Historical Knives

In this category you can buy knives that have been made according to historical models. Some of them are replicas of actual finds, others are similar to the knives of those times, but have been adapted for modern use. Many of our historic knives are hand-forged according to our own specification. Thanks to the wide range of different shapes, materials and processing methods, no wish should remain unfulfilled.

Historical knives of course do not only include medieval knives; because finds prove that cutting tools have been used since prehistoric times. It soon became one of the most widely used tools in human history. Even to this day, the popularity of the knife remains unbroken.

In antiquity and Celtic culture, as well as among The Vikings and the people of the middle Ages, the knife was considered the most important commodity. In the middle Ages, it was common for everyone to use their own cutlery which he or she always wore attached to his belt. This means that everyone who could afford it had their own knife to eat. In addition, there are the many knives that have been specially designed for specific activities such as hunting knives, scavenger knives, long knives etc.

We also offer a wide range of accessories and literature around the knife.

What are the differences between historical knives?

Since time immemorial, knives have consisted of three elements in a simplified way: the handle, the blade and the tang, the latter connecting the handle and the blade. Exceptions are the so-called ring knob knives: they were forged from one piece and therefore have no tang.

The handle of historical knives usually consists of natural materials such as bone or wood. There are three types of handles: knives with a handle sunk tang (cutting knife, up to the Viking age), with tang riveted at the end of the handle (grip knife, from the late early Middle Ages), or with handle shells (handle shell knife, from the 14th century).

The blades differ mainly in material, cut and shape. Knives with damascus steel blades were already known in antiquity and enjoyed great popularity in the Middle Ages. However, they were very expensive, so most people had knives made of several layers of hard and soft steel or iron, each welded vertically. The shape of the blade provides information about the use: Normal blades were mostly used for normal table knives, whereas a very bulbous blade was used, for example, when skinning an animal carcass.