Comments on: What's with this knife?

Question: What's with this knife?

amethysts — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 21:49:02 -0800

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!

By: Iron Rat

Iron Rat — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 22:13:35 -0800

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

By: holgate

holgate — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 10:43:14 -0800

Definitely sounds like it's modelled on the kukri/khukuri to me.

By: porpoise

porpoise — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 10:55:58 -0800

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.

By: Iron Rat

Iron Rat — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 11:22:09 -0800

And in case you are wondering where "samuria" is blame my spelling.