An odd old one...

[markksr]

Here's one my mother just recently dug up while going through some old stuff in storage. It belonged to her father and she said she remembers him carrying it quite a bit. Your guess is as good as mine regarding it's age but he died in 1972, so it's clearly older than that. Also, it appears that there was a corkscrew that has been broken off.

And yes, it certainly seems to be a real deer's foot.

 

[4ever3]

Wow Mark ! What a find :thumbup:

Is there a tang stamp on it?

 

[markksr]

No markings at all that I can find.

 

[kamagong]

What's the material in those handle scales?

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I just about guarantee it's German, whatever it is.

 

[markksr]

What's the material in those handle scales?

...
And yes, it certainly seems to be a real deer's foot.
...

A split deer's hoof.

 

[zerogee]

What's the material in those handle scales?

It's an actual split deer's foot - hair, hide, bone, and hooves. (That said, these things really creep me out.) I normally always consider these to be German made. What's amusing is that this became a general pattern - you can see old knives that are obviously directly patterned on this but have no deer's foot involved.

 

[Thalestin]

Cool find, but I agree it is kinda creepy lookin

 

[flylock]

I've seen alot of these around, over the years. sometimes signed Austria, other times Czechoslavakia. different brand names.

 

[navihawk]

Mark, don't let your dog get ahold of it. I used to see them around from time to time. they might be German. Like flylock says.Knives from the black forest, like cookoo clocks, a souvener knife. They look cool when they're new.

 

[sidecutter]

A split deer's hoof.

was he ever stationed in germany while in the military ???? maybe i could make me one out of my ex wifes neck bone.

 

[markksr]

was he ever stationed in germany while in the military ???? maybe i could make me one out of my ex wifes neck bone.

I don't know. He came from Italy to NYC where he had a barber shop which was knocked down to build the UN building. I don't think he ever served in the military. My family is not too big on talking about the dead.

 

[DennisStrickland]

these were made all over europe. still numerous in 70s. the handle is real deer foot , most had locks. seen them in humbertus , henckels & others. puma used to send their mdl 941 lockback folder with a chamois pouch with leather string to be worn as a neck knife. these were used by guides to clean the red stags. most of europe requires nonresident hunters to go guided. i beleive the czechs & swedes require nons to actually go to the range to prove firearm prowness. norrebosse from sweden could probably give us real up to date info.