"National" Knife Collection? Iconic Knives of a Country?

Redcoat3340 · Jul 16, 2023

I'm not a knife collector. Pipes and guns are budget busters enough.

BUT...I have a few blades iconic to a few countries: the Gurka's kukri, a Finnish puukka, an Italian stiletto, a French Opinel, an American Buck (and an "official" Boy Scout folder), and a Swiss Army knife. Oh, and a sailor's jackknife with built in marlin spike. None of these were "collected" with forethought, they're just what I have.

Now I'm wondering, asking all you actual collectors, what would you identify as "national" knives of some other countries?
Clearly a Bowie for the US. A bolo for the Philippines? What countries have made what blades "famous?" Who knows, maybe I'll find another way to spend my kids' inheritance.

Marshwheeling · Jul 16, 2023

That is a big question. I have knives from maybe a dozen countries. Some you could consider iconic, I guess, but the variety of styles would make your head spin.
Sweden, Mora
Finland, my favorites are Terävä, Peltonen, Marttiini. All puukkos, but none what you would call traditional puukkos.
Spain, Navajas, many knives by Joker.
Italy. I don’t have a stiletto, but one by Frank Beltrame would stand out. I have Antonini, Rinaldi, Maserin and Viper. Many great knives from the knife- making center Maniago.
Germany, the Hippekniep, Jagdmesser, Mercator, and many from Böker.
Australia, the Svörd peasant knife. Correction. Make that New Zealand.
Portugal, MAM
England, many Sheffield makers. Outstanding patterns to me are the Dadley, a Kephart precursor, and the lambsfoot, from numerous makers. A lot of our familiar patterns have their roots in England.
Scotland,, the Sgian Dubh, a knife to be worn with a kilt.
Japan, Higo No Kami
El Salvador, Condor, many patterns of knives and machetes.
Taiwan, Shilin Cutter
Bulgaria, Manly.
Ukraine, BPS knives. These knives have become popular here out of solidarity with Ukraine since the invasion. They are inexpensive and quite good. My favorite is the flat-ground Savage.
Ontarios’s Old Hickory knives are classic USA made kitchen and sporting knives. I have recently learned that the company has been sold, so if you want any of these knives while they are still made in the US, get them wile there is still stock on the shelves.
Russia, Shirogorov.
Czech Republic, Fish knife

This list barely scratches the surface of the variety of knives from around the world. In many cases it is impossible to say which brands or patterns typify a country.

My suggestion would be to visit Bladeforums.com and start exploring. The knowledge base there is vast and varied.

Moo Moo · Jul 17, 2023

Svord is from New Zealand and not Australia. Close though. And to confuse things further, Svord makes "the Ned Kelly Toothpick" as a model name for one of their Bowie knives. Ned Kelly was an Australian Bush Ranger.

https://www.svord.com/SvordCatalogue/assets/Uploads/134.jpg

I guess we have the Crocodile Dundee knife but I don't think its a production knife and certainly not a "fair dinkum" item.

BAM-BAM · Jul 17, 2023

US. knives; Bowie, Arkansas Toothpick, 7" K-Bar come to mind.

Not a knife but the "Tomahawk" pattern axe

Marshwheeling · Jul 17, 2023

Moo Moo said:
Svord is from New Zealand and not Australia. Close though.

Doh. I knew that.

A10 · Jul 17, 2023

As with firearms, I'm more of an accumulator than collector. That being said, I really like representative knives from different cultures. My accumulation currently includes Italian, Scots, Swedish, Japanese, Indian (as in India), British, and, of course, traditional American. I have nothing from the African cultures and would dearly love to find an iconic knife from that area of the world.

BTW, this thread is Useless without pics!

Redcoat3340 · Jul 25, 2023

Many thanks to all who posted. Now I will be spending a few bucks on a few more knives.
Just got a Svord and gee, the standard size is big for a pocket knife, should have gotten the mini.
Now I've got the rest of Marshwheeling's list to work through. (Of course, like my accumulation of firearms, there ain't hardly no one locally to show 'em off to; so like the guns and my pipes I'm doing it for me. And giving my kids a headache with what to do with it all someday.)
Again, thanks for the posts.

lihpster · Jul 25, 2023

I'm sorry. I know there are better Finnish knives out there but I have to go with the Rapala fillet knife made by Martiini. I don't know how many perch and salmon I've seen one go through. Inexpensive and just the right tool for the job.

"National" Knife Collection? Iconic Knives of a Country?

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