7th April 2024, 02:06 AM | #1 |
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Pacific Islander knife?
I acquired this knife this past week, without really knowing where it came from but I like it. The tag on it said, "Pacific Islander knife WW2". The handle and scabbard are made from a hardwood, and the metal bands and other fittings are aluminum. The aluminum looks aged and is probably from military scrap. The blade, which shows age, is very good steel and holds a great edge. It may have been repurposed from another knife. Clip blade. If any members can identify this knife, or have good educated guesses, please let me know.
Regards, Andrew |
7th April 2024, 03:33 AM | #2 |
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Dha
Hi AHite,
It looks like a dha from south east Asia to me. Sincerely, RobT |
7th April 2024, 03:40 AM | #3 |
Vikingsword Staff
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Hi AHite,
Yes, a utility knife from mainland SE Asia. |
7th April 2024, 06:42 AM | #4 | |
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7th April 2024, 05:20 PM | #5 |
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ausjulius, you may be right about northern Burma. There is another group that has used a similar scabbard construction, with aluminum strips around a wooden scabbard, and that is the Hmong/Miao people of the Vietnamese/Lao/Cambodian highlands. Their knife has a clipped point also but tends to be wider in the belly than the example shown, as many knives are from that region. The hilt treatment also would be a little unusual for Hmong construction, but nevertheless a possibility.
Andrew, if your scabbard is original to the knife, then the knife has not seen much use. That makes dating a bit more difficult. It does appear to have some age, although hard to tell from the pictures. The misleading tag could be incorrect, and it's possible this piece was a bring back from the Vietnam War rather than WWII, in which case a Hmong/Miao origin would be more likely. Distinguishing between a 50+ year-old knife and an 80 year-old knife is not always possible, especially from pictures. Andrew, does the blade have a fuller? Some Burmese blades do have a wide fuller. Last edited by Ian; 7th April 2024 at 05:33 PM. |
8th April 2024, 12:34 PM | #6 |
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I think Julius is correct, North-West Burma, Chin state.
Regards, Detlef |
11th April 2024, 02:14 AM | #7 | |
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