unusual blade

[trenchwarfare]

I think everyone is reading too much into this. The handle wrap, looks like just a continuous knot pattern. I do this myself. Hard to tell, from the fuzzy photos. Similar to navy pearling, but not as fancy. Any "swabbie" worth his salt, would have hidden the tie-off knot. Or at least ended in a wrist loop or monkey fist. The only thing ethnographic I see, is possible place of origin. If I wanted to think romantically, I'd say that it is a prison shiv.