Arctic? knife/tool? ideas?

Tim Simmons · 31st May 2008, 04:09 PM

Or a tourist paper knife? Curios car boot buy £1.

Bone blade antler handle. Blade set into the handle. I have no idea as to the adhesive material except it looks like a dried animal substance rather like bone marrow. Decorated as can be seen. Has a patina of prolonged use, which my picture only give a hint of. The blade shows signs of heavier use than opening letters. Total length 164mm, blade 96mm. Lots of pics to follow.

Lew · 31st May 2008, 04:17 PM

Tim

Moose or caribou antler I think? Most likely a letter opener the tip chipped off at some point.

Lew

Tim Simmons · 31st May 2008, 04:26 PM

Yes I would think a late 19th early 20 century quality tourist piece would by now have an old patina of use. The chips are worn smooth but I suppose they are polished from years of opening letters.

Henk · 31st May 2008, 06:42 PM

Nice find Tim.
When antler is heated in boiling water the inner part becomes soft. When the tang is put in its place and the antler is cooling down the knife is thight in the gripp.
In the bronze age the tang of bronze knifes where heated and stuck into the antler and in this way attached to an antler gripp.

It has a scandinavian look to me. A letter opener could be. But bone knifes where used in the past.

Tim Simmons · 31st May 2008, 07:01 PM

Thanks Henk. It does have good age my pictures do not really show that well. The blade does have that "Peuko" or what ever shape. A paper knife was my first thoughts to. It may well be a paper knife, whoever had it cut paper all day long, every day like a filleter cuts fish all day, judging by the polish, wear and patina?

Tim Simmons · 31st May 2008, 07:52 PM

I am starting to think more seriously about this paper knife. It just does not smack me as a tourist item because it has been well used, also although decorated it is very understated. Look at this link. It does not down load fast or well for me but note-

63571 Bone snow cutter
60896 Bone implement
35169 Bone implement

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN

Tim Simmons · 31st May 2008, 08:40 PM

No idea what the red dots were, I just pushed them off with my thumb nail.

Tim Simmons · 31st May 2008, 09:00 PM

There are more Arctic people in the Eurasian continent than the Sami.

Henk · 1st June 2008, 08:58 AM

Tim,
From the beginning i was convinced it isn't a tourist knife. This knife has a story and didin't started its life as a letter opener. I think it is a bit to short for a snow cutter. Those knifes are longer.
I suppose you don't have the scabbard?

The more i look at it the more i see an older knife and most probably from the arctic area. Antler and bone is there more avaible than iron.

Look at this knife. I bought it in Sweden on a fair during a summer holiday. It has a bit the same look like your knife. That's why I think you have to look in the scandinavian area for its origin.

Lew · 1st June 2008, 03:52 PM

Tim

Ice knives usually have much longer curved blades.

http://www.athropolis.com/arctic-fac...gloo-build.htm

Lew

Tim Simmons · 1st June 2008, 04:10 PM

Perhaps a food knife. Or a knife like a tool as in sail makers knife/tool? or a fisherman's net repair tool? It could have a specific function? Cutting paper I dare say

I will try and get a few better pics then contact a Finnish Lapp museum that specialises in Sami culture and heritage.

Lew · 1st June 2008, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Perhaps a food knife. Or a knife like a tool as in sail makers knife/tool? or a fisherman's net repair tool? It could have a specific function? Cutting paper I dare say

I will try and get a few better pics then contact a Finnish Lapp museum that specialises in Sami culture and heritage.

Tim

You forgot this could have been used as a spreading knife for jam or peanut butter

or to smear caribou fat on a bagel or toast

.

Lew

ausjulius · 2nd June 2008, 12:09 AM

snow knives.. inuit

Tim Simmons · 2nd June 2008, 07:51 PM

Lew what a good Idea. A fat spreading knife, food utensil for sure, used almost daily even three times a day? Also the fact of being handled with fat and other food stuffs would help polish and patina the knife. Without a skidu in the late 19th early 20th century to find a shop selling you a butter knife would far away and a waste of time and fuel

.

