Where are those little knives from ?

Yvain · 29th March 2020, 02:43 PM

Hi everyone,

This summer, while I was paying a visit to a flea market near where I live, I saw three of those little knives on a stall. The seller, who seemed to have some knowledge on ethnographic items, described them as korean fish scaling knives. Sadly, I had to go to work and didn't bought one, but I really liked how they looked and would love to get one one day.

The thing is, I can't seem to find much about them online, no luck when searching for korean fish scaling knife, but I did found two or three described as chinese peasant knives, or as fisherman's knives, without more informations. So what are they really ? Where can I learn more about them, and how do I recognize a good one from a fake/souvenir ?

Pictured is one of those small knives (picture found online, from a closed sale), they are short (~6 inches when closed), with a really sharp blade, and I remember that the slit in the handle was lined with textile at the bottom to prevent damages to the edge (or so I guess).

Thanks in advance for your help !

Battara · 29th March 2020, 09:49 PM

One thought: could it be a clasp knife for fruit?

kronckew · 30th March 2020, 08:08 AM

Chinese farm knife. Used a lot in the past for scoring and cutting opium poppy pods.

Yvain · 30th March 2020, 04:17 PM

Thanks !

Now at least I know what to search for !

Battara · 31st March 2020, 06:59 AM

Fantastic! Never seen one before.

Yvain · 31st March 2020, 11:32 PM

Me neither until last summer ! But yeah, they look pretty nice.

Information seems to be extremely scarce about them, the only thing I've found so far, from a source I can't verify, is that they may have been called "yu dao", or fish knives, due to their shape, but have nothing to do with fishing and were mostly used by Chinese peasants.

Though again, I have no way to verify those informations and I can't find anything else online !

Yvain · 1st April 2020, 12:19 AM

Okay, so the plot thickens, this one is described as a razor on the Quai Branly website

: http://www.quaibranly.fr/fr/explorer...rasoir/page/3/

kronckew · 1st April 2020, 06:57 AM

Museum descriptions on ethnic items are frequently a flight of fancy...especially if they are obtained from another nation's museum which was originally donated by one who travels.

Martin Lubojacky · 7th April 2020, 09:05 AM

Last year I bought similar knife on flea market in Beijing. The seller told me that her grandfather used the same knife for shaving his hair. The blade was the same, the handle was two times longer than the blade made of antelope horn. I saw also this fish style knives there.

Folding knives:
(http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...8&page=4&pp=30)

29th March 2020, 02:43 PM	#1
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 178	Where are those little knives from ? Hi everyone, This summer, while I was paying a visit to a flea market near where I live, I saw three of those little knives on a stall. The seller, who seemed to have some knowledge on ethnographic items, described them as korean fish scaling knives. Sadly, I had to go to work and didn't bought one, but I really liked how they looked and would love to get one one day. The thing is, I can't seem to find much about them online, no luck when searching for korean fish scaling knife, but I did found two or three described as chinese peasant knives, or as fisherman's knives, without more informations. So what are they really ? Where can I learn more about them, and how do I recognize a good one from a fake/souvenir ? Pictured is one of those small knives (picture found online, from a closed sale), they are short (~6 inches when closed), with a really sharp blade, and I remember that the slit in the handle was lined with textile at the bottom to prevent damages to the edge (or so I guess). Thanks in advance for your help ! Attached Images

30th March 2020, 08:08 AM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	Chinese farm knife. Used a lot in the past for scoring and cutting opium poppy pods. Attached Images

29th March 2020, 09:49 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	One thought: could it be a clasp knife for fruit?

30th March 2020, 04:17 PM	#4
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 178	Thanks ! Now at least I know what to search for !

31st March 2020, 06:59 AM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	Fantastic! Never seen one before.

31st March 2020, 11:32 PM	#6
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 178	Me neither until last summer ! But yeah, they look pretty nice. Information seems to be extremely scarce about them, the only thing I've found so far, from a source I can't verify, is that they may have been called "yu dao", or fish knives, due to their shape, but have nothing to do with fishing and were mostly used by Chinese peasants. Though again, I have no way to verify those informations and I can't find anything else online !

1st April 2020, 12:19 AM	#7
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 178	Okay, so the plot thickens, this one is described as a razor on the Quai Branly website : http://www.quaibranly.fr/fr/explorer...rasoir/page/3/

1st April 2020, 06:57 AM	#8
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	Museum descriptions on ethnic items are frequently a flight of fancy...especially if they are obtained from another nation's museum which was originally donated by one who travels.

7th April 2020, 09:05 AM	#9
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	Last year I bought similar knife on flea market in Beijing. The seller told me that her grandfather used the same knife for shaving his hair. The blade was the same, the handle was two times longer than the blade made of antelope horn. I saw also this fish style knives there. Folding knives: (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...8&page=4&pp=30)