Need a CS knife expert!

[Tony_D]

Hey, All-
My first post, thanks for adding me to the group. I recently bought a knife at auction in Aynor, SC. I don't know if it's real, or really much at all about this type of knife. (I'm typically a gun guy...)
The sheath is kind of an old trade cloth consistency, with hand stitching. From what I can tell, the antler handle is real, and I swab tested the filler around the tang and it contains lead, so it's either lead or pewter. The etching is what's throwing me off. If it's fake, I didn't get hurt too bad, but I'd like to know what I have here. Any help or even pointing me toward the right place to ask would be appreciated. If you have questions on Native American stuff, I can help and I'll stay tuned in to this site. Thanks!

 

[johan_steele]

My first reaction is fake. I've seen and handled several period knives and own several. None are this crude by any stretch of the imagination. All that said I'm no collector of CS items as I usually shun such as faked to raise the price. Soooo let's call up an expert or three: @ucvrelics , @unicornforge or perhaps @Lanyard Puller.

 

[Bamascvreb]

May be a fine knife and could be very well made...but probably not old enough to even be growing whiskers yet. Doesnt mean it isnt a nice well made knife, it just isnt old or confederate

 

[unicornforge]

Thumbs down on this one.

 

[Seduzal]

Welcome to CWT from the Smoky Mountain side of North Carolina. Just jump right in and enjoy.

 

[7thWisconsin]

I'm gonna go with "no" too. Although knives aren't really my thing, I'll take a stab at it. Johan mentioned the overall level of crudity. Big knives were an over-the-counter purchase back then, and some of them are quite elaborate. This one clearly isn't. Blacksmith made knives can be quite simple and functional, and sometimes asymmetrical, but I don't think this blade shape is period. Then there's the etching. It's just too prominent. Could have been made anytime up to and including 10 years ago. The blade material itself reminds me of knives I've seen made out of old leaf springs. It looks like a very solid chopper, really built to fit the contours of your hand, so don't be afraid to use it clearing brush when you're camping. A nice knife, just not a Confederate one.

 

[USS ALASKA]

Welcome to CWT from the Railroads & Steam Locomotives forum!

https://civilwartalk.com/forums/railroads-steam-locomotives.203/

Cheers and Enjoy!
USS ALASKA

 

[Larryh86GT]

Welcome from WNY

 

[UCVRelics]

Welcome From The Heart Of Dixie. I'm going fantasy piece and not even close to being a CS period knife.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

IMHO, I would go with a fantasy piece. From what I can make out, the blade seems to have no taper from front to rear. Blades with uniform thickness are generally of a later time period because they were cut from flat stock. The addition of a simplified "Kurkhuri Notch" at the rear of the cutting edge is completely incongruous to what the knife is attempting to portray. Glad to hear you say you wouldn't be
"hurt" by it if it isn't real.
J.

 

[Tony_D]

That's kind of what I thought when I bid on it. I only have $60 in it, so it's gonna make a great paper weight on my desk. I have no idea who built it or how many times it's changed hands, but somebody uphill from me took the majority of the beating! Thanks to all who responded!!

 

[Lanyard Puller]

Sorry Tony-D, but it's very different from every other CS knife I've ever seen and has no characteristics of a period blade.
IMHO its a fantasy piece.

 

[zburkett]

My guess is a knife carried by a reenactor. The problem is the etching is too well done for the rest of the knife. The blade seems to be a much later design than the war era. Nice knife though.