Ancient Tibetans had mastered primitive metallurgy techniques in prehistoric times. It is thus no wonder that the Tibetans have long made fine knives that are noted for their practicality and craftsmanship.

Tibetan knives come in four distinct styles tied to different areas of the plateau: knives unique to the Lhasa and Xigaze areas, Gonpo area, Amdo area and Kham area.

People always say that the Lhaze and Namling knives are representative of the knives of the Lhasa and Xigaze areas.

Craftsmen in the Lhaze and Namling areas pay great attention to the heat of the forge when making a knife's edge. Metal is also used in making knife scabbards and handles, usually silver or steel.

   For tempering, they use such quenching agents as butter, antelope blood and Tibetan green fruit. Of all of the local knives, the Lhaze and Namling are the sharpest.

Precious stones are not inlaid in the scabbards or handles of these knives. They are just plain steel or silver and some have propitious designs engraved on them.

The Nyingchi area in eastern Tibet, also called the Gonpo area, is inhabited by Tibetan, Monba and Lhoba people, who are hunters and hackers of firewood. So the knives used by these people are wide and long. Scabbards are made of wood wrapped in hide, usually the skin from the legs of animals, sometimes even with the claws still attached.

In addition to their use in hunting and firewood gathering, these knives are also used like machetes to cut paths through brambles and thorns.

In the Amdo area, pasturing is the major means of livelihood. Herdsmen use knives to kill livestock for meat.

  Their knives come in two distinct kinds: one for men and the other for women. The knives for men are over 30 centimeters long. The knives for women are about half that length and the bottom of the scabbard and end of the handle flair out a little, like the bow of a boat.

Amdo people like jewels and their head decorations, breast decorations and waist decorations are very brilliant. Similar decorations are also used on their knives. The scabbards and handles are covered with gold and silver and are beautifully inlaid with coral and turquoise.

In the Kham area, people love knives more than their herds. A good knife costs a fortune. The scabbards are usually made of brass, cupro-nickel or pure silver inlaid with precious stones, and dragons and phoenixes are engraved on the front face and grass stems on the back.

True Tibetan fanciers always search for ancient knives.

In the current market, an ancient knife 30 centimeters long without decoration may cost from 600 to 1,000 yuan (US$72-120). With fine traditional engraving, an ancient knife can easily fetch several thousand yuan.

I have collected Tibetan knives for more than 20 years and have about 100 in my collection.

One winter morning, I went to Barkor Street in central Lhasa with some colleagues. When we passed a second-hand market, I found a Tibetan knife about 1 meter long and 6 or 7 centimeters wide in one stall.

The whole scabbard was wrapped in sharkskin and the knife was obviously old. The handle was made of steel and wound with brass thread. On the end of the handle, there was a small metal sculpture of a skeleton.

The knife was sharpened on both edges. Such a knife is rarely seen in Tibet. It could be called a Tibetan sword rather than knife.

The seller was asking 300 yuan (US$36) for it, but I bargained him down to 200 yuan (US$24).