Odd Old "Knife"

[model17]

Found this while downsizing my Dad's place.
He doesn't remember where he got it, but says he may have brought it home from the Pacific during WWII...? (No markings)
I'm not a knife guy, but it seems like a cool piece.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them

 

[Charlie Foxtrott]

I do not really know what to tell you.

But you see knives like that from time to time in the Philippines. Mostly amongst the tribal hill people.

 

[arjay]

It's similar to a linoleum layers knife except the square bit on the back edge

 

[StrawHat]

Looks like a harvesting tool of some sort.

Kevin

 

[model17]

Blade is crude . It is approx. 12 in. long

 

[bigwheelzip]

Double-edged billhook sickle, for agricultural use, to cut and prune.

Many variations but this one looks similar to yours.

Antique French Billhook | Etsy

 

[model17]

Strawhat, I thought a cane cutter, but smaller than most I've seen.

 

[6518John]

Sugar Cane cutter.

 

[Texas Star]

A similar knife from Chile is used to puncture heads in battle. But the spinal decoration suggests a utility knife, probably for gardening.

 

[model17]

Thx Bigwheelzip.....I think you nailed it!

 

[Marshwheeling]

See, Woodsman's Pal, Baryonyx Machete. The combination of a billhook backed by a cutting edge can be very effective.

 

[eveled]

Any New Blade IDEAS ? | Page 4 | BladeForums.com

Post number 66 in this thread from Bladeforums might interest you. I found the hedge laying with bill hook video to be quite interesting.

 

[Frank46]

Looks like a sugar cane knife. Most of the sugar cane knives with which are much thinner and can be sharpened to a razor's edge. And they are quite larger than the one shown in the pic. Mine when properly sharpened could take down a 1" sapling with one stroke. I'm guessing the extra metal on the back of the knife was put there to give better chopping power in a shorter package. Frank

 

[Justin T]

Looks like a sugar cane knife. Most of the sugar cane knives with which are much thinner and can be sharpened to a razor's edge. And they are quite larger than the one shown in the pic. Mine when properly sharpened could take down a 1" sapling with one stroke. I'm guessing the extra metal on the back of the knife was put there to give better chopping power in a shorter package. Frank

The cane knives I've seen are thin as you describe, but shaped more like a cleaver or machete with a hook on the non-blade side. I have a couple of them tucked away in my garage.

 

[gwpercle]

Not large enough for a cane knife , at least not like the cane knives we use in Louisiana .
You would work yourself to death trying to cut the seven foot high stalks of cane with a knife that small ...something else, maybe trim the leaves off cane , tobacco leaf cutting knife or corn cutting knife ....
I do think it has an agricultural purpose of some sort .
Gary

 

[Justin T]

Cane knife-this one is average size, and about 18"-20" long.


OP i think your dad is remembering correctly, but that tool isn't for cutting cane. It's for something else.

 

[gwpercle]

Cane knife-this one is average size, and about 18"-20" long.


OP i think your dad is remembering correctly, but that tool isn't for cutting cane. It's for something else.

Now this is what cane knives look like in Louisiana , brings back the memories of cutting a patch ribbon cane for my Daddy's little syrup mill .
Gary

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Looks more like a yard-garden trimming -clearing knife to me.
The unique feature is the back side blade.
"Some folks call them Kaiser Blades, some folks call them Sling Blades."
Billy The Boob.
It does have that Baby Kaiser Blade Look!

 

[Marshwheeling]

Rinaldi, an Italian manufacturer, offers a variety of billhooks, with or without a straight chopping blade on the back.

Buy Rinaldi Italian axes, billhooks, and machetes in the USA.

I find my Imacasa billhook useful for cutting along a fence or next to a building.
Imacasa 11 Inch Long Handled Sickle-Cuma Oriente - MacheteSpecialists.com

 

[Stevens]

I agree, the blade looks too thick for a cane knife and it is sharp on the "wrong" side for one.
Steve W