A rather nice Thai/Laos chopper for sharing

[Sajen]

Hello dear members,

I want to show you this rather nice Thai or Laos chopper with lotus bud pommel I've recently purchased from epray in a sad condition. After it has received some TLC and restore work at the wooden pommel it is a very nice agent of this seldom seen utility knife. I don't know if this sort of chopper was shown at this place before. When there are others in collections of members it would be nice to see them here when the owners would like to share them. Enjoy!

Like usual all comments are very welcome!

[kronckew]

Cool, which edge is the sharp one? Is it a Laotian khukuri-like object?

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by kronckew

Cool, which edge is the sharp one? Is it a Laotian khukuri-like object?

Hello Wayne,

the sharp side or edge is on the opposite of the ruler. I think that it's mainly a utility knife and not a weapon but of course it would be the job as weapon very well.

Best regards,
Detlef

[Mercenary]

I think this is a weapon.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Mercenary

I think this is a weapon.

Hello Mercenary,

I don't know how long the from you shown examples (both are very nice) are but they look much longer as my example which is a little bit longer as 45 cm, so I think that it is a utility knife.

Regards,
Detlef

[DaveA]

Thanks for posting. I believe this is mead peek nok. Here is a photo of mine along with a description. My information comes from a anthropologist/sociologist an long time collector of dha who spent years in the arc from from northern Burma to the Tonkin gulf in Vietnam.
———-

This is a large and heavy "chopper" dha originating in northern Thailand or Laos c. mid-18th to early 19th C. It is called "mead peek nok" (birds wing knife) in the Thai language. In other areas the name would be different. This style is found in various lengths. It is a rare example of a weapon from this region and era, and is in very good condition This style is also found in northern Vietnam (Tonkin). Like many such edged weapons, this one could have been used as a working tool (e.g., agriculture) but due to its size, sturdiness, excellent balance in the hand, and "posh" decoration it was more likely used as a weapon. The overall length is 21 inches. The blade 11 inches and hilt 10 inches. There is no damage to the hilt or looseness in either blade or hilt.

The blade very robust is nearly ½ thick along the spine, with a distal taper along a concave back leading towards an clipped-type point. The edge is convex, sweeping up to the tip in concord with the beginning of the clipped top edge. The steel is watered-laminated as clearly shown on both sides of the blade. The edge shows a differentially heat treated cutting edge.

The hilt is made of rosewood or similar native hardwood and has a dark red/brown color and aged patina. The ferrule and pommel are made of a samrit type metal alloy of beautiful yellow-gold color. The alloy is possibly of copper and gold, a combination that was typical to the region and era.

[DaveA]

and a small one, very similar but more recent. This may or may not go by the same name.

[Sajen]

Hello Dave,

thank you very much for comment! No, it's a different animal, similar purpose but would be called with an other name. The seller from your very nice mead peek nok is a very close friend from me and of course I've shown him my knife already but he can't tell me the name of my knife but will ask a Thai friend so maybe I will be able to provide a name for this knife in near future. The blade tip of my knife is the so called hua bua tip.

Best regards,
Detlef

[Ren Ren]

Girl from central Vietnam

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Ren Ren

Girl from central Vietnam

Thank you for posting this picture. This knife seems to have a bamboo handle with a similar blade shape like the one which Dave has posted. And this picture show that this are utility knives.

Regards,
Detlef

[Ian]

Hi Detlef.

Very nice knife you have there and a much better quality than many similar utility knives. I'm more familiar with longer handled versions of this blade shape, and have a number of those types, some of which are quite good quality but most are purely utilitarian.

I have been taking a break from online auctions lately, otherwise I would have given you a run for this one.

Ian.

[Sajen]

Hi Ian,

Thank you! When you have pictures it would be nice you would show them. And good for me that you have taken a break from online auctions.

Regards,
Detlef

[DaveA]

Excellent. Small world.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by DaveA

Small world.

Yes, the world is small!