whutizzit?

[tongueriver]

An acquaintance sent me these images and asked if I could find out what it was. Apparently no tang stamps. Something in a foreign language etched on the blade. An image of a (soldier? scout?) in the (celluloid?) handle. A similar image embossed into the sheath. I certainly don't know what it is; hoping someone does.

[Papa Bones]

My old eyes can't tell what the etch is. Ask him if he can write down a close approximate of what the letters are for each word, that way we might possibly figure which country and language it is. But basically it looks like someone personalized a knife for someone and replaced the handles with a cutout of a photo underneath. And what is the figure to the left of the etching on the blade?

[Ridgegrass]

It's cool! I'd say Scouts. Looks like Balkan or something nearby. J.O'.

[Colonel26]

I’ve tried every way I know to make it out, but can’t. I have this nagging hunch that it’s Greek. But my wife informs me that I’m wrong from time to time so........

[tongueriver]

Looks kinda Greeky to me, as well.

[cody6268]

I think it's Greek too, but I've seen a number of knives with those exact same deeply engraved markings on the blade sold as "Cretian Souvenir Knives". Some of them are dated.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174044111535?h ... SwSVhdgiVA

[tongueriver]

I think you cracked the code!

[Colonel26]

I think you cracked the code!

I ran it through the a translation program (which is notoriously bad), I set it to translate Greek (which makes sense if it’s from Crete) and got something to do with Spring Break. Again, translation programs are notoriously bad, but maybe that is a jumping off point for figuring this out.

[tongueriver]

I think you cracked the code!

...got something to do with Spring Break...

I assume that they were not talking about broken knife springs. LOL

[edge213]

I can add nothing to the conversation except to say I like it.

[Colonel26]

I think you cracked the code!

...got something to do with Spring Break...

I assume that they were not talking about broken knife springs. LOL

Lol, I would think not!

[ea42]

Probably from Crete. These dancers from that area are similarly garbed:

Eric

[zzyzzogeton]

The sheath is a Boy Scout knife sheath. The stamped outline is that of a saluting scout in short sleeved shirt, short pants and garrison cap. I've seen that sheath before, but I can't remember which brand of knife was with the sheath.

[zzyzzogeton]

Also, he might spread some flour across the blade to fill the engraving with flour. I used that trick before to figure out a light engraving/stamping.

[cody6268]

The sheath is a Boy Scout knife sheath. The stamped outline is that of a saluting scout in short sleeved shirt, short pants and garrison cap. I've seen that sheath before, but I can't remember which brand of knife was with the sheath.

Mora makes one like that today, but I have a '60s KJ Eriksson (which merged with Frosts to form Morakniv) with that exact same sheath around here somewhere.

[knife7knut]

I believe it is a Greek souvenir knife similar to these;only with a transparent handle and added picture. I think it commemorates a battle between Greece and Cyprus in 1821

[ea42]

Actually looking more closely at the pic I posted it almost looks like the same guy!

Eric