Help ID'ing a knife

[Stephen63]

While I was down at my local pub on Friday evening enjoying a glass or 2 of lemonade I noticed that hanging behing the bar with all the other curios was this knife:



The Landlord called it a "fishing knife from Finland" - try saying that after a few drinks!

The blade as in a bit of a state - I guess that it was put away uncleaned some years ago - but I was able to clean it up a bit without doing anything too drastic.

The knife itself is about 18cm overall with a blade length of about 7.5cm. The blade is stamped with R.NATTEN (or it could be B. NATTEN) but other than that there are no markings on it.



The sheath is well made and has some intricate patterning on it, but may not have been the original one - the fit is OK, but not perfect and the sheath seems too big for the blade.

I'm fairly certain that this must have been commercially made judging by the swivel between the belt loop and the sheath and the fastner that holds the folded belt loop.



The bolsters aren't solid, but seem to be bands around the wood, it's possible to see the joins on the underside in the photo above.

All in all it's quite a useable little knife, it's still got a bit of an edge despite it's mistreatment and feels like it would quickly take on a very good edge.



The top of the blade is quite interesting, as it's slightly radiused (not flat) and seems to be polished. Also there's a strange little notch on the top of the blade where it meets the bolster.

If anyone has any information about then the landlord of my local will be gratefull.

[Rich S]

Nice knife. I'm not familiar with the maker, but the style strikes me as
more Norwegian than Finnish or Swedish. Nicely made; I suspect a little
cleaning would produce at really beautiful knife.

Rich

[Basemetal]

I think the little notch is used for bending fishing hooks -or something like that (as I'm no angler). Brusletto produced the same feature on their Middelalder

[G.Holmberg]

Hej Stephen63!

The knife and its sheat looks very "Norweigan" to me, not Finnish.

Regards Gunnar.

[Albert E]

I think Rich and Gunnar are right!!Looks pretty norwegian tio me too!!
Regards:Albert
I like it!!

[Leif S]

That knife is most definetivly Norwegian. The blade was forge by Bjarne Natten from Notodden in Telemark. I don't know how his handle and sheathmaking style was, but that looks very much like the Telemark style and could very well be made by Bjarne as well.

[Basemetal]

The sheath is well made and has some intricate patterning on it, but may not have been the original one - the fit is OK, but not perfect and the sheath seems too big for the blade.

The sheath is also missing any retainer to latch over the pommel stud on the knife. Again suggesting it isn't original.

[seved]

Hello.

I am allmost certain that the knife is a Norwegian Telemarksknife. A very nice one . I think the notch is a mark of knifemaker a sort of a sign or if its a sign of the telemark makers.

Seved

[eklund]

that knife is absolutly norwegen telemark.
the finnish knifes have a longer and a very slim blade. the handle is offen made of birch wood or birch bark with silver or brass inlay. there is offen a horse head on top of handle. of course there is diffrent styles in finnland as in every country.
there is a nice book of norwegian knifes called "knivsmeden" by Håvard Bergland.( the knifesmithery). i dont knowe if the book is translated to english but i think so.

hope i could be at any help.

cheers tommy

[Stephen63]

Thaks to all for the help and information.

I'll just have to pop down to the pub again to pass it all on!

[Tiffers]

Thaks to all for the help and information.

I'll just have to pop down to the pub again to pass it all on!

Like thats going to be a hardship

Tiffers

[seved]

Like thats going to be a hardship

Tiffers

Seved

[Danzo]

Thaks to all for the help and information.

I'll just have to pop down to the pub again to pass it all on!

Stephen, mate, only you could live in a village in the heartland of England and have a local with a highly collectable Norwegian knife behind the bar!



Danzo

[Cones]

The pubs not called the Winchester by any chance?

Mark

[Albert E]

I think the Bergland book is not in english,at least I could not locate one,so I got one in german!!Even if you dont understand much the pictures are self explainatory!!A ral need to have book,like Bo Bergman's!!
Regards:Albert