What's the "oldest" knife in your collection?

[Kohai999]

I wish I had some info on this one. It came with a larger collection, also with no written or other documentation! Sad but true. Anyway, I've always admired the set and its pieces.

It's a Mongolian dining set, I have one and it is fairly similar, right down to the fullered blade. Don't know anything else.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Joss]

The piece that has been longest in my collection is a tanto by Louie Mills - I bought the blade from him and then had it polished and mounted in a non-traditional shirasaya.

The oldest piece in my collection is a Nambokucho-era naginata-naori wakizashi. The original blade (a naginata) was made during the 14th century...

 

[Lorien]

this is the oldest contemporary N. American handmade knife I've got, and is also the first custom knife I picked up;



It was made by Canadian Bob Lay and I got it from a quasi antique shop here in town in exchange for some bike repairs. I think it was priced at about $150. It's probably 30 or 40 years old and looks to have been commissioned since the sheath is embossed with some dude's initials which match the engraved initials on the blade.

It's a very nice knife; well balanced, good edge geometry and has a very comfortable handle. I highly doubt that I will ever seek to get rid of it, since it was the first handmade custom knife I got, not counting khukuris, goloks and the like.

This knife was really the door opener for me. Actually, when I got it in '04 or '05, researching it lead me to this forum where I have found many friends and a happy virtual home

 

[dredd8]

This is the first custom knife I ever bought back in 1988 and still own. Bought this at a gun show, always had an interest in knives but when I found out this guy had made this knife by hand, I was truly amazed and truly hooked.

This is from Louisiana knifemaker Melvin Cormier.

 

[ISKski]

^googled info from Levines Book #4

 

[jbravo]

This is the longest held knife I own (the oldest I own is the knife my dad carried in World War II) - I bought directly from the Negrito maker while at JEST school in the Philippines in 1978. It was hand made from a Jeep leafspring, with an 11" blade, full tapered tang, and water buffalo horn for scales. (the horn, if scraped off the handle into a shavings, is supposed to be an excellent coagulant in case of a cut). You can see the makers mark on the blade - there were four or five different guys making them for the school attendees, all very similar in design. The sheath is wood, because leather will rot pretty quickly in that jungle environment. It holds a great edge, chops like an axe. I've beat the heck out of it over the years without any noticeable damage!

 

[HTMD]

As promised:

This is a wild story...(see above)
Chuck Burrows aka Wild Rose divined Morrocan/North African and applied carved camel bone scales with copper wire wrap -
along with an excellent period scabbard.