German hunting knife
 

This is a very nice knife I bought on eBay. When it arrived it was much much larger than I expected. It's quite big compared to the deerfoot hunting knives that it reminded me of.

It was described as 1800s European, but I have my doubts. Of course, it could be. Or it could be a 20th century fighting knife, circa WW1?

Something tells me not, though. Something about it suggests it a good early hunting knife. Though it was described as a dirk, it seems to have a vestigial bowie clip point. It's very nicely made. The blade is beautiful. And the rest of is very neat indeed too.

I'm assuming it is German.

Does anybody recognise the maker's logo?

Post WWII and very similar to the grinds of the Korium variety. There were other names selling quite similar hunting knife blades. Korium is a company that later sold the name to Japanese efforts.

Are the guard and ferrule alloy or magnetic? Six inches or so of blade?

Cheers

GC

Hi GC

Thanks for your reply. I'll investigate Korium.

Nice knife so I'm not too hung up about it being relatively new. It's a quality piece, vintage at least, and it was inexpensive.

Unsure about whether alloy or magnetic. I assume alloy. Would check but don't have magnet :).

What's the significance of that?

Regards
Ron

I think the blade is about six inches, yes.

Iw as just a toddler back in 1956ish but I had acquired a plastic dagger with a claw and ball pommel that I was quite enamored of. By 1960, I was reading well and brwsing comic books when I spied the same dagger in steel and piercing a coin (oh, so many points have been bent doing that). Just fairly recently and in journey of recapturing some of my youth, I watched to pounce on Ebay for a decently priced one, which I now have in hand and shown below. Some quick snaps and uploads this morning. I am now reminded I should polish some rust beginning and store it out of the sheath..

http://files.myopera.com/3sails/albu...rium%20002.jpg
http://files.myopera.com/3sails/albu...rium%20004.jpg
http://files.myopera.com/3sails/albu...rium%20003.jpg

In the course of looking at Korium and earlier Jowika knives, I came across one collector's cache of several maker marks and variety of these post war alloy fitted knives, some of the claw and ball but other examples such as yours with basically the same blade but fitted more for the sportsmen. I neglected not cataloging and saving those tidbits and my mind is not as it once was that I could easily recant those other makers (aside from Jowika, as it is another I watch). Jowika was pre war and moved to Ireland but some of the German marked examples (especially razors) do surface.

The alloy reflects cheaper production and resources seen in Third Reich swords also beginning to be used under plate. It is actually the sheath as much as the fittings that I would place your's after WWII but I would doubt it to be much earlier than the late 1930s. As you have noted, the blade steel is excellent and in finding mine was pleasantly surprised as to the quality of the steel (takes a blazing sharp edge).

The three most common of the Korium knives on Ebay are also sold even just as the advertisement.

http://files.myopera.com/3sails/albu...49/Korgal1.jpg

It was in revisiting an favorite American purveyor's site I realized there was one of the maiden form that was being listed as a dug relic. That is a tale and story for another day and that fellow had taken the bait someone else supplied. Still, plated aluminum (or other alloy) should have been recognized before a magazine article ran regarding such a treasure.

Your's looks more purposeful and useful, as mentioned before. The guards are fragile if alloy but even less than superb if just white brass.

Cheers

GC

Hi GC

I've always liked those daggers. They are delightful. I've seen both the claw and ball and the girl on eBay a few times. With a little luck I will one day acquire one of each!

As regards my knife, I'm not sure how to tell whether the guard is alloy or magnetic. To be honest, I'm not that knowledgeable on the period, or on German knives. The period I'm most familiar with is 19th century, and British.

However, I will say this guard is not fragile, so perhaps it isn't alloy.

I think this knife is clearly not Korium because of the flower logo, and I've checked Jowika and that had a different logo.

However, I think you've lead me in the right direction and I'm now closer to the period - around WW2, shortly before or shortly after.

Regards
Ron