18th century pocketknife?

toasted

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Hunted the woods right next to a field site that has produced a good amount of late 17th to mid 18th century stuff. Got a early cast button with a flower(tudor rose)on it, a fancy back plate to a saddle strap guide and a small copper pocketknife. I assume its colonial based on nearby finds so Id appreciate any input from knife experts
 

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I'm not a knife expert, but that is a very cool find- Congrats!
 

I'm not a knife expert, I only find Roman folding Knife bits or 19/20th C versions, however, as it doesn't fit those profiles, I'm thinking your assumption is correct.
 

Looks a bit like an 18th century jacknife. I've only ever found one from a 1700's fort. If I can find mine I'll get a photo. They had that distinct curve in the handle.
 

Not sure why but straight razor came to mind when I looked at the handle.

Cool strap guide, dug one just like it in the SC Lowcountry.
 

Nice!!! Congrats!!!
 

If you didn't value that knife in it's current condition, it would be really cool to have a custom knife smith repurpose those copper scales and recreate the blade as close as possible; then you'd have a special relic that you could use :)
 

Very nice Toasted. I've dug a couple very similar at early sites. They are both so light and delicate I couldn't picture them being used as a jack knife. I've always assumed they were straight razors.
 

I agree with Dug. As soon as I saw the handle, I was thinking it was a straight razor rather than a pocket knife. Nice relic finds.
 

Not sure why but straight razor came to mind when I looked at the handle.

Cool strap guide, dug one just like it in the SC Lowcountry.

Possibly but all the ones I see online do not have a contoured handle like mine.
 

It looks like a hoof knife to me....
 

I actually meant a clasp knife. Anyway, couldn't find mine (buried somewhere in a mountain of relic boxes) but it's exactly like the one in the photo. Yours has some differences so it may not be the same or as old. Hope this helps.
20210301_181458.webp
 

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Found a pic of very similar in form knife attributed to a mid 18th century dutch maker. Wish mine was silver
 

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There you go again toasted making us look bad. Congratulations on those beautiful relics
 

Very nice congratulations
 

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