A left handed crooked knife

[watervole]

I like crooked knives, and have made quite a lot of them. I can't think why they don't seem to be that popular, particularly on my side of the pond (UK) They seeem to be the perfect green wood craft tool to me.

Do you guys make and use them?

I am a leftie so this is a left handed tool. The handle is American Oak, the blade is forged out of silver steel. The tang has a pin though the handle, glued in place with pine resin/beeswax/charcoal glue, then seized in place with a heavily waxed, thick linen thread.

 

[BillinOregon]

Another fine knife, Watervole. I have a crooked knife that I prize. They can do things that other knives can't, that's for sure.
What is "silver steel"?

 

[Skylinewatcher]

I have only read about these tools, never held one. I also would like to know more about silver steel.

 

[fatboy]

Nice! It really reminds me of a farriers hoof trim knife

 

[paulvallandigham]

You can find them under " hoof knives". They are commonly still used by farriers to trim the hooves of horses prior to shoeing.

 

[buffcreekforge]

Crooked knives tend to differ from a hoof knife in that they do not have as "radical" of a crook or hook at the end of the blade. A hoof knife has a very small hook and, while similar, would limit your effective use as a crooked knife. I make a bunch of them each year, as well as hoof knives and my horse friends like them different than my carving friends. Just my thoughts, though, others may disagree.

Your humble servant,

Black Dave :grin:

 

[gmarc]

This is a term of art used to refer to a class of high carbon steels commonly used in knife/razor forging.

The high-end Tommi Puukko knives from finlans are said to be forged of "silver steel".

Tgere is no silver in the alloy

 

[BrownBear]

They're really common up here, in use by Native wood carvers and others all over the state. You even see two-handed models in most kits- basically a longer handle so you can get two arms into the job.

A couple of observations based on the locals. I'm not saying it is normal or "right," but here goes. The blades are usually quite a bit shorter in general relative to handle length, and on the two handled models they tend to be wider an thicker too, in order to put up with the extra force applied.

Looking in the kits you'll also see an assortment of curves, with yours being about as "open" as they get. Some are hooked as deeply as an average fishhook.

And yeah Black Dave, my collection of hoof knives dating back over 100 years all have smaller hooks. Never needed to try one for wood carving. I almost never use one when trimming hooves either, instead using nippers and rasp, an occasionally my old Barlow.

 

[watervole]

Silver steel is common tool steel in the UK that is supplied as a centerless ground round bar. It is roughly equivalent to drill rod in the US.
The steel is defined under specification BS-1407, with the closest European equivalent being 1.2210 (although this steel contains vanadium). The composition is as follows: carbon 0.95”“1.25, manganese 0.25”“0.45, chromium 0.35”“0.45, silicon 0.40 max, phosphorus 0.045 max, sulfur 0.045 max.[1]
In the annealed state is has a hardness of 27 RHC. It can be hardened to 64 RHC.[2]

The reasons why I use it: relatively cheap and easy to forge, and I think it's a damn good steel for knives.

I have read that the crooked knife was rated as at least as important (if not more so... :wink: ) as a good wife by the native people in the Woodlands part of America!
A hoof knife are only superficially similar to the crooked knife, they are held and used differently. The crooked knife is used for working green wood and was important for building bark canoes, carve paddles, make frame for snow shoes and endless other necessities.

 

[BrownBear]

A hoof knife are only superficially similar to the crooked knife, they are held and used differently. The crooked knife is used for working green wood and was important for building bark canoes, carve paddles, make frame for snow shoes and endless other necessities.

Ayup! :hatsoff:

 

[Bob Riegl]

Curved or hook knives are also hanging on my carving knives rack. I have used them for many years and find them to very useful in various and sundry wood carvings I do such as Bowls, Ladles and spoons. Two of mine were made by Alaskan native carvers ( or aboriginals according to our Canadian brothers). :thumbsup: "Doc"

 

[BillinOregon]

Watervole: You are certainly right about the difference between a hoof knife and a crooked knife. The ergonomics are entirely different. My crooked knife is much easier to use than the hoof knives I have for carving wood.

 

[DanC]

Interesting thread, and a nice knife. They aren't that common around here, though you'll occasionally see them.

Dan

 

[Skylinewatcher]

It is interesting, as I said I've never held one, but everything I have read the author nearly always states the crooked knife is preferred over the normal knife for everything. I forget which book it was but the author even stated he no longer owns any fixed bladed knives, all he uses are crooked knives.

 

[Brasilikilt]

Hmmmm....

I've been feeling some strange urge to forge some of these.
They look fairly simple to hammer out, and from all accounts they are an incredibly useful knife to have around.

It might be a bit weird to make crooked knives without having used or handled one before, but what the heck! You've inspired me further

thanks

 

[BrownBear]

Hmmmmph. :hmm:

I dunno what to think of this but there's a practical side to it so I'll pass it on for what it's worth.

I just talked to a friend of mine who's been using them to carve native wooden masks for about 25 years, especially to hollow out the back of the masks much like making a bowl. He often makes or reshapes his own, so he has had the chance to try lots of shapes.

He shapes the blades so they fit the curve around the side of the tip of his first finger. His reasoning is that when you feel a spot with your finger, that's where you're rubbing your finger. And it's easier to use the knife for fine cuts if the blade matches what your finger just felt.

I think I got that right, or I hope I explained it right.

He also said that he likes to sharpen both edges of the blade so you can cut with it by pushing or pulling, depending on the grain. That's especially good for bigger knives and two handed knives used on large projects so you don't have to move your body or re-orient the piece in its clamp.

Mind food, in any case.

 

[Skylinewatcher]

FIREARMS, TRAPS, AND TOOLS OF THE MOUNTAIN MEN. by Carl P. Russell

This book has info about the crooked knife. I buy 90% of my books from the bookseller Edward R Hamilton Check them out by the same name, dot com.

 

[watervole]

Most of the original crooked knives had a straight blade, with a slight curve at the end. From what I have read, the reason for the slight curve was to prevent digging into the wood when carving the flats on a paddle, for example. More modern ones have all sorts of curves, and have become more specialised carving toold, wirth shorter blades, mainly used for, say, masks carvings.

Mine in the photo is more of the traditional (for want of a better word) style, mostly straight blade with the slighty curved tip.

Spoon carving tools and hoof knives are a different kettle of fish altogether.

 

[George Hoskins]

Neat knife WV. I took a Haida mask carving course at Lee Valley last year and as part of the course we made a crooked knife. It differed from yours a bit in that it was sharpened on both edges, thus allowing you to cut toward youself or away without changing knives or grip. They work really well also for recessed area carving and you grip them with the blade nearest your pinky finger. The native instructor would yell at us if he caught us using them in a normal grip.The grip is a bit awkard at first but once you get on to it you can really make the chips fly.
Cheers

 

[watervole]

That's right, the hold is tricky at first, it goes against what we're use to, and also the fact you pull a blade towards yourself, which is normally a big no-no. But once you get over that it's a really good tool.