Ethnographic folding knives

RobT · 18th September 2019, 11:57 PM

Hi All,

Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to the origin of this little folding knife. Overall the knife measures about 5.625" (about 14.25cm). There is no lock. The knife is opened and held open by the little loop at the back of the blade. The cutting edge is on the incurve. The little indentations near the spine apparently serve as a nail nick. The hilt is entirely brass and is composed of five pieces. The body of the hilt is a single piece of brass that has been folded to contain the blade. That fold continues all the way along the loop at the back of the hilt. There are two circular bosses on either side of the hilt body and the pivot pin runs through them. This knife is for light duty only. The Asian version of a pen knife perhaps?

Sincerely,
RobT

Martin Lubojacky · 19th September 2019, 08:34 PM

Not my field, but - I was told in China they used simillar (concave) knives for tonsure. But it could be any country from Iran to the east (?)

fernando · 19th September 2019, 08:54 PM

A rather cute piece, it is

.

RobT · 20th September 2019, 02:36 AM

Martin,
Thanks for the response. I did two searches. In the first search (Chinese tonsure knife), everything I saw was pretty straight or electric. With the second search (antique tonsure knife) I did find a very nice antique tonsure scissor and knife set from Bangkok Thailand. The set was made for royalty and had a lot of gold on it. The knife was slightly back curved.

Fernando,
Thanks for the complement. I agree, it is very cute.

Sincerely,
RobT

Rick · 20th September 2019, 02:40 AM

Could this have been for cutting the betel nut; or are they too hard to use something like this on.

kronckew · 20th September 2019, 08:16 AM

Looks like a pruning knife. Similar small ones are used in scoring opium poppies & collecting the head later to get the seeds for next years crop. I recall seeing similar decorations on blades from northeast India near Burma.

fernando · 20th September 2019, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

... Looks like a pruning knife. Similar small ones are used in scoring opium poppies & collecting the head later to get the seeds for next years crop...

Makes sense, incurved edge and all.

18th September 2019, 11:57 PM	#1
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 456	Unknown Folder Origin Hi All, Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to the origin of this little folding knife. Overall the knife measures about 5.625" (about 14.25cm). There is no lock. The knife is opened and held open by the little loop at the back of the blade. The cutting edge is on the incurve. The little indentations near the spine apparently serve as a nail nick. The hilt is entirely brass and is composed of five pieces. The body of the hilt is a single piece of brass that has been folded to contain the blade. That fold continues all the way along the loop at the back of the hilt. There are two circular bosses on either side of the hilt body and the pivot pin runs through them. This knife is for light duty only. The Asian version of a pen knife perhaps? Sincerely, RobT Attached Images

20th September 2019, 02:36 AM	#4
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 456	Tonsure Search Martin, Thanks for the response. I did two searches. In the first search (Chinese tonsure knife), everything I saw was pretty straight or electric. With the second search (antique tonsure knife) I did find a very nice antique tonsure scissor and knife set from Bangkok Thailand. The set was made for royalty and had a lot of gold on it. The knife was slightly back curved. Fernando, Thanks for the complement. I agree, it is very cute. Sincerely, RobT

19th September 2019, 08:34 PM	#2
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 836	Not my field, but - I was told in China they used simillar (concave) knives for tonsure. But it could be any country from Iran to the east (?)

19th September 2019, 08:54 PM	#3
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,647	A rather cute piece, it is .

20th September 2019, 02:40 AM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,268	Could this have been for cutting the betel nut; or are they too hard to use something like this on.

20th September 2019, 08:16 AM	#6
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,152	Looks like a pruning knife. Similar small ones are used in scoring opium poppies & collecting the head later to get the seeds for next years crop. I recall seeing similar decorations on blades from northeast India near Burma.