The quest for the "Bracherfelders Dechen" or "Knopmetz"

As you have read in my most recent post, I am currently on the tracks of an animal most shy: The short dagger or knife the small community of Breckerfeld was famous for in the 15th century. It is commonly known as a "Breckerfelder", "Brackerfelder", "Bracherfelder" and referred to as either a "dechen", a "deken", or a "degen", or, more precisely, a "knopmetz" or "knopmes". Please take note that in these times the orthography was not standardised, and the quotas in question derive from juristic documents, and judges have never been famed for their etymological precision, to say the least.;-)

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• Breckerfeld war wegen seiner Messer und Dolche berühmt.
• Brackerfelder, Bracherfelders Dechen, Brackerfelder oder Breckerfelder, ein dolchartiges Messer, das in Breckerfeld geschmiedet worden ist [Vielleicht ist es identisch mit dem "Brekkenfeldischen Knopmetzer". Im Jahre 1536 erstach der Priester Hermann Tack zu Calkar einen Gegner mit einem "Doelgen ader Breckerfeld“. „deselve wonde myt eyme spitzen brackerfelder gestechen were [Siegburg 1527]“, „mit eim brackerfelder darin gestechen [Siegburg 1541]“. (W. Günter Henseler: Wörterbuch (Idiotikon) für die Schöffenprotokolle der Stadt Siegburg 1415-1662, Kierspe 2012.

• 1527. A II/11, Bl. 159r.
• Hait man an demselvigen vonden eyne cleyne wonde bovent dem memgen an syner rechter sytten und geyne wonde an dem licham neit me gefonden, und alß man sachte, deselve wonde myt eyme spitzen brackerfelder gestechen were.
• Hant vurscrevene burgemeistere van wegen myns werdigen Hern abtzs und des gerichtzs den licham zu der erden zu bestaden erloifft.

• 1541. A II/13, Bl. 6r.
• Ist er daruiß gelouffen und nochmails vur des Schemels huiß [gerannt,] den kloppell, daer die finster oven uffgestipt, genomen und in des Schemels huiß geworffen, zo der finsteren in mit gewalt und darzo mit eim brackerfelder darin gestechen.

• 1543. A II/13, Bl. 48v.
• Item, ist ein doide lichnam ein mansperschoen fonden worden, uff huite, dato, in der Segen ... . Hait unsse erwirdiger lieber Her der abt, bevelh gedaen, den zo besichtigen wie recht und van alders gewonlich. Haben wir an eme kein wonde fonden, dan er ist verdruncken geweist ... hiebevor ungeferlich III wechen van einer flotzen gevallen, so das wir in nit gekant. Und hait by sich gehait, einen gurdell mit eim alden brackenfelders degen.

• 1547. A II14/22v.
• Thonis, den wirdt, mit eim brackerfelder in sinem huiß gestechen in den rechten arm.

• 1552. 14/168r.
• ... erer einer den anderen zor erden geworffen, das die nachbaren Lodwichs son, den frieden zu nemen, einen brackerfelder uiß siner hanth genomen
• Schöffenprotokolle der Stadt Siegburg 1415-1662. Edition W. Günter Henseler.

(Quoted after:http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/Breckerfeld)




Anyway, the term "degen" hints more towards a longer dagger with two edges or a triangular blade shape commonly used as a weapon, primarily to pierce armour. In the documents in question the weapon is attributed in two cases with having a slender tip, in one case with being old. Since it is attributed, I conclude that it might not always have been that way. Also, an informal information I have got hints towards the knife being short, and used as an allround tool rather than a weapon. I suggest at the moment that the degree of standardization might have been not very high. Since the term "Brekkenfelders knopmetz" also appears in documents explicitly as a common product of trade, I suggest it being a kind of disc pommel dagger. I have the vision, and that has nothing to do with any academic claim, of it being a shorter version of a Scottish dirk, between a dirk and a sgian dhú in length, and it might have had a flat tang, for most of the finds of the region had one, but with a disc pommel at the end. This is a most fascinating topic, and a smithing challenge at that. I would be quite fond to create a knife along the lines of the "Breckerfelder" as a modern utility, maybe even from local steel, and as close to the original as would possibly go, albeit as a legal carry. We´ll see if I´d be able to do a modern version of the knife that´ll still be recognizeable.

But first I must find one, blimey, and it seems there´s no archaeological evidence at all! But the hunt is on, and I like it.;-)