Vietnamese talismanic knife?

[blue lander]

It arrived in the mail today, I'll upload photos when I get home.

The blade has nothing approaching an edge on any sides. So I don't think it was ever meant to do actual work. Either talismanic or a souvenir I guess.

The figure on the handle is definitely not ivory or hamster bone. It doesn't feel cool to the touch or heavy. When I tap it with my fingernail it makes a noise more like glass than ivory or bone or plastic.

I think it's cast, but I don't think it's plastic or at least not typical plastic. It's got what looks like a seam down the front but not in back, and the seam doesn't extend to the base. Only the carved figurine part. So maybe it's a flaw in the material rather than a seam.

I did the "hot needle" test and was able to press into it. The material didn't "glob" like plastic. It peeled out like wood shavings! Some of the peels stuck to the needle, so I held it over the flame to see if it'd melt. But it didn't melt, it glowed red and burned up. So I'm stumped.

[Sajen]

I was wondering already when I have seen the pictures if it the same material which is used in Indonesia to fake ivory handles. By this material the hot needle test also don't work and this material is also cast.
Sorry about this bad news!

Regards,
Detlef

[blue lander]

The hilt seems to be attached with super glue, so maybe it's a recent repair/addition to a legitimately old knife. Or maybe the whole thing is a sloppy tourist piece.

[blue lander]

Here's the pictures.

First up is the writing on both sides of the knife, assuming it is writing. It doesn't look like any writing system I've seen on wikipedia, but it doesn't look like random decorative patterns either. So I assume it is some sort of writing.

Next are closeups of the figure. I still don't know what it's made of. There's a hole going through its mouth. You can see what looks like a seam going down the front, but there's no seam on the back nor is there a seam on the "unshaped" part of the hilt.

[blue lander]

Here's a better picture of the front where the seam is. It's pretty obvious from this angle that it's a seam and not a flaw in the material. Also a picture of the back of the head.

I attached a picture of where the blade meets the bolster, it looks to be filled with a natural material like wood. It feels waxy. I think the old handle broke off and this one's a modern replacement. The face isn't even properly aligned with the "edge" of the knife.

Lastly a picture of the "tip" of the knife.

[Tim Simmons]

You need to do more research on this piece. Cast glass has been used for centuries. India, China, Asia have been making cast glass beads for centuries. The glue looks like any other natural gum or resin glue. I still think you have an interesting item.

[blue lander]

Thank you, I will. The more I look the more I think it's just a "meed mor" Thai amulet knife. I found this one with a very similar handle shape and very similar markings on the blade. Of course the blade shape is completely different.

http://thaiamulets-dhammapath.blogsp...ul-mitmor.html

Edit: It looks like the script is called Khom Thai script, and is used for Buddhist mantras and charms and whatnot.

The "M" looking decorations at the bottom of the knife are apparently a mantra praising Buddha. I still haven't found one with the blade shape of mine, though. There's tons of sites out there about this stuff, maybe I'll send pictures around to them and see what they say.