The traditional knife is a use tool used by the Santal tribe in use for work. The components include a sharp iron blade and cylindrical wooden handle. It has a pointed cutting edge and a small tang that extends into the handle. A metal ferrule holds the tang securely inside the wooden grip to ensure durability and safety while using the tool.
Santhal knives are multipurpose implements for those embracing a way of life centered on the natural environment. Such knives are daily implements needed for harvesting on the farm, preparing food in the home, going hunting, or even doing arts and crafts. Santals are people engaged with very rich links with their well-defined land and forest and so their tool reflects a lifestyle of sustainability and traditional knowledge systems. Iron blade handcrafted within the locality by blacksmiths of the community using indigenous methods of forging and locally available material has formed this iron blade. The wooden handle is carved from strong but lighter wood that makes it easier to grip and control. The design of the knife features simplicity yet effectiveness in its way of exemplifying that to the Santal community of their kinship with meaning and craftsmanship The knife is more than a tool; it embodies the creativity and self-reliance of the Santal people. The making and use of such implements helps to maintain the tradition of skill and provide a glimpse into tribal livelihoods.