A Massive Dha/Daab With an Unique Blade

[kronckew]

Looks a lot like a Burmese/Thai coconut harvester's knife. See Mercenary's post above.

Thais and Burmese are Buddhists and, like most of us, do not sacrifice animals. They/we DO kill people who invade or attack them/us tho. I'm sure anyone attacking a man who has one of these and knows how to use it can, like the old Nepali chopping wood with his khukuri who killed the tiger that tried to eat him, use one of these to defend himself against an unskilled opponent.

[CharlesS]

Thanks for the input guys!

Ariel, thanks so much for high praise. It is true that I love to find a "twist" in a unique piece.

I can easily see this piece as a tool with only a secondary purpose as a weopn...if at all. That would explain the way it handles almost my necessity as a "cleaver". It would also explain the all business aspect of its construction. We know that some tools from the region are decorated as well. Just think about some of the betel nut cutters we have seen.

The only reason I might want to second guess the moniker of "tool" for this item is the time and effort put into the blade, just as Ariel suggested. I can imagine a much more simply constructed blade doing the job of a chopper or machete.

[Ian]

The coconut chopper function of this one was confirmed by my sources as well. It is interesting to note the detail in the construction of this one and its decorations. These choppers do come in various sizes, although this is the sturdiest one I've seen. It is interesting to note that other chopping tools from the general area of mainland SE Asia can be quite elaborately made and decorated. The example of a Thai pra (attached) has another well made and decorated blade with a plain, business-like shaft.

Charles, you do indeed come up with some interesting examples! Keep them coming ...

Ian.

[Nathaniel]

Hello Charles,

Lovely Tai knife. 🐓 Nice iron mounts and massive blade. Rare to find the 1/2 thick blade, but you do see it with some Tai knives and swords. Definitely a functional piece, but extra care put into its construction, which show it was not just a poor farmer's tool, even though primarily used for utility functions. And I'm sure if needed it would make a devastating blow to the flesh and bone!

Regarding your main inquiry, nice pattern weld...certainly looks to me like a large quench zone with an insert edge. That is just my vote. You can clearly see the evidence of the quality of the blade with the round chip, not a "V" cut in the edge towards the tip.

Interesting the decorative pattern at the spine at the forte...I haven't seen that particular pattern before....typically you find horizontal lines =, X's, sometimes dots :, or inset copper or brass square or rectangles. Fun piece, never can say you've seen it all!

[Nathaniel]

Just reread and noticed I got my terms switched, I vote wide inset with a thin quenched edge.

[kronckew]

Another Thai Pra with a decorated blade, steel fittings and a simply decorated hardwood grip emulating the joins on bamboo or a rattan haft.

(the string is looped around the forte to let it hang properly on the wall, not far from my head as I type, as the balance is pretty much at the blade/bolster join.)

[Peter Dekker]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel

Just reread and noticed I got my terms switched, I vote wide inset with a thin quenched edge.

I second that. It looks to me like a piece of higher carbon edge steel with a subtle straight grain inserted in a body of more burl patterned mild carbon steel, the whole then heat treated.

If the line would have been the demarcation of differential heat treatment ( "hamon") then the burl pattern would briefly be exaggerated on that line before fading in to a completely hardened area. The fact that it does not tells us that we're transitioning to a different piece of steel instead.

Peter

[CharlesS]

Thanks for the additional input guys! Good stuff!