Odd knife

kronckew · 13th July 2008, 10:22 PM

haven't a clue what this is ,but i'm a sucker for stag hilts, 65 cm. length over all, grip held on by two rivets, thin 2mm blade.

for under a tenner, thought it'd be worth a gamble to see what it was.
should make a nice garden machete if nothing else...
will see what it looks like derusted and cleaned up a tad.
reminds me of a home-made khyber knife or a big chef's...

katana · 14th July 2008, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

...reminds me of a home-made khyber knife or a big chef's...

Hi Kronckew,
great minds...and all that. Followed this one.When I first saw the pic I thought re-hilted Kyhber but, after e-mailing seller the lack of 'T' spine and the 2mm blade 'lessened my enthusiasm'. I wondered whether it was a re-shaped machete blade

I hope its something good

Regards David

Atlantia · 14th July 2008, 01:39 AM

LOL, looks like we were all watching that one!
I decided it was a late 19thC BIG butchers knife rehandled.
But I didn't ask the questions, and from your info received it could well be a number of things all much more interesting. I'll be dead interested to see some good pics when you get it!
Hope its a goody.

:-)

kronckew · 14th July 2008, 07:06 AM

ah, well, we'll see but i have low expectations. i'd seen it a few days ago & stuck a tenner in my auto-sniper justincase as i was going to a barby last nite. didn't see the 2mm thingy till i came back last nite. if i'd seen the thickness i may have saved the bid for something else.

the adrenalin of the chase, the highs of expectation, the lows of disappointment and sometimes the thrill of victory - the joys of ebay.

M ELEY · 14th July 2008, 07:18 AM

Hmmm...one of those 'could be from anywhere' type-knives.

The blade did strike me as Khyber, but the thinness & lack of bolster pretty much rules that out. The huge size of it and thinnes of blade rules out the typical bowies. The blade shape reminds me of the Chinese ox-bow types (sorry, don't know the correct name), but I can't ever recall one with stag hilts? The Scots loved stag handles, but their weapons didn't look like this? Stag hilts were popular on gambler's dirks, but nothing this big! Doesn't resemble any Spanish colonial machetes/espada, too big for a bread knife. Soooo...if I had to guess, I would say this piece might be part of a hunting trousse. Many of the knives were oversized, such as this and typically decked out in stag fixtures. Some were plain and some, quite decorated. They came with a variety of tiny knives, skewers, forks, etc, to prepare the kill.

kronckew · 14th July 2008, 07:28 AM

hunting trousse, that would be nice, i could try to hunt up matching bits.

as long as it's not an asparagus knife

kronckew · 15th July 2008, 02:57 PM

well. it's arrived

unmarked 55cm blade, 2mm thick, 10 cm grip, 5cm wide where blade enters grip, 2.5cm wide where tip curvature starts. tang is 3in. long x 1in. wide approx. fitted to a slot in the stag grip & curved to match. held by two steel rivets. blade is light feeling and flexible, possibly made from an old saw? i can see a homesteader recycling from on hand stuff and hanging it near the door for night visitors. feels very machete-like but the taper makes the point less heavy and it feels lighter.

here it is as arrived

off for a quick clean and oiling then adding to the pile.

katana · 15th July 2008, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

as long as it's not an asparagus knife

Am I ever going to forget

Atlantia · 15th July 2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

Am I ever going to forget

Oh come on!
For the benefit of newer members who don't know the full 'asparagus knife' story???

We're all sitting comfortably :-)

tell!!!

Rick · 15th July 2008, 04:11 PM

Use the search engine for the whole sordid tale ...

Typing 'Asparagus Knife' will get you there; the bottom thread is the one you want .

katana · 15th July 2008, 05:10 PM

Thanks Rick

Atlantia · 15th July 2008, 06:08 PM

LOL!!
Its the kind of mistake anyone could make

M ELEY · 15th July 2008, 10:04 PM

Nice piece with original patina. OK, not a trousse piece, but NOT an asparagus knife either!

The handle/hilt not quite a perfect fit for the tang, so probably replaced in its working life. So it still must remain in that fuzzy catagory of 'old sword', but a nice one. Could be a big old Confederate bowie/sword (yes, they had some this length), could be a Southwestern Colonial sword/machete type, etc,etc. Nice find.

katana · 15th July 2008, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Nice piece with original patina. OK, not a trousse piece, but NOT an asparagus knife either!

