Blackfoot Dag

The 'Blackfoot Dag', otherwise known as 'Blackfoot Dagger' is a type of knife that always fascinated me. Although named for the Blackfoot tribe, the knife could be found among many of the Plains tribes. Often the blade would be European, either purchased new from a trapper or taken from an existing European weapon. The handle could be made from any material, but the most well-known Blackfoot daggers feature animal jaw handles. The Blackfoot Dag shown here was made entirely by hand by a very talented American knifemaker named Jim Miller. The handle is a bear jaw, and the sheath was made according to an old Native American design, using genuine antique beads and fittings. This was my first Blackfoot Dag and is a right-handed weapon, although ultimately Jim Miller made a pair of matched Wolf Jaw Daggers for me.