What's with this knife?

September 30, 2006 9:49 PM

Anything interesting to know about a little chinese knife that has a smaller knife attached to the front of the case?

My friend bought this thing in chinatown, in one of the trinket shops. it's a little decorative knife/letter opener, and attached to the front of the case is another case containing a smaller knife. it was $3.

he can't find anything about them online and he was wondering if there's any interesting history surrounding this curious and unique design. not this piece in particular but this piece's ancestors perhaps.

thank you!

posted by amethysts to sports, hobbies, & recreation (4 answers total)

A pic would be helpful, samuria swords, Gurka kukri's and I guess other fighting weapons may have smaller knives in the sheath for utility knives. I am guessing your friends knife is a cheapy derived from that sort of thing
posted by Iron Rat at 10:13 PM on September 30, 2006

Definitely sounds like it's modelled on the kukri/khukuri to me.
posted by holgate at 10:43 AM on October 1, 2006

Couldn't find a good link, but it's not uncommon for sword scabbards to also have an additional slot for a smaller knife. I've seen the phenomenon in both Eastern and Western historic swords.

Some Chinese and Japanese swords have slots in the handle that fit smaller knives - either as an utility thing or as possibly a thrown weapon.
posted by porpoise at 10:55 AM on October 1, 2006

And in case you are wondering where "samuria" is blame my spelling.
posted by Iron Rat at 11:22 AM on October 1, 2006