.

Ah...I see, lets 'pick on' David

I must admit I was tempted to bid, but the 2mm thickness of the blade put me off. Glad its not a 'silly' gardening implement though

As to the Asparagus spear, it has a 'pride of place' on my computer desk ....just in case a renagade vegetable attacks

Regards David

Atlantia · 15th July 2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

Ah...I see, lets 'pick on' David

I must admit I was tempted to bid, but the 2mm thickness of the blade put me off. Glad its not a 'silly' gardening implement though

As to the Asparagus spear, it has a 'pride of place' on my computer desk ....just in case a renagade vegetable attacks

Regards David

LOL, I kinda liked the picture of you opening the letter with it!

asomotif · 15th July 2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

possibly made from an old saw?

Yep, this looks a lot like the old saws that my father in law just refuses to throw away.

But maybe with some cleaning , could be wootz

13th July 2008, 10:22 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	Odd knife haven't a clue what this is ,but i'm a sucker for stag hilts, 65 cm. length over all, grip held on by two rivets, thin 2mm blade. for under a tenner, thought it'd be worth a gamble to see what it was. should make a nice garden machete if nothing else... will see what it looks like derusted and cleaned up a tad. reminds me of a home-made khyber knife or a big chef's...

14th July 2008, 01:39 AM	#3
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	LOL, looks like we were all watching that one! I decided it was a late 19thC BIG butchers knife rehandled. But I didn't ask the questions, and from your info received it could well be a number of things all much more interesting. I'll be dead interested to see some good pics when you get it! Hope its a goody. :-)

14th July 2008, 07:06 AM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	ah, well, we'll see but i have low expectations. i'd seen it a few days ago & stuck a tenner in my auto-sniper justincase as i was going to a barby last nite. didn't see the 2mm thingy till i came back last nite. if i'd seen the thickness i may have saved the bid for something else. the adrenalin of the chase, the highs of expectation, the lows of disappointment and sometimes the thrill of victory - the joys of ebay.

14th July 2008, 07:18 AM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,099	Hmmm...one of those 'could be from anywhere' type-knives. The blade did strike me as Khyber, but the thinness & lack of bolster pretty much rules that out. The huge size of it and thinnes of blade rules out the typical bowies. The blade shape reminds me of the Chinese ox-bow types (sorry, don't know the correct name), but I can't ever recall one with stag hilts? The Scots loved stag handles, but their weapons didn't look like this? Stag hilts were popular on gambler's dirks, but nothing this big! Doesn't resemble any Spanish colonial machetes/espada, too big for a bread knife. Soooo...if I had to guess, I would say this piece might be part of a hunting trousse. Many of the knives were oversized, such as this and typically decked out in stag fixtures. Some were plain and some, quite decorated. They came with a variety of tiny knives, skewers, forks, etc, to prepare the kill.

14th July 2008, 07:28 AM	#6
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	hunting trousse, that would be nice, i could try to hunt up matching bits. as long as it's not an asparagus knife

15th July 2008, 02:57 PM	#7
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,184	well. it's arrived unmarked 55cm blade, 2mm thick, 10 cm grip, 5cm wide where blade enters grip, 2.5cm wide where tip curvature starts. tang is 3in. long x 1in. wide approx. fitted to a slot in the stag grip & curved to match. held by two steel rivets. blade is light feeling and flexible, possibly made from an old saw? i can see a homesteader recycling from on hand stuff and hanging it near the door for night visitors. feels very machete-like but the taper makes the point less heavy and it feels lighter. here it is as arrived off for a quick clean and oiling then adding to the pile.

15th July 2008, 04:11 PM	#10
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	Use the search engine for the whole sordid tale ... Typing 'Asparagus Knife' will get you there; the bottom thread is the one you want .

15th July 2008, 05:10 PM	#11
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Thanks Rick

15th July 2008, 06:08 PM	#12
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	LOL!! Its the kind of mistake anyone could make

15th July 2008, 10:04 PM	#13
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,099	Nice piece with original patina. OK, not a trousse piece, but NOT an asparagus knife either! The handle/hilt not quite a perfect fit for the tang, so probably replaced in its working life. So it still must remain in that fuzzy catagory of 'old sword', but a nice one. Could be a big old Confederate bowie/sword (yes, they had some this length), could be a Southwestern Colonial sword/machete type, etc,etc. Nice find.