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Help, what style of knife is this and what country do you think its from? the blade is 3 1/2" closed its 4 1/4" . the grips are some kind of pearly plastic, it has a brownish film or patina on most of the blade, liners are steel. It has no markings on it anywhere. thanks for the help.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on March 14, 2015 at 15:06

what do you know, when I zoom in on the blade picture I can see some kind of mark, my old eyes cant see it up close.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 14, 2015 at 15:14

I do too Michael. But I have the same eyes! Might need to rub that a tiny bit and see if it clears up.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on March 14, 2015 at 15:21

ill give it a rub, at this point I see 2 generic crossed knives and the letters OST but its only part of a word.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 14, 2015 at 15:35

OK well now that something to go on...

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 14, 2015 at 16:00

calling in reinforcements Michael.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on March 14, 2015 at 16:05

great, need all the help i can get. I rubbed it a bit and ca see a lttle more detail in the crossed knives, but not much. there is something between them. the lettering goes in a downward arch under the crossed knives. still unreadable though. OST may not be .

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Permalink Reply by jeff on March 14, 2015 at 16:44

http://www.cheneroyal.com/cr/laguiole-en-aubrac-forged-steel-knife-... check out this link michael.. looks very similar to this one, but looks like someome might have changed pin, or a copy of it. very similar tho.hope it helps at least. good luck.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on March 14, 2015 at 17:43

Michael, the style of knife is called a Navaja knife--- Originally made in Spain as a fighting knife-- Later made by the French, Italians, and probably others. That swirly plastic is more likely sheep's horn, especially common in the Italian versions.It has the same look as their sheep horn handled knives. Your's appears to be fairly vintage-- A question or 2-- Does the knife have any type of locking mechanism, or do you just open and close it like a regular pen knife??-- Secondly, if you can post the best pic you can of the tang stamp, I will try and help you further. I have researched similar knives for other folks here, and know where to hunt.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on March 14, 2015 at 18:36

John, thanks. It does not have a locking devise but the blade has a detent where it rests on the spring when open, you have to push hard to close it. there is a hole near the tang are in the spring that could have had some kind of release mechanism, maybe.

Ill try to get some better picture tomorrow when the light is better. The stamp is not on the tang but on the flat of the blade itself.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on March 14, 2015 at 20:08

Michael, one more question-- Does your knife make a racheting sound when opening or closing-- Probably, missing a piece, called a ring pull Navaja- picture will show what I mean-- Still betting on Italian, as Spanish & French Navajas were not normally built as beefy, they had a very slim, long and narrow design--- BTW,sheep horn was a common handle material in some Italian regions, very similar to yours, and made by extremely skilled craftsmen and knife makers--- Anyhow, here is a somewhat similar ring pull Navaja knife-What it looks like in it's entirety--

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on March 14, 2015 at 20:17

John, mine might have had a simpler ring pull on it, it has a loop on the main spring that a ring could have pulled up on. the blade is more like a regular pen knife but with a detent to lock the blade, it closes without a mechanism now im guessing because it has become worn round to allow it to close. Ill try to get a picture of this area too. So far it sounds more interesting than I originaly thought.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on March 14, 2015 at 20:38

Michael,every Navaja I've seen, with the hole near the front bolster area on the blade was made for the ring opening like I showed on the pic--- This is irregardless of country of origin-- That hole on top of the blade was meant to attach to a larger ring--Think about it, what other function could that hole function as??--- It sure ain't a keychain knife !!