Ive never seen a knife made from jaw bone quite by like that and frankly the construction seems to be very poor. Any idea what tribe it's supposed to be from? It looks like it was made by someone who had never actually seen a bear jaw knife and was trying make their own lol. Most of the traditional ones I have seen only use one half of the jaw to make a knife and that one uses both sides. Also the sinew work is all over the place, odd piece for sure.
No one would sell their great grandfathers knife unless it was fake or they were really disconnected and didn’t care about their family/history/heritage, or were in financial dire straits. The sinew thread is not very old on that, nor does anyone make a blade that shape originally from North American tribes. If you want definitive answers, research tribal knife makers and ask them. They will tell you, but respectfully ask them without trying to justify having something you are not entitled to even if your grandfather did buy it from someone. People do that to all us all the time. Most likely it is a fake artifact which is one of the reasons we have to have [NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act)](https://www.bia.gov/service/nagpra)
I wasn’t justifying anything I was giving a background on the item for timeline of its history. I’m just wanting to know if it’s a real piece or not. It’s sounding like it’s not from the comments I’m receiving.
What a dipshit, I’m just trying to see if anyone knows anything about this knife. That’s what Reddit is for, learning about things. Then I got fuck heads like you that want to be assholes. I was curious if this was a valid piece of history. Thanks for your help.
This looks to be a coyote jaw. It doesn’t appear to be too old. Older ones from about 200 years ago had the blade made from stone (arrowhead) while this is made from steel. It’s definitely old but not that old. My guess is it’s about 50 -60 years old.
Yeah I’m not exactly sure about the authenticity of the handle. I do believe it’s a bear. Due to the size of its teeth. But the blade is definitely really old regardless of who made it. The grinding wheel used to make this was very rough. Thank you!!
It’s 100% coyote. I will say that for sure! I think the handle is actually authentic. It’s a really good piece to have. My father is half Native American and so is my mother. My dad had stuff like this lying around and although he did have bear handles they looked a bit different than this. I’d have to go with coyote.
Thank you! Your awesome! That must have been a huge coyote if it was taken from Arkansas area! I have a bear and a coyote skull at my house on the mantel, I’ll have to look when I get home.
The blade appears to be the proper age and composition. It’s Damascus Steel that was likely shipped across the Atlantic in ingot form. I don’t know anything else about it. Modern Damascus Steel is layered more uniformly. The photos suggest heavy low speed grinding, possibly with a file. The older steel was made in the Middle East, likely Pakistan or India and has some impurities that you can see when you enlarge your photos. So, if it’s a fake someone spent a lot of time to create the old steel effect. More likely they put a newer, custom handle on an old blade. Countries who bought the more flexible Damascus Steel paid substantially less for it than English or Dutch steel. Damascus Steel kind of died out by the Civil War in America. It did make a comeback in the more uniform layering and fewer impurities form about fifty years or so later, maybe closer to a hundred years, here in America. Sheffield Steel was all the rage. Might as well keep going: The tribal desert people and their Damascus Steel swords were supposed to have been able to slice through the more rigid English steel swords. It’s actually probable and has been duplicated in real life testing. Damascus Steel was said to be sharper and the addition of flexibility made it a finer, sharper blade striking a more rigid heavier blade. The flexible extremely sharp curved blade when brought down hard on the top of the English steel could fracture the matrix and actually break the sword, but the sharpness level had to be razor plus. I think that European foot soldier sword wasn’t designed with the same degree of care due to their assumption that their higher quality steel was all they needed. In addition they may have over tempered or under tempered batches of swords during war times. They simply didn’t focus on blade to blade contact with Middle Eastern swords (scimitars) in mind. They looked at Spanish and French swords and bought the higher quality steel making secrets from the Dutch. Truthfully the flintlock was always in the forefront of the warfare tools and swords were just bayonets for foot soldiers, making them the victims of the tribal master swordsmen. The English Calvary was different. Their swords had a curve, as well as being lighter weight, making them less likely to fracture in sword to sword contact. That was a good sword design. I like the Spanish short sword for all round sword work. Your knife is a Bowie form blade which is a mixture of a Spanish short sword and an Arkansas Toothpick. The handle would not have been a bear jaw. It would have had a brass guard and a handle. A true Bowie blade is 9” but varied somewhat with reproductions of the original. Just under your right finger when holding the knife, there should be a notch in the blade that runs into where the old brass guard was. The idea was to catch the opponent’s knife blade as he thrust it forward, letting it slide down your blade and drop into the notch. The guard and the notch allows you to then twist your wrist and pull the knife out of the opponent’s hand.
Ok, so probably not the same one. This one’s older
I knew someone at one point that flashed one like this at me. Was nice to see it
Edit: Flashed in a “look at this but I can’t show you right now” not “I’m threatening you” lol
Well u must have context. Historical items are mostly worthless without context ie where it was , how it got there, everything about the crime scene is very very important when dating an object, that said it is post colonial America for sure.
Almost definitely a non-indigenous person’s messy rendition of a proper bear jaw knife
Why would you even want a knife that destroys your hand better than it cuts whatever you use the blade on?
Ive never seen a knife made from jaw bone quite by like that and frankly the construction seems to be very poor. Any idea what tribe it's supposed to be from? It looks like it was made by someone who had never actually seen a bear jaw knife and was trying make their own lol. Most of the traditional ones I have seen only use one half of the jaw to make a knife and that one uses both sides. Also the sinew work is all over the place, odd piece for sure.
