my oldest knife

[Sharps-shooter]

my first knife was a case sodbuster jr.

But my oldest knife is something else. Four years ago, while canoeing, I found what appeared to be a spearhead. It was orange, and in pristine condition. I took it to someone who studies local archaeology, and he told me it was a knife blade, from about 5-7 thousand years ago by the design of it.

I made a handle for it out of a cedar tree that was growing by where I found it, and a lanyard for it out of yucca fibers.

So far, i have used it for harvesing some edible plants, for cleaning a fish, and for killing a copperhead. I think that whoever made it would be pleased to know that it was still in use, hundreds of generations on.

 

[SkippyNHS]

got a pic of this thing my man?

 

[lawson]

wow, sounds like quite a find. I'd really like to see some pics!

i take it by cedar trees and yucca fibers you're in the southwest, whereabouts did you find it?

 

[hso]

Outstanding!!!

 

[Ala Dan]

Man-O-Man, we must have some pics my friend~!

 

[Sharps-shooter]

thanks for the kind words, I'll try to post something later today.

 

[Sniper X]

Sharps! Great find! I also kow that flint knives, spearheads, arrowheads stay sharp basically razor sharp forever...so IZZIT?

 

[Eleven Mike]

What's it made of?

 

[Sniper X]

My oldest knife isn't THAT old, but it is old as modern knives go. Probably made in the 1930s it is a Schatt & Morgan F&W tested pocket knife, red jigged bone, and a congress patern. Beautiful. Like this.

 

[Pax Jordana]

Bump!

Hey, hey. We're still waiting for those pics of the flint knife!!

Also: tell me you made a nice long handle for it for snake-killing? or do you just clank when you walk?

 

[Alvin in AZ]

> Hey, hey. We're still waiting for those pics of the flint knife!! - Pax Jordana

Use a scanner!
Easy as pie to show both sides even.

My "oldest knife" may not really be a knife at all according to the flint-knapping teacher ...and his old-side-kick that showed up to join the class.

http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/oldest.htm

And it sure as heck ain't all-that-old either... 500 at the very most?

Alvin in AZ

 

[Sharps-shooter]

pictures

hey, sorry I didn't get back to this. I changed computers and had to move everything over. This is the first time I've tried to post a pic, so i hope it works.

The blade is chalcedony of some sort (us hillbillies call it flint, but technically it's not flint). It's set into a notch in the handle with the original two-part epoxy: shell ash and pine pitch. This is secured by a strip of buckskin that I tanned with walnut juice and wrapped while it was still wet, so that it would shrink and become extremely tight. The lanyard is made from what we call bear-grass, which is a type of yucca that grows in the mountains. It's all materials that would have been available to the original maker of the knife, and all gathered within half a mile or so of where the blade was found.

 

[hso]

Many thanks for getting back to us with the pictures and information!

We go on and on about super steels and cryotreat and forget that the knife is at it's core a sharp piece of rock used to keep our teeth from wearing out as fast.

 

[griz]

I am impressed! Good job.