Anyone know their knives? Not necessarily military but figured it was best spot for my dirk.

Bought this dirk recently as part of a lot. Paid a lot, more for the other knife in the lot than this one but hoping there’s something here. No idea if there is? It was described as circa 1850. The other knife seems to have a Civil War connection. Would be cool if this one did too but no clue where it came from or if the age given is even near accurate. No marks on blade that I can find. Can anyone speak to it?

 

nah....no one here knows knives...

 

how long...........?
any marks on the ricasso, or the bolster, or the quillion...or the handle...???

 

I can see why you like it for civil war....but I'm not seeing the proper style....or the right marks...
look at this style.....and see what you think...

https://argocoins.com/product/vintage-austrian-dagger-aw-walker/

 

Blade is 8” and handle is 4.5” the Austrians did seem to make a lot dirks and the style is correct. I was guessing possibly English but that’s a pretty uneducated guess. The civil war mention was solely based on the other piece in the lot, and the attribution making it old enough to have been used in the war. For the record I’m not necessarily suggesting it’s related. Only that it’s lot partner appears to have been involved, assuming it’s authentic. After getting out a flashlight, loupe and then a q-tip I did find a possible mark on the quillion. I believe it’s a mark and not just pitting. Unfortunately it’s so worn I can’t make heads nor tails of it. Almost in the shape of a bust in a triangle but not sure if a bust would be found on a blade? Maybe a more thorough cleaning of the area tomorrow will help. Someone recommended a vinegar soak to me for knife blades. Not sure if that’s safe or smart for an antique knife. Because of the placement of the possible mark on the quillion and it’s proximity to the wood handle it probably wouldn’t be helpful anyway. Any good recommendation other than a damp cloth or q-tip? Also it may be my bleary eyes playing tricks on me but I may have just discovered some faint markings under the grime on the base of the blade. That’s where I first looked and saw nothing but mayyybe it’s there after all.

 

I'm wondering if the handle might be a replacement; it doesn't seem to match the blade style.

 

It's possible...& would make it even harder to pin down.
I'm seeing what is commonly known as a WW1 trench knife....or boot knife...but like you say Steve, the handle is .....like...off !

wood handles are known.....but usually more stout...



the germans liked the S guard...



but the long slender blade looks more British......

So far this one escapes me.......

 

I even thought of garter daggers.... but it's on the large size for those.... still??...that slender handle ..........

 

I'm thinking of an old-style German hunting knife, "hunting sword" or Jagdmesser, rather than what we'd consider a hunting knife today; typically would have a stag handle with butt-cap, thicker at the butt than near the guard; while the current wood handle is shaped like a more modern table-knife handle.
Possibly around 1870 - but the original handle would be important in verifying that, sadly.

 

The german blades widen substantially from the tip down.....
I'm just not seeing a german blade here...

 

“is even near accurate. No marks on blade that I can find. Can anyone speak to it?”

Oh, Mr. Knife, hello there!

 

You know the handle doesn’t look much more slender to me than the 2nd and 4th from left in your photos. Maybe you’re on to something here...

 

the mark u found, doesn't tell me anything....and to have no other markings is strange for a knife of this type....
still.....can u provide a pic of it sideways...front and back..?
without the string....

 

could be a Wehrmacht boot knife - Stiefelmesser.

 

I’ll get around to that.irs been a busy few days. That mark I now think is just pitting After looking at it more. I cleaned the blade a tiny bit on base just enough to hopefully see something poke through and there’s nothing there that I see. Maybe it was a replaced handle and any makers marks were on the handle? I find it surprising too.

 

That blade should be marked....the fact that it isn't tells me it wasn't unless it was and now isn't but could have or might have.......
If ya catch my drift....... which kinda drifted.!

 

Blacksmith's/repurposed blade? The ricasso looks filed and "dented" the blade area next to the ricasso has deep area also.

 

Lol! I do catch it! More photo for your viewing!