Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > European Armoury

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 29th December 2018, 03:15 PM   #1
Mel H
Member
 
Mel H's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: North East England.
Posts: 107
Default Lion Navaja

Hello All, just picked up a reasonably sized, elderly Navaja with a lion trademark on the blade. I'm hoping that someone here who has more knowledge of these knives may be able to tell me something about the maker.

I have some pic's of the knife which I'll put up when I've reduced the image sizes.
Attached Images
 

Last edited by Mel H; 29th December 2018 at 03:30 PM.
Mel H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th December 2018, 03:28 PM   #2
Mel H
Member
 
Mel H's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: North East England.
Posts: 107
Default

More pic's.
Overall length open is 32 cm (12.6 inch) with 15 cm (6 inch) blade.
Attached Images
 

Last edited by Mel H; 29th December 2018 at 03:44 PM.
Mel H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th December 2018, 03:29 PM   #3
fernando
Lead Moderator European Armoury
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,617
Default

A French mark for sure. Maybe not famous, though; not listed in Forton's work.
Let us then see the whole piece, Mel .
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th December 2018, 04:14 PM   #4
Mel H
Member
 
Mel H's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: North East England.
Posts: 107
Default

Fernando, thank you for pointing me in the right direction, I've now done a little searching. It seems that Au Lion did have a moment of fame, they contracted to produce the first U.S. mod 1918 trench knives ( now much sought after ), there doesn't seem to be a lot of information on the maker.
Mel H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th December 2018, 05:05 PM   #5
MacCathain
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 65
Default

Au Lion is the trademark of R. V. Cruege of Bordeaux (Gironde), per The Who's Who of French Arms from 1350 to 1970 by Jean-Jacques Buigné.
MacCathain is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29th December 2018, 06:57 PM   #6
Mel H
Member
 
Mel H's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: North East England.
Posts: 107
Default

Thank you.
Mel H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th December 2018, 01:30 AM   #7
Chris Evans
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 661
Default

Hi Folks,

Great detective work and Happy new Year everybody!

Cheers
Chris
Chris Evans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th December 2018, 09:43 AM   #8
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

I'd stick a ~1 in. solid or split key ring thru the hole to help raising the lock, like mine:
Attached Images
 
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30th December 2018, 01:02 PM   #9
Mel H
Member
 
Mel H's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: North East England.
Posts: 107
Default

I like these knives, I have some other larger old ones. I've got a some split spring rings in my toolbox but they're brand new and don't look quite right, I'll keep an eye open for one with some age and patina.

Here's one of my older Navajas.
Attached Images
 

Last edited by Mel H; 30th December 2018 at 02:02 PM.
Mel H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 12:49 AM   #10
Chris Evans
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 661
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mel H
I like these knives, I have some other larger old ones. I've got a some split spring rings in my toolbox but they're brand new and don't look quite right, I'll keep an eye open for one with some age and patina.

Here's one of my older Navajas.
Now. that's a really nice and colectable piece - Congratulations!

Cheers
Chris
Chris Evans is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 11:26 AM   #11
fernando
Lead Moderator European Armoury
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,617
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kronckew
... I'd stick a ~1 in. solid or split key ring thru the hole to help raising the lock, like mine:...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mel H
... I've got a some split spring rings in my toolbox but they're brand new and don't look quite right ...
Some detail Wayne doesn't seem to mind of, though !
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 01:41 PM   #12
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

Mine have the rings they came with, the Okapi and Kudo ones are recent tho. The others are older, the small one is quite old. The other is one made in Germany before they licensed them to South Africa to become the Okapi.
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 06:35 PM   #13
cookyboy1
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 7
Default Navaja

I have a navaja which might have a lion mark on the blade,thought you might like to see it.if it's not the same as the lion navaja perhaps you could identify it for me .thanks
Attached Images
      
cookyboy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 07:28 PM   #14
Rick
Vikingsword Staff
 
Rick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,258
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mel H
I've got a some split spring rings in my toolbox but they're brand new and don't look quite right, I'll keep an eye open for one with some age and patina.
Patina can be achieved on steel by a day or two soak in a thick paste made with instant coffee.
Rick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 08:12 PM   #15
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
Patina can be achieved on steel by a day or two soak in a thick paste made with instant coffee.
Add a dash of hydrogen peroxide to jazz it up.
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 08:48 PM   #16
Mel H
Member
 
Mel H's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: North East England.
Posts: 107
Default

I've already dropped a couple into a damp flower pot in the garden, it'll probably do the job in a couple of weeks but you can never be sure with modern spring steels.
Mel H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 09:27 PM   #17
fernando
Lead Moderator European Armoury
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,617
Default

Amazing ! why not spending a few more bucks and buy the real antique thing, instead of testing these alchemist schemes ? .
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31st December 2018, 11:50 PM   #18
Mel H
Member
 
Mel H's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: North East England.
Posts: 107
Smile

Quote:
Originally Posted by fernando
Amazing ! why not spending a few more bucks and buy the real antique thing, instead of testing these alchemist schemes ? .
Referring back to my earlier post, I did say I'll keep an eye open for one with some age and patina. It's not a great priority at the moment. ( I'm just in the process of opening a new bottle of single malt to help bring in the New Year in quarter of an hour or so )
Best wishes to all.
Mel H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2019, 04:27 AM   #19
Lee
EAAF Staff
 
Lee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Posts: 884
Default

Lew had quite a collection of these as well, both old and new:
Attached Images
      
Lee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2019, 08:56 AM   #20
RobertGuy
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 135
Default

Back to the original question the Au Lion ( Au Lion/Société Généralee) was also contracted to produce the first batches of 1918 trench knives for thUS Army in WW1.

And Happy New Year to all
Attached Images
  
RobertGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2019, 02:27 PM   #21
fernando
Lead Moderator European Armoury
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,617
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cookyboy1
I have a navaja which might have a lion mark on the blade,thought you might like to see it.if it's not the same as the lion navaja perhaps you could identify it for me .thanks
Difficult to read the mark on your navaja, cookyboy1. Could you improve the pictures; or tell us what are those letters ?
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 1st January 2019, 02:31 PM   #22
fernando
Lead Moderator European Armoury
 
fernando's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
Posts: 9,617
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mel H
... ( I'm just in the process of opening a new bottle of single malt to help bring in the New Year in quarter of an hour or so ) ...
I did it with a bottle of chilled Spanish Cava .

Happy new year .
fernando is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:24 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.