Harness Knife?? Anybody Seen One Like This??

[Paladin]

I am not sure if I should call this old knife a harness jack or what. The frame is solid wood and the shape is unique, at least to me.
It looks like an old harness jack and measures 3 1/4 inches long. When the blade opens it stops against the pick and vice versa for when the pick opens, it stops against the blade.
The photo shows the blade and the pick half open. Both fold nicely into the solid wood handle.

[BIGHEAD]

Nope

[Knife Nut]

Any stamping?

[Paladin]

No stamping...

[RobesonsRme.com]

I think that is a rug makers knife. Cannot recall the name exactly, "Coir" or something similar.

I'm quite sure Levine's Guide illustrates one somewhere in the Foreign Folder section.

Someone listed these, repeatedly, on Ebay and called them papparus quills or some such. I wrote and told him what I said above, and he quite, impolitely, responded that I did not know of which I spoke.

So, maybe it's a Papparus Quill.

Charlie Noyes

[Sauconian]

Good memory Charlie !

It's on page 282 of the second edition, Foreign, Exotic, Primitive & Historical Folding Knives.

Fran

[Paladin]

My earlier thanks to Charlie seems to have disappeared.
Following his lead, I checked in Levines 4th and found it is indeed a 'coir', a rug weavers tool/knife from India or Sri Lanka.
Thanks, Charlie and all,

Ray

[BigDonDon]

I found it in Levines 5th Edition on page 318. Too bad you didn't get the Ivory handle. According to Levine it's worth $130 while the wood only $50. Published in 2001 are these values still valid? I've had this book on my shelf for quite some time but reading this thread motivated me to look inside for the first time. A bit overwhelming but with you guys leading the way it is quite useful.

Don Franklin