eisman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2009
- Messages
- 6,928
I've been in Virginia for better than a month on business, and when I could I got out to see the country and hopefully find a deal on a old knife or two. While there's a significant number of historical sights around that part of the world, old knives (in anything approaching reasonable condition) eluded me.
Still, I did bring this home, and I hope to learn a bit more about it.
9" overall, with a 6" blade, this is a fairly handy knife. The tang is a throughbolt type, and the handle appears to be cast, although I think it's too early for Bakelite. It may be hard rubber, but I think it's Gutta Percha.
The blade has flat grinds and the bolster has been shaped with a file and is not as finely finished as the rest of the knife. I suspect it rusted and was "cleaned up". The guard is silver, either German or Sterling, I'm not sure.
The sheath is sterling, and since the markings on it match the guard I'm tempted to say the guard is also. The knife was originally held in the sheath by a pair of trimmed wood pieces which formed the interior of the sheath. Unfortunately one of these is missing so the fit is not what it should be. I hope to manufacture a replacement in the future.
I think the sheath used a frog, so I think this was a belt knife at one time.
Any comments, insights, and suggestions as to the history and restoration are very welcome. Barring anything else, this will be a souvenir of this trip and a interesting addition to the collection.
Still, I did bring this home, and I hope to learn a bit more about it.
9" overall, with a 6" blade, this is a fairly handy knife. The tang is a throughbolt type, and the handle appears to be cast, although I think it's too early for Bakelite. It may be hard rubber, but I think it's Gutta Percha.
The blade has flat grinds and the bolster has been shaped with a file and is not as finely finished as the rest of the knife. I suspect it rusted and was "cleaned up". The guard is silver, either German or Sterling, I'm not sure.
The sheath is sterling, and since the markings on it match the guard I'm tempted to say the guard is also. The knife was originally held in the sheath by a pair of trimmed wood pieces which formed the interior of the sheath. Unfortunately one of these is missing so the fit is not what it should be. I hope to manufacture a replacement in the future.
I think the sheath used a frog, so I think this was a belt knife at one time.
Any comments, insights, and suggestions as to the history and restoration are very welcome. Barring anything else, this will be a souvenir of this trip and a interesting addition to the collection.
