it was made to be used on the field.
Wouldn't it therefore be a domestic implement ... to be laying on a table, the chain being only a fantasy. As Fearn sugested at a certain stage: "Perhaps it's a super duper fruit and cheese knife for a high end party ?" Or similarly a presentation cake knife ), offered to a big shot of the period.
Isn't its design rather awkward, blade curvature plus bizarre tip, to be used in animal surgery, or as bleeding fleam, or for butchering ?
... Just thinking aloud.
Fernando
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