uncommon belgian bread knife with arm support

fernando · 3rd February 2013, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Very interesting - I like these primitive items - has great character...

Yes, an exquisite specimen indeed

.

Jim McDougall · 3rd February 2013, 05:20 PM

These unusual old sword type implements are pretty interesting., winder what its for.

junker · 5th February 2013, 08:51 PM

Just a guess.
Maybe a knive for one who lost his hand, when it is fastened to the lower arm.
There were plenty of those items after WW1.
But I think the handle would have been removed if it one ot that kind.

Dirk

fernando · 5th February 2013, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junker

Just a guess.
Maybe a knive for one who lost his hand, when it is fastened to the lower arm...

Humm ... unlikely (see my profile). I don't see much praticality in that. Besides, prothesis and other straping devices are only word to put up on a permanent basis, not for ephemerous tasks.
On the other hand, that arm 'rest' is well placed as a stopper to back the effort you would have to make to cut something hard ... very dense bread, following tim's mention; otherwise something harder

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M ELEY · 6th February 2013, 06:29 AM

Could this have been used like a tobacco-cutting knife? The extended bar would have allowed for more of a swing to cut corn stalks, sugar cane, tobacco leaves (which are surprisingly thick and a pain to cut, I'm told). Just a guess-

If you google tobacco knives, you'll see all the weird shapes they came in, some for specialty removal. Here's a site for various agricultural knives and their odd shapes-
www.okapisa.com/site/awdep.asp?depnum=50598

fernando · 6th February 2013, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Could this have been used like a tobacco-cutting knife? The extended bar would have allowed for more of a swing to cut corn stalks, sugar cane, tobacco leaves (which are surprisingly thick and a pain to cut, I'm told). Just a guess-

...

As long as the cutting direction, be it chopping or leaning against the material, is towards the user... this is an important clue !
By the way, which are the blade measurements ... and the other parts length ?
Ot doesn't look like a chopper ... rather a (slicing) cutter

TimW · 6th February 2013, 02:30 PM

It is indeed a bread knife. You have to imagine: a BIG firm farmer's bread, plenty of children to feed. The U support takes away the strain from your wrist when cutting a lot of bread.

It could be made for an impaired person, but I'm not sure.

Here is a similar knife: http://www.mot.be/w/1/index.php/IDDO...e?i=900553.jpg

3rd February 2013, 05:20 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,730	These unusual old sword type implements are pretty interesting., winder what its for.

5th February 2013, 08:51 PM	#3
junker Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 140	Just a guess. Maybe a knive for one who lost his hand, when it is fastened to the lower arm. There were plenty of those items after WW1. But I think the handle would have been removed if it one ot that kind. Dirk

6th February 2013, 06:29 AM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,210	Could this have been used like a tobacco-cutting knife? The extended bar would have allowed for more of a swing to cut corn stalks, sugar cane, tobacco leaves (which are surprisingly thick and a pain to cut, I'm told). Just a guess- If you google tobacco knives, you'll see all the weird shapes they came in, some for specialty removal. Here's a site for various agricultural knives and their odd shapes- www.okapisa.com/site/awdep.asp?depnum=50598

6th February 2013, 02:30 PM	#7
TimW Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 54	It is indeed a bread knife. You have to imagine: a BIG firm farmer's bread, plenty of children to feed. The U support takes away the strain from your wrist when cutting a lot of bread. It could be made for an impaired person, but I'm not sure. Here is a similar knife: http://www.mot.be/w/1/index.php/IDDO...e?i=900553.jpg