31st May 2008, 04:09 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Arctic? knife/tool? ideas? Or a tourist paper knife? Curios car boot buy £1. Bone blade antler handle. Blade set into the handle. I have no idea as to the adhesive material except it looks like a dried animal substance rather like bone marrow. Decorated as can be seen. Has a patina of prolonged use, which my picture only give a hint of. The blade shows signs of heavier use than opening letters. Total length 164mm, blade 96mm. Lots of pics to follow. Attached Images

31st May 2008, 04:26 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Yes I would think a late 19th early 20 century quality tourist piece would by now have an old patina of use. The chips are worn smooth but I suppose they are polished from years of opening letters. Last edited by Tim Simmons; 31st May 2008 at 06:53 PM.

31st May 2008, 07:52 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Sami snow cutter? I am starting to think more seriously about this paper knife. It just does not smack me as a tourist item because it has been well used, also although decorated it is very understated. Look at this link. It does not down load fast or well for me but note- 63571 Bone snow cutter 60896 Bone implement 35169 Bone implement http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DN Last edited by Tim Simmons; 31st May 2008 at 08:41 PM.

1st June 2008, 08:58 AM	#9
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Tim, From the beginning i was convinced it isn't a tourist knife. This knife has a story and didin't started its life as a letter opener. I think it is a bit to short for a snow cutter. Those knifes are longer. I suppose you don't have the scabbard? The more i look at it the more i see an older knife and most probably from the arctic area. Antler and bone is there more avaible than iron. Look at this knife. I bought it in Sweden on a fair during a summer holiday. It has a bit the same look like your knife. That's why I think you have to look in the scandinavian area for its origin. Attached Images

1st June 2008, 04:10 PM	#11
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Perhaps a food knife. Or a knife like a tool as in sail makers knife/tool? or a fisherman's net repair tool? It could have a specific function? Cutting paper I dare say I will try and get a few better pics then contact a Finnish Lapp museum that specialises in Sami culture and heritage. Last edited by Tim Simmons; 1st June 2008 at 05:02 PM.

31st May 2008, 04:17 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Tim Moose or caribou antler I think? Most likely a letter opener the tip chipped off at some point. Lew

31st May 2008, 06:42 PM	#4
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Nice find Tim. When antler is heated in boiling water the inner part becomes soft. When the tang is put in its place and the antler is cooling down the knife is thight in the gripp. In the bronze age the tang of bronze knifes where heated and stuck into the antler and in this way attached to an antler gripp. It has a scandinavian look to me. A letter opener could be. But bone knifes where used in the past.

31st May 2008, 07:01 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Thanks Henk. It does have good age my pictures do not really show that well. The blade does have that "Peuko" or what ever shape. A paper knife was my first thoughts to. It may well be a paper knife, whoever had it cut paper all day long, every day like a filleter cuts fish all day, judging by the polish, wear and patina?

31st May 2008, 08:40 PM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	No idea what the red dots were, I just pushed them off with my thumb nail.

31st May 2008, 09:00 PM	#8
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	There are more Arctic people in the Eurasian continent than the Sami.

1st June 2008, 03:52 PM	#10
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Tim Ice knives usually have much longer curved blades. http://www.athropolis.com/arctic-fac...gloo-build.htm Lew

2nd June 2008, 12:09 AM	#13
ausjulius Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: musorian territory Posts: 422	snow knives.. inuit Attached Images

2nd June 2008, 07:51 PM	#14
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Lew what a good Idea. A fat spreading knife, food utensil for sure, used almost daily even three times a day? Also the fact of being handled with fat and other food stuffs would help polish and patina the knife. Without a skidu in the late 19th early 20th century to find a shop selling you a butter knife would far away and a waste of time and fuel .