🔎 UNIDENTIFIED When Is It?

[CRUSADER]

99.9% sure this is an Iron Knife.
It feels heavy & when held it seems to be balanced in a way that it tends towards a downward force. Makes think maybe for butchery? So I'm not sure it's proper name or use.
I don't know if it's 200 years old or 2000.
What catches my eye is the slightly off-centre square pommel which I have no idea how they forged that one, must of been tough as I see no joins.

Any ideas?

 

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[SweatyPotato47]

To me, it looks like an ancient Roman dagger.

 

[CRUSADER]

To me, it looks like an ancient Roman dagger.

Can't be a dagger as such, because it only has 1 sharp edge. The top of the knife is quite thick & tappers down to the bottom of the blade.

 

[villagenut]

Looks like the handle is really small for a good man sized grip....

 

[CRUSADER]

Looks like the handle is really small for a good man sized grip....

I know what you are saying but I think when it had the grip on it, it would work just fine.

 

[pepperj]

I imagine

I know what you are saying but I think when it had the grip on it, it would work just fine.

Grip of leather is possible.
Very interesting knife.

 

[villagenut]

Wonder if was used as a kitchen food prep chopper. Looks very old.

 

[bowwinkles]

Vintage Iron knife cleaver. Used to process meat on a chopping board.

 

[CRUSADER]

Vintage Iron knife cleaver. Used to process meat on a chopping board.

Not sure what your 'vintage' means but to me it's way way older than that.

 

[bowwinkles]

Not sure what your 'vintage' means but to me it's way way older than that.

If you do not know the exact date it is a general term that means "very old"

 

[KSDirtfisher77]

That's a cool find! To me that knife appears to made in 1500-1600's possibly older. To me also it has a Roman look to it. I make & collect knives soo I'll have to do some digging on this 1. Very cool find!!! If it could be put in a mild electrolysis & see how pommel is attached will say/give a lot of info on the knife.

 

[CRUSADER]

That's a cool find! To me that knife appears to made in 1500-1600's possibly older. To me also it has a Roman look to it. I make & collect knives soo I'll have to do some digging on this 1. Very cool find!!! If it could be put in a mild electrolysis & see how pommel is attached will say/give a lot of info on the knife.

Yeah, it stumped me, if Roman (& I didn't want to jump the gun), it would be a super rare find. I keep flip-flopping all over the place. Medieval seems believable as well.
I will do some electrolysis when it dries out.

 

[tamrock]

You know anyone with a xrf gun? If Roman I would think it be bronze. If it was of the iron age it be black and not rusting, as pure iron doesn't rust. The swords commonly in use in Europe in the Middle Ages were made of steel. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, and iron heated properly over a charcoal fire becomes steel.

 

[JamieD]

I like it for roman - medieval too.

Roman military cleaver here for comparison:

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/36577608_roman-single-edged-military-cleaver

Not the same as yours but quite similar in shape an basic construction I think.

How large is your knife?

 

[CRUSADER]

I like it for roman - medieval too.

Roman military cleaver here for comparison:

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/36577608_roman-single-edged-military-cleaver

Not the same as yours but quite similar in shape an basic construction I think.

How large is your knife?

Thanks, there is a tape measure in one of the pictures.

 

[pepperj]

If you do not know the exact date it is a general term that means "very old"

Vintage does not mean "very old" is a phrase that can apply to any item, as wine, cabbage patch doll.

Simple Terms: Accurate descriptions are important

At what point did the words “antique,” “collectible” and “vintage” become interchangeable? Dr. Anthony Cavo runs down common mistakes sellers make in their antiques and collectibles definitions.

www.antiquetrader.com

"When an antique dealer uses the word “vintage” to describe an item it actually reveals nothing about that item unless it is used with a date or even an era. To describe something as “a vintage 1865 photograph,” “a vintage late-Victorian settee” or “a vintage 1983 Cabbage Patch Doll” tells us quite a bit if you are familiar with photographs, Victorian furniture or Cabbage Patch Dolls. The word “vintage” alone tells us not much. If you plan on using the word “vintage” to describe items in your stock, remember that the word is incomplete and uninformative without a date."

 

[creskol]

Isn't that what they refer to as an Ethnographic club knife?

 

[JamieD]

Thanks, there is a tape measure in one of the pictures.

Ah yes, missed that!

 

[Gare]

Nice find that is for sure