Civil War Relic?

[DARE]

Have this old knife that my dad bought at a gun show in Texas or Oklahoma in the 50's. He always thought it was Confederate.

The blade is brass I think. Flat on one side. Like a stiletto on the other. High point running down the center of the blade and slopes to each side.

Looks homemade to me. The metal at the back of the hilt is steel I think. Has a bit of rust on it.

My dad thought it might be a powder knife. Because brass and flat on one side.

 

[Eric300]

Don't know if it's a civil war relic or not. Looks like a hand-made pig sticker to me.

 

[walnutred]

Why do you think the blade is brass? Have you tried a magnet?

 

[DARE]

Looks like brass. Just tried a magnet. Does not stick. A magnet does stick to the metal at the back of the hilt.

 

[CajunBass]

Looks like what I've seen called an "Arkansas Toothpick." It might have some connection to the war, but I doubt it was anything official. Private purchase, maybe a local unit or some such thing.

Brass might have been used for working with powder, or it might have just been what was available.

 

[DARE]

Wikipedia says Arkansas Toothpick is a heavy dagger with a 12-20" blade.
Blade on this one is 7" and flat on one side. Would not describe it as heavy.

 

[DARE]

Maybe some scale will help with evaluation. 7" blade, 11 1/2" overall.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

If it's got a short blade then I'd describe it as a mini-Arkansas Toothpick.

 

[Claymore33]

That is in fact an Arkansas Toothpick . I have many Civil War gun and knife books from old collection. Many 1850-70 knives were homemade. No set length or width, just whatever steel that was available.

 

[DARE]

Thank you Markham. Made of brass I think, maybe because steel was not available? Would you put mine in the 1850-1870 era?
Do you think it is Confederate?
Would value your opinion.

 

[DWalt]

It might be bronze. Bronze was the preferred metal for fabricating all kinds of edged weapons for thousands of years. Much tougher than copper and other copper alloys such as brass. And steel hadn't yet been invented.

 

[walnutred]

The use of brass or bronze for a knife blade is puzzling. Could it be a Naval dirk?

 

[Inusuit]

I do firearms and edged weapons research at the local museum. Probably impossible to determine if the knife has Confederate provenance. Blade material is puzzling, maybe just what was available to the maker at the time. Non sparking bronze may be a clue, but it looks like a one off, handmade knife. Iron and steel was used for naval weapons. Someone with a ship may have asked for this. In short, all is speculation.

 

[DARE]

To summarize opinion;

Brass or bronze blade

Homemade

Arkansas Toothpick

Cannot say Confederate

What about age? Is it Civil War era?

 

[Muley Gil]

It might be bronze. Bronze was the preferred metal for fabricating all kinds of edged weapons for thousands of years. Much tougher than copper and other copper alloys such as brass. And steel hadn't yet been invented.

The Jenks carbine of 1844 was built by Remington out of cast steel.

 

[Claymore33]

Of course it would have started out with Confederate soldier. We went to war with what ever we had, especially in the WEST( that would be everyplace west of Atlanta) Bowie knives , Arkansas Toothpicks and so forth mostly homemade by blacksmith. In the East both North and South had issued uniforms , weapons and horses. That knife could have been made from 1830 to 1890. I cannot verify Civil War Provenance.

 

[sceva]

What is that handle? Hollow, Cane or Bamboo?

 

[diyj98]

I'm guessing the blade is bronze. I agree with the others that there is no way to tell if it's confederate or even from the civil war period for sure.

 

[DARE]

Can't answer your questions about the handle. Cannot tell if it is hollow or not. Don't think it is bamboo or cane. Wood for sure. Seems to be stained.

 

[Eric300]

That pommel on the butt looks like it might have been a rowel from an old spur.