Trade knife or just a modern made knife? 9 1/2"

[oldbattleaxe]

It measures 9 1/2" long. Thin tapered edge on both ends. The wood handle is sort of octagon and real light wood. I tried tried get the exact color since my camera made the knife lighter. The blade is sharp. Not sure why is flat at the end? As always, I could use some help from the experts.

 

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[oldbattleaxe]

Is any one on here?

 

[pepperj]

I would say it's not a fur trade knife.
The blade might of been broken off at one time.
Was bought or found?

 

[releventchair]

It's been repaired. Likely re-handled too.
It lacks the pins of early knives. Without the scales removed pin holes could exist and other holes were made for rivets. There were "Buffalo knives much heavier in material and design that were riveted. But most from around the I-Wilson era and fur trade often were pinned.
A knife is a knife though and riveted doesn't mean none were involved in the fur trade or Native trade.


Yours is a French style kitchen blade. That does not mean French made. Or a knife restricted to kitchens. Rather a chefs style blade great for cutting on a board called French to seperate it from a butcher knife or other..
French describes the triangular profile as they have been called a long time.
A basic slicer profile for example was called a scalper as well.
(Slang used to classify so to speak.)

Yours was broken. Was it deliberate? Who knows. Rubber cutting knives have a similar flat end.
But your piece is missing about enough to make a patch cutting knife or a paring knife or neck or boot knife with also. When good steel is scarce ; more pieces get appraised by critical glance.

Unless you can find records of knives traded sharing a similar profile I wouldn't declare it a trade knife. And records exists.
Imports were not expensive knives to the wholesalers. Nor were domestic knives later.
And couldn't any knife be a trade knife?

 

[Clay Diggins]

It's a kitchen knife. With that sharp choil it would be worthless as a field knife. It was clearly designed for use on a cutting board. The construction is 20th century.

It's quite possible it was traded at some time. Probably right after the end was snapped off.

 

[releventchair]

It's a kitchen knife. With that sharp choil it would be worthless as a field knife. It was clearly designed for use on a cutting board. The construction is 20th century.

It's quite possible it was traded at some time. Probably right after the end was snapped off.

Now now; few knives are worthless.
Sure you stick it too far in a bunghole it can catch. Don't do that.
For yourself a few minutes on even a hard stone and you have the choil rounded and customized for personal use. Some folks don't mind a bump stop for a finger. I find it a reliance on something worth inducing a bloody slip over.

 

[Clay Diggins]

I didn't say the knife was worthless. I said the knife was worthless as a field knife. The design is all wrong for field work. The design precludes use for piercing or stabbing.

The knife was not forged, it's cut from a sheet and sharpened. Nothing wrong with that for a kitchen slicing knife but inadequate for field work. Forged steel and a bolster at the heel are the main features of a field knife. This knife has a sharpened heel with no bolster

I suspect it was an adequate kitchen knife designed for slicing on a prepared surface before it was broken.

 

[oldbattleaxe]

It's been repaired. Likely re-handled too.
It lacks the pins of early knives. Without the scales removed pin holes could exist and other holes were made for rivets. There were "Buffalo knives much heavier in material and design that were riveted. But most from around the I-Wilson era and fur trade often were pinned.
A knife is a knife though and riveted doesn't mean none were involved in the fur trade or Native trade.


Yours is a French style kitchen blade. That does not mean French made. Or a knife restricted to kitchens. Rather a chefs style blade great for cutting on a board called French to seperate it from a butcher knife or other..
French describes the triangular profile as they have been called a long time.
A basic slicer profile for example was called a scalper as well.
(Slang used to classify so to speak.)

Yours was broken. Was it deliberate? Who knows. Rubber cutting knives have a similar flat end.
But your piece is missing about enough to make a patch cutting knife or a paring knife or neck or boot knife with also. When good steel is scarce ; more pieces get appraised by critical glance.

Unless you can find records of knives traded sharing a similar profile I wouldn't declare it a trade knife. And records exists.
Imports were not expensive knives to the wholesalers. Nor were domestic knives later.
And couldn't any knife be a trade knife?

well said

 

[oldbattleaxe]

I think this concludes this topic. Thanks for the expert opinions. Only on Treasurenet

 

[releventchair]

I didn't say the knife was worthless. I said the knife was worthless as a field knife. The design is all wrong for field work. The design precludes use for piercing or stabbing.

The knife was not forged, it's cut from a sheet and sharpened. Nothing wrong with that for a kitchen slicing knife but inadequate for field work. Forged steel and a bolster at the heel are the main features of a field knife. This knife has a sharpened heel with no bolster

I suspect it was an adequate kitchen knife designed for slicing on a prepared surface before it was broken.

You haven't seen my longest used field knife?

I didn't say the knife was worthless. I said the knife was worthless as a field knife. The design is all wrong for field work. The design precludes use for piercing or stabbing.

The knife was not forged, it's cut from a sheet and sharpened. Nothing wrong with that for a kitchen slicing knife but inadequate for field work. Forged steel and a bolster at the heel are the main features of a field knife. This knife has a sharpened heel with no bolster

I suspect it was an adequate kitchen knife designed for slicing on a prepared surface before it was broken.

I've hundreds of knives.
Most are fine afield.
Here's one I've used over 50 years. It has tasted moose to hogs to squirrel and fish.
Plenty of deer. Far beyond field dressing.
It's a knife.
Industrial hacksaw broken blade. Elk antler Dad acquired somewhere.