Knife identification...

[rommy]

Can anyone tell me anything about my little knife? A good few years ago my son and myself befriended a young German para camping in NW Scotland. He had finished his walk and was about to set off back to Inverness airport but decided to hang with us for a few days when we offered to drive him back.

He was into Viking re enactment back home, so we took him to a few Viking sites we knew and went up to Durness then along the coast to John o'Groats then towards Inverness visiting the Viking centre. When we dropped him at the airport, he gave me his knife in appreciation.

It would be nice if somone knew about the style, history or possible maker. A lovely and useful knife, very comfortable to hold and I think rather more elegant then the Gransfors Brucks neck knife. Regards, Geoff.

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac58/7797100/006-2.jpg

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac58/7797100/005-1.jpg

http://i885.photobucket.com/albums/ac58/7797100/007.jpg

 

[Asa Samuel]

Sorry, I can't tell you anything about the nice but it looks lovely!

 

[rommy]

Sorry, I can't tell you anything about the nice but it looks lovely!

Thank you for your kind reply. I would have thought someone else might have bought one as if it was made for a re enactment society that quite a few would have one???

Certainly a timeless, well thought out design. Perfect for paunching rabbits etc. as you can place a guiding finger between the gut and the blade. Best regards, Geoff.

 

[Magentus]

Great looking knife. Have you tried asking on British Blades? There is a wealth of knowledge there.

Cheers, Magentus

 

[rommy]

Great looking knife. Have you tried asking on British Blades? There is a wealth of knowledge there.

Cheers, Magentus

Thank you for that - I've just signed up and pasted my question up there. Regards, Geoff.

 

[maddave]

Also PM Dave Budd or Wayland on here. He makes these and I think it's a viking womans utility knife....But I'm not sure

 

[Tengu]

Ive seen Dave Budd make ones like that.

 

[rommy]

Also PM Dave Budd or Wayland on here. He makes these and I think it's a viking womans utility knife....But I'm not sure

That makes a lot of sense to me Dave as I always find myself reaching for it when I am preparing food!! Like I've said, great for preparing game but also for slicing and chopping veg. and herbs. Good call. Regards, Geoff.

 

[Dave Budd]

yep, often referred to as a Viking woman's knife. pretty much every man, woman and child in the past carried a knife and that style is normally associated with female graves, but to honest my memory of these things is a little dull (the more I learn, the more dribbles out of my ears!). Wayland would be able to give more details about it's social history et al

 

[Wayland]

I'm going to stick my neck out here and may very well get my head bitten off as a result.

I think it is a re-enactorism.

You know how it is, someone gets something that looks almost right and then someone else copies it because so and so says it's alright.....

Before you know it everybody thinks something is spot on for a period and no body challenges it.

I know many re-enactors that have one and say "It's a Viking woman's knife" but when you ask how they know that, or where the originals are, they look sort of blank and say someone else said it.

Don't get me wrong, they are a nice knife and I actually have one myself somewhere. I think they are made by a German smith who also makes nice penannular brooches that are also not quite right. There are a number of re-enactment suppliers that now sell them.

I'm not dissing the quality of his work, just the historical accuracy.

If anyone knows better I'd love to see some references so I could use mine a bit more.

 

[Dave Budd]

you know, I wouldn't be surprised at all by that! I've only had second-hand info about them, I've not seen any archaeological examples of that style (lots of all metal ring knives from earlier periods though).

Gary, are horned helmets still in?

 

[Wayland]

you know, I wouldn't be surprised at all by that! I've only had second-hand info about them, I've not seen any archaeological examples of that style (lots of all metal ring knives from earlier periods though).

Gary, are horned helmets still in?

Don't get me started.... :viking:

 

[Dave Budd]

i know the feeling

 

[rommy]

and that style is normally associated with female graves

I've not seen any archaeological examples of that style

?????

I think they are made by a German smith who also makes nice penannular brooches that are also not quite right. There are a number of re-enactment suppliers that now sell them.

Any links to this blokes work please? Or to the suppliers? Regards, Geoff.