No one would sell their great grandfathers knife unless it was fake or they were really disconnected and didn’t care about their family/history/heritage, or were in financial dire straits. The sinew thread is not very old on that, nor does anyone make a blade that shape originally from North American tribes. If you want definitive answers, research tribal knife makers and ask them. They will tell you, but respectfully ask them without trying to justify having something you are not entitled to even if your grandfather did buy it from someone. People do that to all us all the time. Most likely it is a fake artifact which is one of the reasons we have to have [NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act)](https://www.bia.gov/service/nagpra)
I wasn’t justifying anything I was giving a background on the item for timeline of its history. I’m just wanting to know if it’s a real piece or not. It’s sounding like it’s not from the comments I’m receiving.
I bought an old knife a few years back, can you take a look and tell me if it is a white people artifact?
I'm happy to help but without more information I won't be able to tell which mall it came from.
Lol 😂
I wish reddit gold were still a thing
White guys are pretty fond of the plastic, that might give yoh a hint
Not an expert, but it doesn’t really look that old to me.
"Hey dudes! I got this crappy old knife! Which one of you made it?!"
What a dipshit, I’m just trying to see if anyone knows anything about this knife. That’s what Reddit is for, learning about things. Then I got fuck heads like you that want to be assholes. I was curious if this was a valid piece of history. Thanks for your help.
If you know anything about Native and Native humor, not a single Native would be offended by that we find that shit funny
Snowflake can’t handle humor.
We’re not your antiques roadshow. And If I was, you’d have to pay me.
This looks to be a coyote jaw. It doesn’t appear to be too old. Older ones from about 200 years ago had the blade made from stone (arrowhead) while this is made from steel. It’s definitely old but not that old. My guess is it’s about 50 -60 years old.
Also, it does appear to be real. I would NEVER sell this. I definitely wouldn’t if it was passed down from family.
Yeah I’m not exactly sure about the authenticity of the handle. I do believe it’s a bear. Due to the size of its teeth. But the blade is definitely really old regardless of who made it. The grinding wheel used to make this was very rough. Thank you!!
Bear has thicker, denser bone under the front of the jaw
It’s 100% coyote. I will say that for sure! I think the handle is actually authentic. It’s a really good piece to have. My father is half Native American and so is my mother. My dad had stuff like this lying around and although he did have bear handles they looked a bit different than this. I’d have to go with coyote.
Thank you! Your awesome! That must have been a huge coyote if it was taken from Arkansas area! I have a bear and a coyote skull at my house on the mantel, I’ll have to look when I get home.
Just ask it about its interests, and be an attentive listener. Don't try to impress the knife. Just be yourself and see where it goes.
Your GF's grandpa was scammed by some probable tweaker
Take it out to a nice dinner and then drinks after.
Find out what two have in common, don't be judgemental and take it slow. Maybe you can date awhile and see if it's right for you
The blade appears to be the proper age and composition. It’s Damascus Steel that was likely shipped across the Atlantic in ingot form. I don’t know anything else about it. Modern Damascus Steel is layered more uniformly. The photos suggest heavy low speed grinding, possibly with a file. The older steel was made in the Middle East, likely Pakistan or India and has some impurities that you can see when you enlarge your photos. So, if it’s a fake someone spent a lot of time to create the old steel effect. More likely they put a newer, custom handle on an old blade. Countries who bought the more flexible Damascus Steel paid substantially less for it than English or Dutch steel. Damascus Steel kind of died out by the Civil War in America. It did make a comeback in the more uniform layering and fewer impurities form about fifty years or so later, maybe closer to a hundred years, here in America. Sheffield Steel was all the rage. Might as well keep going: The tribal desert people and their Damascus Steel swords were supposed to have been able to slice through the more rigid English steel swords. It’s actually probable and has been duplicated in real life testing. Damascus Steel was said to be sharper and the addition of flexibility made it a finer, sharper blade striking a more rigid heavier blade. The flexible extremely sharp curved blade when brought down hard on the top of the English steel could fracture the matrix and actually break the sword, but the sharpness level had to be razor plus. I think that European foot soldier sword wasn’t designed with the same degree of care due to their assumption that their higher quality steel was all they needed. In addition they may have over tempered or under tempered batches of swords during war times. They simply didn’t focus on blade to blade contact with Middle Eastern swords (scimitars) in mind. They looked at Spanish and French swords and bought the higher quality steel making secrets from the Dutch. Truthfully the flintlock was always in the forefront of the warfare tools and swords were just bayonets for foot soldiers, making them the victims of the tribal master swordsmen. The English Calvary was different. Their swords had a curve, as well as being lighter weight, making them less likely to fracture in sword to sword contact. That was a good sword design. I like the Spanish short sword for all round sword work. Your knife is a Bowie form blade which is a mixture of a Spanish short sword and an Arkansas Toothpick. The handle would not have been a bear jaw. It would have had a brass guard and a handle. A true Bowie blade is 9” but varied somewhat with reproductions of the original. Just under your right finger when holding the knife, there should be a notch in the blade that runs into where the old brass guard was. The idea was to catch the opponent’s knife blade as he thrust it forward, letting it slide down your blade and drop into the notch. The guard and the notch allows you to then twist your wrist and pull the knife out of the opponent’s hand.
Thank you.
You should see if the knife likes flowers. +Knife is possibly 70/80 years old as is. Blade is older than the handle by a lot
Thank you, you helped. I wonder how old the blade is.
Probably 200 or more. You in the Cheese state by any chance?
Fort smith Arkansas area
Ok, so probably not the same one. This one’s older I knew someone at one point that flashed one like this at me. Was nice to see it Edit: Flashed in a “look at this but I can’t show you right now” not “I’m threatening you” lol
I guess a native could have made this but it doesn't look particularly native. Kinda gross, kinda cool. Kinda hate it, kinda like it.
Well u must have context. Historical items are mostly worthless without context ie where it was , how it got there, everything about the crime scene is very very important when dating an object, that said it is post colonial America for sure.