uncommon belgian bread knife with arm support

[colin henshaw]

Very interesting - I like these primitive items - has great character...

[fernando]

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Very interesting - I like these primitive items - has great character...

Yes, an exquisite specimen indeed .

[Jim McDougall]

These unusual old sword type implements are pretty interesting., winder what its for.

[junker]

Just a guess.
Maybe a knive for one who lost his hand, when it is fastened to the lower arm.
There were plenty of those items after WW1.
But I think the handle would have been removed if it one ot that kind.

Dirk

[fernando]

Originally Posted by junker

Just a guess.
Maybe a knive for one who lost his hand, when it is fastened to the lower arm...

Humm ... unlikely (see my profile). I don't see much praticality in that. Besides, prothesis and other straping devices are only word to put up on a permanent basis, not for ephemerous tasks.
On the other hand, that arm 'rest' is well placed as a stopper to back the effort you would have to make to cut something hard ... very dense bread, following tim's mention; otherwise something harder .

[M ELEY]

Could this have been used like a tobacco-cutting knife? The extended bar would have allowed for more of a swing to cut corn stalks, sugar cane, tobacco leaves (which are surprisingly thick and a pain to cut, I'm told). Just a guess-
If you google tobacco knives, you'll see all the weird shapes they came in, some for specialty removal. Here's a site for various agricultural knives and their odd shapes-
www.okapisa.com/site/awdep.asp?depnum=50598

[fernando]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Could this have been used like a tobacco-cutting knife? The extended bar would have allowed for more of a swing to cut corn stalks, sugar cane, tobacco leaves (which are surprisingly thick and a pain to cut, I'm told). Just a guess- ...

As long as the cutting direction, be it chopping or leaning against the material, is towards the user... this is an important clue !
By the way, which are the blade measurements ... and the other parts length ?
Ot doesn't look like a chopper ... rather a (slicing) cutter