Two Large Mystery Knives

drac2k · 11th January 2017, 02:37 PM

I like your theory.The U.S. Special Forces, the Green Berets, worked very closely with the Nung (jointly called 111 Corps Mike Force)."The Nungs were ethnic Chinese, who had at various times fled that country and had settled in and around Cholon, a suburb of Saigon ." I think you have put me on the right track!
The information on 111 Corps Mike Force and the Nung comes from an on line posting from the "Special Forces Association Chapter 1X: Vietnam - Green Berets and Nungs." I found this information prior to this posting while doing research on a machete, named to Capt. Thomas Myerchin , a commander of 111 Corps Mike Force, 3rd Nung Battalion, U.S. Army Special Forces.
Funny how different threads come together.

Sajen · 11th January 2017, 06:56 PM

The knife with the horn handle is indeed most interesting and I remember an old thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=Luzon
And Ian is correct, the ferrule isn't what point to the Philippines but maybe Chinese or Vietnam like the base of the blade. This base style you can find by Chinese daggers. So maybe indeed Vietnam?
And please can you take a flash picture from the handle? (close up)

Regards,
Detlef

drac2k · 11th January 2017, 08:18 PM

Wow Detlef, your recall is amazing ;give me a day or two and I will post more pictures of the handle.

kai · 11th January 2017, 08:37 PM

Hello Detlef,

Quote:

The knife with the horn handle is indeed most interesting and I remember an old thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=Luzon

Thanks for pointing this out! I believe the style does show way more differences than similarities though...

Quote:

And Ian is correct, the ferrule isn't what point to the Philippines but maybe Chinese or Vietnam like the base of the blade. This base style you can find by Chinese daggers. So maybe indeed Vietnam?

Mind you, it could be from any of the many, many China towns scattered all over SE Asia; it's just a matter of probabilities and my 3 suggestions would fit into the period (certainly several more possibilities within Southern Vietnam though depending on where the GI was stationed).

Regards,
Kai

KuKulzA28 · 12th January 2017, 06:26 AM

The second knife with the wrapping on the sheath reminds me of the type of wrapping often used by the Taiwanese aborigines of the western plains (Ping Pu) esp. with Han influence.

The mouth of the sheath reminds me of southern Chinese (guangdong, fujian, zheijiang) sheaths and scabbards...

the metal-work on that handle... not sure, but makes me think Chinese influenced SE Asian...

drac2k · 12th January 2017, 03:13 PM

Pictures as promised.

Sajen · 12th January 2017, 05:32 PM

Hi Drac2k,

thank you for the additional pictures. I would liked to have seen close-ups from the handle material, on one of your first pictures I could come to the impression that it could be rhino horn, so I've asked for flash pictures, I've learned that you can identify rhino horn better by pictures as by pure eyes.
But the scabbard mouth show much Vietnam or Chinese influence. Would like to see the round sign at the scabbard hidden by cord.

BTW, it's a very nice knife!

Regards,
Detlef

drac2k · 12th January 2017, 08:51 PM

Thanks Detlef.I tried to gently push the cord down, but it wouldn't budge, and I didn't want to possibly ruin it. I get it now, you want a picture using the flash of the camera for the handle.I'll try to post one soon.

12th January 2017, 03:13 PM	#6
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,269	Pictures as promised. Attached Images

11th January 2017, 02:37 PM	#1
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,269	I like your theory.The U.S. Special Forces, the Green Berets, worked very closely with the Nung (jointly called 111 Corps Mike Force)."The Nungs were ethnic Chinese, who had at various times fled that country and had settled in and around Cholon, a suburb of Saigon ." I think you have put me on the right track! The information on 111 Corps Mike Force and the Nung comes from an on line posting from the "Special Forces Association Chapter 1X: Vietnam - Green Berets and Nungs." I found this information prior to this posting while doing research on a machete, named to Capt. Thomas Myerchin , a commander of 111 Corps Mike Force, 3rd Nung Battalion, U.S. Army Special Forces. Funny how different threads come together.

11th January 2017, 06:56 PM	#2
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,272	The knife with the horn handle is indeed most interesting and I remember an old thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=Luzon And Ian is correct, the ferrule isn't what point to the Philippines but maybe Chinese or Vietnam like the base of the blade. This base style you can find by Chinese daggers. So maybe indeed Vietnam? And please can you take a flash picture from the handle? (close up) Regards, Detlef

11th January 2017, 08:18 PM	#3
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,269	Wow Detlef, your recall is amazing ;give me a day or two and I will post more pictures of the handle.

12th January 2017, 06:26 AM	#5
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	The second knife with the wrapping on the sheath reminds me of the type of wrapping often used by the Taiwanese aborigines of the western plains (Ping Pu) esp. with Han influence. The mouth of the sheath reminds me of southern Chinese (guangdong, fujian, zheijiang) sheaths and scabbards... the metal-work on that handle... not sure, but makes me think Chinese influenced SE Asian...

12th January 2017, 05:32 PM	#7
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,272	Hi Drac2k, thank you for the additional pictures. I would liked to have seen close-ups from the handle material, on one of your first pictures I could come to the impression that it could be rhino horn, so I've asked for flash pictures, I've learned that you can identify rhino horn better by pictures as by pure eyes. But the scabbard mouth show much Vietnam or Chinese influence. Would like to see the round sign at the scabbard hidden by cord. BTW, it's a very nice knife! Regards, Detlef

12th January 2017, 08:51 PM	#8
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,269	Thanks Detlef.I tried to gently push the cord down, but it wouldn't budge, and I didn't want to possibly ruin it. I get it now, you want a picture using the flash of the camera for the handle.I'll try to post one soon.