Synchronical and diachronical etymology of the term "Knopmes" / "Knopmetz"

So, as I said, the hunt is on, and I like to circle the topic by etymology first. I learned the variant  "Knopmes" is still used in the Netherlands today, and it refers to a gardening or pocket knife. To etymologically translate the term, however, we must keep in mind that its semantics might have changed in history. Thusly, I also follow the diachronical approach, meaning, comparing the modern use of the word to the (postulated) historical use. Knopmes / Knopmetz is a composite word constituted by the words Knop- and -mes / -metz. In medieval high and nether German (Continental Saxon) the word "mez" referred to a knife that often was used to part coins. A quarter was originally exactly that: a quartered coin. the medieval high German term "des mezzes" (Gen.) meant "of certain measure" or "measure". This is similar to the Anglo-Saxon "meohtes", and reminds of the Anglo - Saxon "meohte-seax", a small knife for eating and utility tasks, which might be identical to the "hadseax" or *hadasax. The variant "metz" is due to dialectical reasons and the variants differ in the ending of the word, depending on the region. The term "Knop" is originally a continental Saxon word, due to the not realized change in the p -> f  (skip / (Engl. ship) -> modern German "Schiff") change during the documented period, and thusly a dialect spoken North of the Benrath language frontier in Germany. Hypothetically realizing the second stage of historical sound alteration would result in a translation of knop->*kno-f / *kno-ff / or into *kno-pf. Note: The asterisk is used to mark the reconstrucive, hypothetical translation in this case and executed by myself and does not stand for a reconstructed Indo-European word. In modern German, a "Knopf" is a button, and *knof could be referred to modern German "Knauf" (pommel) or modern English "knob". The modern Dutch term "Knop" also refers to the *knof / modern English "knob", if I am not entirely mistaken, for in gardening, the Dutch "knopmes" is used to cultivate trees.

[edit] The magic troll wants me to mention that the term "Nubsi" also is coherent with the term "Knop" or English "knob". It is a teenie-weenie itsy-bitsy version of a knob. *ggg*

This results in a hypothesis that the "Knopmetz" might have been a knife, not a dagger, and thusly with only one edge. It would have been short, for the documents state that, and the juristic and trade documents may indicate that, while it also was presented to princes, it was widely carried by many social classes and would have been available in several qualities. The handle would have had a pommel, a knob or disc. Also, it can be stated, that presumeably the "dehhen", "deken", "degen" was an entirely different breed, as it is well documented throughout history that the "degen" more often than not meant a dagger with two edges, often a narrow triangular blade and even a triangular cross-section.

What the two "Brackerfelders" had in common, however, was the steel. Juristic documents of that time indicate a quarrell between traders from Cologne delivering "faux" Breckerfelder steel, which was actually from the Siegerland region. It is also indicated that the steel was marked as "Brackerfelder" or "Breckerfelder". Now the steel from the Siegerland region had an excellent reputation. If there was a quarrell about the Breckerfelder steel being used as a label, I ask myself, how much better would that quality be? That it had to be better, seems obvious by the documents, but was it actually, and if, why was that so? More questions, and the hunt for my personal "knopmetz" goes on!

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.;-)

"

• 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.;-)