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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Eastern Sierra
Posts: 415
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I think this knife is within the scope of our forum.
9 7/8" Overall length 5 1/2" Blade 4 3/8" Handle 15/16" Wide at the base of the blade 3/16" Thick above the bolster A distinct distal taper on the full tang. The guard is forged not brazed. The blade has a spine, a false edge, and a slight hollow grind. Riveted stag or jigged bone handles. One handle slab is considerably more worn than the other. The balance point is the guard, and it is very light. I have only found one knife on the internet by this maker, pictured below. To me the knives look German. Does anyone have any information about this maker, the period of manufacture, and location of maker? I am completely lacking books on this subject. One last question. On the right side of the handle scale is worn almost smooth, and the horn and rivets are darkened Any ideas what would cause one side of the handle to wear so much more than the other? Thanks I.P. |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Eastern Sierra
Posts: 415
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Sorry I didn't mean to make the room go quiet
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#3 | |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: musorian territory
Posts: 415
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its nicely made, the forging is very detials in the guard. the grip is not a mistake sometimes ive seen these wityh one stamped hollow steel scale on the underside that sits against your body and a stag scale on the other side or ine side horna nd the other side stan or other such things . probabyl jsut a fashio0n.. fancy side out. when tdid knives lowse tapered tangs.. well you can still get some french kitchyen knvies with tapered tangs. but its very rare now.. it once was standard. its a mark of quality and improves balance and heft greatly. why we dont do it any more.. because were are post industrial age morons.. and dont know about such thigns as balance anymore. when did it decline.. in nroth american long ago 19th century as hand working of knvies by skilled workers was in short supply in america.. in englanld a little later except on kitchen knvies that ended post ww2.. dies take a wile or wear out.. germany post ww2 began declining rapidly.. and french was the last to stickl to in the 80s or 90s many french kitchen knvies still had tapered tangs on them. its much harder to fit the scales thats why epople dont do it.. also the tang has to be forged or milled to the taper. infact in the 19th century some pocket knives even had tapered backsprings.. starting off very wide and becomming narrow towards the butt of the pocket knife. it gives a different feel. and it loks fantastic. |
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#4 | |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,590
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I received some Gustav Emil Ern kitchen knives as a wedding present, 1982, and they all have tapered tangs, very well made and still going strong. The company closed down round about this time. Knives are being sold now under this company name but as far as I can see the quality is just not there. This fits in well with the timeframe that Ausjulius has proposed. In conclusion I guess that a tapered tang is not a reliable determinator of age other than the probability that it is pre third quarter of the 20thC. Regards, Norman. |
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Eastern Sierra
Posts: 415
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Thanks, ausjulius and Norman. Some perspective on this knife was greatly appreciated.
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#6 | |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: musorian territory
Posts: 415
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