- Joined
- Apr 6, 2001
- Messages
- 2,632
The story goes that this past weekend my father was going through one of his drawers and found this dagger. As a kid he found it in his Grandfather's garage/shop and his Grandfather gave it to him. My father discarded the handles and made new ones out of what he described as "paint stirring sticks". He then used some wood putty and nails as rivets to hold them on. Then polyurethane finished the handle. So far this handle has held up for +40 years. (My dad just turned 50)
The blade itself is roughly ground, but well kept. A full tang contoured to fit your hand, a guard that is machined as part of the design, and has a false edge that at one point was sharpened. (It would be very easy to put a shaving sharp edge on the false edge again.)
It is not the original length, because my father broke the tip off throwing it as a kid, but reground it.
5 7/16" blade length
4 1/2" handle length
10" OAL
2 1/8" false edge
The scabbard is what raises so many questions. All stamped steel, and made by someone who knew what they were doing. There is no discernable seam, this is what makes me think this is no home made job. I think a doughboy or GI would stick to leather instead of making a steel scabbard. (But what do I know?)
My guess is WWI, but I have no idea about that era of blades. (I will try to get pics later on this week so yall can help.) Identification is not necessary but would be neat to know. (Now that I think of it, this might be German WWI or WWII. I had a lot of family in the first war, and my Grandfather was a guard of a German POW camp during the second. That would be good reasoning as to why I cannot identify it.)
The most amazing thing is the edge this blade holds. I sharpened it up last night, after +40 years since my dad did it, and went at some of the thickest densest cardboard I was saving for something special. Then I went and shredded some scrap leather, cut some more into squares for a future stacked leather handle, and afterward it was less than scary sharp but still shaving hair off my arm.
Yvsa has mentioned the outstanding aspects of +50 year old steel before.
He aint kidding when he says it holds an edge!
My father mentioned placing new slabs on it, he said bone or horn, but I haven't made up my mind yet. It is a very rough grind and would make a great user as to it is not in original condition. Whatever I do to this knife will only improve its lifespan as a tool or a working heirloom, and will definitely serve as a template for future designs that I will attempt.
The blade itself is roughly ground, but well kept. A full tang contoured to fit your hand, a guard that is machined as part of the design, and has a false edge that at one point was sharpened. (It would be very easy to put a shaving sharp edge on the false edge again.)
It is not the original length, because my father broke the tip off throwing it as a kid, but reground it.
5 7/16" blade length
4 1/2" handle length
10" OAL
2 1/8" false edge
The scabbard is what raises so many questions. All stamped steel, and made by someone who knew what they were doing. There is no discernable seam, this is what makes me think this is no home made job. I think a doughboy or GI would stick to leather instead of making a steel scabbard. (But what do I know?)
My guess is WWI, but I have no idea about that era of blades. (I will try to get pics later on this week so yall can help.) Identification is not necessary but would be neat to know. (Now that I think of it, this might be German WWI or WWII. I had a lot of family in the first war, and my Grandfather was a guard of a German POW camp during the second. That would be good reasoning as to why I cannot identify it.)
The most amazing thing is the edge this blade holds. I sharpened it up last night, after +40 years since my dad did it, and went at some of the thickest densest cardboard I was saving for something special. Then I went and shredded some scrap leather, cut some more into squares for a future stacked leather handle, and afterward it was less than scary sharp but still shaving hair off my arm.
Yvsa has mentioned the outstanding aspects of +50 year old steel before.
He aint kidding when he says it holds an edge!
My father mentioned placing new slabs on it, he said bone or horn, but I haven't made up my mind yet. It is a very rough grind and would make a great user as to it is not in original condition. Whatever I do to this knife will only improve its lifespan as a tool or a working heirloom, and will definitely serve as a template for future designs that I will attempt.
