Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > European Armoury
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 26th December 2011, 06:48 PM   #1
ericlaude
Member
 
ericlaude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 187
Default Trench Knife or Hunting Knife??

Hello,
I found this knife in a lot of 5 knife that I bought . I think it's French but I'm not sure, someone can help me about what is it?
The handle is made of horn, The added pommel is engraved with initials (JC). The blade with four sides is very sharp. The brass scabbard has the same form as the blade .
Ovll Length 11 "(27.5)
Blade 6 "(15 cm)
Thanks in advance
Attached Images
      
ericlaude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26th December 2011, 06:49 PM   #2
ericlaude
Member
 
ericlaude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 187
Arrow

2 others photos
Attached Images
  
ericlaude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th December 2011, 03:15 PM   #3
thinreadline
Member
 
thinreadline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
Default

when I first saw this I thought the handle was from an old carving knife and the blade was from a French Lebel bayonet ... however the difficulty in curving the the normally straight Lebel blade is one thing, but making a scabbard of the correct profile to fit it is quite another order of difficulty , so I am thinking was this made from scratch rather than made up of pre existing adapted parts. It seems over elaborate as a trench knife .
thinreadline is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th December 2011, 03:29 PM   #4
Lew
(deceased)
 
Lew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
Default

Definately French probably a hunting dagger or one used for self protection .
Lew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th December 2011, 09:44 PM   #5
hbhansen
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Denmark
Posts: 89
Default

This could be a hunting dagger, for use on injured deer. You stick it in the hole, in the back of the skull, to kill the deer. Maybe it has got 4 sides, so that it will not break when the deer moves.
I carry a knife myself for the same purpose, when hunting deer...
Best regards
Henrik
hbhansen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th December 2011, 02:14 AM   #6
thinreadline
Member
 
thinreadline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
Default

I can see this being used as a personal weapon , but most hunting weapons are traditionally edged weapons proper . Granted this could be used for administering the coup de grace to a wounded quarry , but not for skinning , gralloching or jointing ... in which case yet another knife would have had to have been carried .
thinreadline is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th December 2011, 11:29 AM   #7
hbhansen
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Denmark
Posts: 89
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by thinreadline
I can see this being used as a personal weapon , but most hunting weapons are traditionally edged weapons proper . Granted this could be used for administering the coup de grace to a wounded quarry , but not for skinning , gralloching or jointing ... in which case yet another knife would have had to have been carried .
You're right about that. I personally carry another ekstra knife for skinning etc.
hbhansen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th December 2011, 03:46 PM   #8
thinreadline
Member
 
thinreadline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hbhansen
This could be a hunting dagger, for use on injured deer. You stick it in the hole, in the back of the skull, to kill the deer. Maybe it has got 4 sides, so that it will not break if the deer moves.
I carry a knife myself for the same purpose, when hunting deer...
Best regards
Henrik
Yes this design gives rigidity & strength but with lightness compared to the standard stiletto . Yet it is not commonly encountered , maybe as it is more difficult to make . It is seen in some 20th century bayonets .. eg the French Lebel of WW1 & the British 1st pattern 'spike' bayonet for the No 4 Lee Enfield of WW2 ( see pics ) .
Attached Images
  
thinreadline is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th December 2011, 07:55 PM   #9
hbhansen
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Denmark
Posts: 89
Default

One more thought: Stilettos/bayonets and other blades made for stabbing another human has normally got a straight blade. I think the curved blade of this one would be quite good for the " coup de grace ". It's actually a difficult thing to do, but I'm quite shure the curved blade would help...
hbhansen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2011, 01:24 PM   #10
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,178
Default

i've seen something like this before, can't remember where, but it had a fancy cross guard on it, this one seems to be missing it at the blade/stag junction. i vaguely remember scandinavian, but maybe not.
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2011, 04:44 PM   #11
thinreadline
Member
 
thinreadline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kronckew
i've seen something like this before, can't remember where, but it had a fancy cross guard on it, this one seems to be missing it at the blade/stag junction. i vaguely remember scandinavian, but maybe not.

Yes there is definitely something missing .... when I saw the pale band of staghorn this is what reminded me of those carving knives with staghorn handles in which there is always a silver ferrule just before the blade . I attach some pics of a 'bowie' of mine which is in fact just an old cut down carving knife with a Liverpool retailers name on it .... even the cross guard has cowsfeet finials and a boars head central motif !
Attached Images
    
thinreadline is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2012, 12:59 PM   #12
broadaxe
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 332
Default

I believe it is a "marriage". The blade & sheath appear to be of high quality, possibly French naval dirk of mameluke style, while the handle is too large and of German hunting knife style - check the conical recess for the absent ferrule/guard.
broadaxe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2012, 04:20 PM   #13
thinreadline
Member
 
thinreadline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by broadaxe
I believe it is a "marriage". The blade & sheath appear to be of high quality, possibly French naval dirk of mameluke style, while the handle is too large and of German hunting knife style - check the conical recess for the absent ferrule/guard.
Yes I would agree with you that this is as you say a 'marriage' , the grip is definitely either an old carver or a German hunting knife 1900 - 1930 . The ferrule is missing and would have been of a similar type as seen in the attached German hunter pics or on my pictures of the large carver shown earlier.
Attached Images
  
thinreadline is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2012, 04:34 PM   #14
thinreadline
Member
 
thinreadline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by thinreadline
Yes I would agree with you that this is as you say a 'marriage' , the grip is definitely either an old carver or a German hunting knife 1900 - 1930 . The ferrule is missing and would have been of a similar type as seen in the attached German hunter pics or on my pictures of the large carver shown earlier.
Better still have just dug out a German hunting dagger of early 20th C with a conical ferrule .
Attached Images
  
thinreadline is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2012, 06:21 PM   #15
broadaxe
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 332
Default

Indeed. Just one thing - these knives are always posted as "hunting" while they are better suited for fighting. They were extremely popular with German troops circa WWI as private purchase.
broadaxe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2012, 07:58 PM   #16
thinreadline
Member
 
thinreadline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,204
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by broadaxe
Indeed. Just one thing - these knives are always posted as "hunting" while they are better suited for fighting. They were extremely popular with German troops circa WWI as private purchase.
Agreed .. I suppose they equate to the US Bowie knife & the late Victorian / Edwardian British big game hunter / explorer's knife, ie an all purpose fighting, hunting, utility & survival tool
thinreadline is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.