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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 21
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I found this very large knife recently; It's 2 ' long and weighs 4 1/2 lbs. It has a nice convex cross section and the false edge is sharpened.
I don't believe it's a machete, with the clip point. Any ideas? |
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#2 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,138
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Hi unclebob,
Welcome to the Forum! That's an interesting old knife you have there. The shape of the blade is vaguely reminiscent of an old Thai blade form, commonly called an enep today. That said, this is not a Thai knife IMO. I think what you have is a western interpretation of an old knife form--the integral guard and hilt suggest western manufacture to me. Perhaps this is someone's version of a "scimitar." Hopefully one of our members will come along with a more specific answer for you. Ian. |
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#3 | |
Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 1,903
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I would say it is a modern blade somehow corroded. The very uniform and spongy corrosion points towards an intentional exposure to some kind of acid. My two cents... ![]() |
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#4 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Centerville, Kansas
Posts: 2,196
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Hello Bob, If would not mind could you post another photo of this knife? A new photo taken from directly above would help as the one now shown looks as if it was taken at a slight angle and appears to show a distorted view of the piece. That being said, this looks to me as if it might be of Mexican design and origin. Thank you for posting this unusual piece. I too am very interested in seeing what other members have to say about it.
Best, Robert |
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 21
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Thanks for your comments, chaps; The Gentleman whom I got the knife from said his neighbour had been using it as a wood chopper, indeed, the spine had a flattened spot where it'd been hit a few times!
There are the remains of rivets in the handle area, which is slightly more corroded, as you would expect with something which had been used outdoors for many years, with water being trapped behind the, presumably, wood grips. The photo is actually taken from directly above; I've included another photo, taken at the same time, together with a Mk1 Kukri for size, in case it looks better. I have undertaken a simple restoration of the blade and installed a new handle. The blade is harder on the cutting edges, than near the crossguard (checked it with a centre punch!) I'll do a photo of how it looks now and maybe get the lighting better.... |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 525
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Hello,
I think it is possible, that we see an old Bowie-Knife style blade. If so, it comes probably from a very small manufactory or a special order or selfmade. I personally think it was self made by the user or exactly after his wishes. The shape of the blade reminds me in a Bowieknife, the crossguard looks like European or American style, the shape of the hilt also. The integrated crossguard excludes an Asian production (imho). So if you are from the United States, we probably have a kind of very heavy Bowieknife here (woodchopper knife), similar to this one, which I found on pinterest. Roland Last edited by Roland_M; 8th December 2017 at 11:53 AM. |
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 21
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Certainly a similar shape blade to that Bowie! I'm in the UK, so still not sure of its origins.
Another photo after a sympathetic cleanup. There were faint marks on the 'tang' showing where the original grips ended, so that was handy when making a new one! |
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#8 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,138
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Quick question Bob. Is the edge V-ground or a chisel grind?
Ian |
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 21
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I'd say it has a convex grind to the edges.
It's got to be a one off blade, but was certainly well made. At the end of the day, I don't suppose we'll ever know what it was all about, you'd certainly have to be a big man to wield the thing with any effect ![]() |
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#10 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,138
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One possibility, given it is so large and heavy, is that this was once an advertising display for an old cutler. We have seen examples of oversized pieces before that were used for that purpose. Just a thought.
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#11 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 21
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