Mysterious object

[motan]

Sorry guys, but this is not a sickle. It just wouldn't work. Sickles are thin and usually serrated and more curved. This is a thick and almost straight. Because it has an almost triangular cross-section, it is logical to assume it was used for perforating something. But what??

[Richard G]

I'm not giving up that easily! Whilst agreeing it probably does not fit the definition of a sickle if the definition includes a curved blade, I still think it is most probably a harvesting knife of some sort. With a sharp inside edge I think you could quite easily tackle asparagus, lettuce and similar market garden type crops.
Regards
Richard

[kronckew]

Antique reaping hook, note the decorative line carvings and the starburst washer under the bolster rivet, etc.

[David]

At this point can we all agree that this interesting and mysterious item is NOT a weapon? I think it should be moved to the miscellaneous section.

[kronckew]

Yes. Farm tool.

[motan]

Hi Kronckew,
The picture shows what I said in my previous post: that a sickle has broad, curved and often serrated blade. A narrow and thick blade is inefficient for cutting, which the harvest of grain usually involves.
Having said that, the picture shows that our object is most probably a farm tool from the same provenance as the sickle. Do you know where the sickle is from?

[kronckew]

Your definition of broad and serrated vary from mine. They also wear down narrower as you sharpen them. You should have seen my Granny's:

How long it took from 'before' to 'after' I always wondered as all our butter knives were sharper. I suspect she had them at least 50 years...

The site I found it on just called it an old reaping knife sickle. Further definitions said they in general could either be serrated or not. My example was not. I suspect it was British victorian.