Sawfish sword

fearn · 21st July 2005, 04:47 PM

Hi Rick,

Welllll.....

According to the current biology, there are two species in the Atlantic, the big-tooth and small-toothed sawfishes. The big-tooth has fewer and larger teeth, the small-toothed has smaller and more teeth. Thing is, Tim's specimen has more teeth than small-toothed sawfishes do.

Because of that, I'd suggest that it's neither the big-toothed nor the small-toothed species. If so, it didn't come from the Atlantic.

I do know from another book (Throwim Way Leg by Tim Flannery) that there is a sawfish species that allegedly lives only in one lake in Irian Jaya. Now, I do not think that this is the source of the Tim's sawbill, but I do suspect that this lake species might be one of the questionable ones, based on what I know about biology. My guess is that the questionable species (between 2 and 6 of them) probably occur in the Indopacific, especially around Indonesia, PNG and Australia.

Bottom line: my guess is that the Tim's blade came from the Indo Pacific. Which species it came from is the interesting question. Hopefully, Tim's got a complete enough Bill that the sawfish expert can identify it from a photo.

Fearn

Rick · 21st July 2005, 06:03 PM

Hi Fearn , you have a point

there (or many) .

http://hometown.aol.com/nokogiri/page10.html

I loved Throwim Way Leg ; a great read .

Some years since I read it ; it means take a journey IIRC , no ?

Tim Simmons · 21st July 2005, 06:59 PM

Fearn, this picture of a club from the Massim people of SE Papua 19-20th cent is not the picture I had in mind but it will do. Quite a nice handle, not primitive at all. I will post the other when I find it. Sometimes you look so hard you can not see a thing. Email and pictures sent to 'student' with a bit of luck he might help. It is possible that this would not actually be used for combat. Thanks for all your comments. Tim

21st July 2005, 06:03 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Hi Fearn , you have a point there (or many) . http://hometown.aol.com/nokogiri/page10.html I loved Throwim Way Leg ; a great read . Some years since I read it ; it means take a journey IIRC , no ? Last edited by Rick; 21st July 2005 at 07:28 PM.

21st July 2005, 06:59 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	Fearn, this picture of a club from the Massim people of SE Papua 19-20th cent is not the picture I had in mind but it will do. Quite a nice handle, not primitive at all. I will post the other when I find it. Sometimes you look so hard you can not see a thing. Email and pictures sent to 'student' with a bit of luck he might help. It is possible that this would not actually be used for combat. Thanks for all your comments. Tim Attached Images

21st July 2005, 04:47 PM	#1
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Hi Rick, Welllll..... According to the current biology, there are two species in the Atlantic, the big-tooth and small-toothed sawfishes. The big-tooth has fewer and larger teeth, the small-toothed has smaller and more teeth. Thing is, Tim's specimen has more teeth than small-toothed sawfishes do. Because of that, I'd suggest that it's neither the big-toothed nor the small-toothed species. If so, it didn't come from the Atlantic. I do know from another book (Throwim Way Leg by Tim Flannery) that there is a sawfish species that allegedly lives only in one lake in Irian Jaya. Now, I do not think that this is the source of the Tim's sawbill, but I do suspect that this lake species might be one of the questionable ones, based on what I know about biology. My guess is that the questionable species (between 2 and 6 of them) probably occur in the Indopacific, especially around Indonesia, PNG and Australia. Bottom line: my guess is that the Tim's blade came from the Indo Pacific. Which species it came from is the interesting question. Hopefully, Tim's got a complete enough Bill that the sawfish expert can identify it from a photo. Fearn