Help with knife & sword ID, please

DaveF · 18th June 2026, 10:35 PM

I was sent this photo of a knife and sword acquired by a friend at a brocante in France. He'd cleaned the sword, but not the knife. They were labelled African, which would be my guess as well.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

DaveF · 18th June 2026, 11:31 PM

I'm checking with my friend whether or not the sword is laminated, as the photo suggests. South East Asia?

Tim Simmons · 19th June 2026, 02:01 PM

I had one and I am pretty sure they are North African . Bring backs North African ww2 so a vast area.

DaveF · 20th June 2026, 01:17 PM

Thanks Tim. As you say, "North Africa" covers a big area.

This thread's had over a thousand views already, but only one comment. I suppose that could mean that the blades are vanishingly rare or that they're too mundane to comment on.

The sword blade is laminated, apparently.

colin henshaw · 20th June 2026, 01:58 PM

I've never seen hilts like these before (maybe inspired by European hilts ?) North Africa somewhere seems most likely looking at the sheaths...are they made of leather ?

Interesting...

DaveF · 23rd June 2026, 03:31 PM

I've not seen hilts like these either, Colin, and neither has Google, it seems.

I've heard back from my friend and he confirms that the scabbards are leather, stretched/shrunk over some sort of cane. The hilts look like they've been well handled and both blades are, quite crudely, laminated. The weight in the hilt makes the sword feel balanced in the hand. My friend thought maybe West African, as a guess.

It's starting to look like they will remain something of an enigma.

gp · 23rd June 2026, 07:17 PM

what are the sizes, measurements actually ?

RobT · Yesterday, 02:18 AM

Hi All,

GP asked the question I was wondering about. Most especially about the sword. When sheathed, would it be long enough to function as a sword cane? The hilt certainly seems to be suitably configured for that use and the sheath throat looks very much like the one on an African sword cane I have.

Sincerely,
RobT

DaveF · Yesterday, 02:56 PM

I'm told it's about 90cm long in total.
A sword cane is an interesting possibility, Rob. The tip of the scabbard is leather, rather than a metal ferrule. Are African sword canes leather tipped? Also, the scabbard construction is perhaps too light for a cane, seemingly fabricated from strips of cane/african grass under the thin leather. I wonder if it at least started as a cane? The same sheath throat suggest it's possibly from the same region/culture as your cane, Rob? Do you know where yours is from?

RobT · Today, 01:11 AM

Hi Dave F,

My cane is about 34.875” (88.5825cm) OAL with a 23.5” (59.69cm) blade. So, yours and mine are about the same length. I have provided an overall picture of my cane plus a close up of the throat. The shaft is rather stoutly made of two halves of ebony bound by what appears to be silver solder wire. The colored inserts appear to be plastic. The ferrule is a length of threaded black pipe and the crook ferrule is a piece of unthreaded black pipe.
I don’t know if the same holds true for Africa, but in Europe, light construction and non-metal ferrules were often used for canes and sticks not intended for actual support or for use as a cudgel. Canes and sticks with sword blades in them were oftentimes very lightly constructed. I have seen canes and sticks with non-durable ferrules of horn, bone, bakelite, and brass. In addition, some canes were far too short to be used for support (eg some plantation canes and some forms of shillelagh). In short, the cane in Europe became an item of dress for well-to-do men and women and actual utility wasn’t always necessary. If canes and sticks in Africa carried the same symbolism of wealth and authority perhaps suitability for use as a cane wasn’t always a requirement there either.
The above being said, I would still check the tip of your cane carefully for any possible ghost of a missing ferrule (durable or non-durable).

Sincerely,
RobT

18th June 2026, 10:35 PM	#1
DaveF Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Lancashire, England Posts: 57	Help with knife & sword ID, please I was sent this photo of a knife and sword acquired by a friend at a brocante in France. He'd cleaned the sword, but not the knife. They were labelled African, which would be my guess as well. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Attached Images

Yesterday, 02:18 AM	#8
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 647	Size Matters Hi All, GP asked the question I was wondering about. Most especially about the sword. When sheathed, would it be long enough to function as a sword cane? The hilt certainly seems to be suitably configured for that use and the sheath throat looks very much like the one on an African sword cane I have. Sincerely, RobT

Today, 01:11 AM	#10
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 647	Here Is My Example Hi Dave F, My cane is about 34.875” (88.5825cm) OAL with a 23.5” (59.69cm) blade. So, yours and mine are about the same length. I have provided an overall picture of my cane plus a close up of the throat. The shaft is rather stoutly made of two halves of ebony bound by what appears to be silver solder wire. The colored inserts appear to be plastic. The ferrule is a length of threaded black pipe and the crook ferrule is a piece of unthreaded black pipe. I don’t know if the same holds true for Africa, but in Europe, light construction and non-metal ferrules were often used for canes and sticks not intended for actual support or for use as a cudgel. Canes and sticks with sword blades in them were oftentimes very lightly constructed. I have seen canes and sticks with non-durable ferrules of horn, bone, bakelite, and brass. In addition, some canes were far too short to be used for support (eg some plantation canes and some forms of shillelagh). In short, the cane in Europe became an item of dress for well-to-do men and women and actual utility wasn’t always necessary. If canes and sticks in Africa carried the same symbolism of wealth and authority perhaps suitability for use as a cane wasn’t always a requirement there either. The above being said, I would still check the tip of your cane carefully for any possible ghost of a missing ferrule (durable or non-durable). Sincerely, RobT Attached Images

18th June 2026, 11:31 PM	#2
DaveF Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Lancashire, England Posts: 57	I'm checking with my friend whether or not the sword is laminated, as the photo suggests. South East Asia?

19th June 2026, 02:01 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 6,002	I had one and I am pretty sure they are North African . Bring backs North African ww2 so a vast area.

20th June 2026, 01:17 PM	#4
DaveF Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Lancashire, England Posts: 57	Thanks Tim. As you say, "North Africa" covers a big area. This thread's had over a thousand views already, but only one comment. I suppose that could mean that the blades are vanishingly rare or that they're too mundane to comment on. The sword blade is laminated, apparently.

20th June 2026, 01:58 PM	#5
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,432	I've never seen hilts like these before (maybe inspired by European hilts ?) North Africa somewhere seems most likely looking at the sheaths...are they made of leather ? Interesting...

23rd June 2026, 03:31 PM	#6
DaveF Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Lancashire, England Posts: 57	I've not seen hilts like these either, Colin, and neither has Google, it seems. I've heard back from my friend and he confirms that the scabbards are leather, stretched/shrunk over some sort of cane. The hilts look like they've been well handled and both blades are, quite crudely, laminated. The weight in the hilt makes the sword feel balanced in the hand. My friend thought maybe West African, as a guess. It's starting to look like they will remain something of an enigma.

23rd June 2026, 07:17 PM	#7
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 1,028	what are the sizes, measurements actually ?

Yesterday, 02:56 PM	#9
DaveF Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Lancashire, England Posts: 57	I'm told it's about 90cm long in total. A sword cane is an interesting possibility, Rob. The tip of the scabbard is leather, rather than a metal ferrule. Are African sword canes leather tipped? Also, the scabbard construction is perhaps too light for a cane, seemingly fabricated from strips of cane/african grass under the thin leather. I wonder if it at least started as a cane? The same sheath throat suggest it's possibly from the same region/culture as your cane, Rob? Do you know where yours is from?