Camp Knife

[Black Hand]

Posting images of anything makes them open to discussion. How can you learn or improve if no one critiques your work?

If someone has a delicate ego, then perhaps they shouldn't post....

 

[Crewdawg445]

Looks like a good useful knife. Not a HC piece but as you mentioned a dandy camp knife indeed. :hatsoff:

 

[Bo T]

IFF I could have only a single knife (no ax), that ?roach belly? would be an acceptable choice. Even in a defensive situation, the wide blade will act as its own guard. Alas, a Jack of all trades but a master of none is descriptive. But still a good Jack of all trades.

 

[Bagman]

The knife is neither large or unwieldy. It is perfectly balanced in fact. The five inch blade can be pretty useful in slicing and dicing. The blade profile lends itself in making feathersticks. It's 3/16 thickness allows it to be used with a baton for making small kindling. The convex grind hold its edge well in doing heavy work...doesn't roll or knick. It's easy to maintain in the field. With the blades deep belly and it's high handle it makes a great chefs knife for chopping hard veggies. The upswept tip allows it to bone joints and such....

It should be a great knife for processing game.


It's no axe... but then again it was never meant to replace one.

 

[pondoro]

I like it a lot. I carry two knives in the office. If I was trekking in the 1800's, and my life might depend on it, I'd definitely carry two knives. So this would be my "big thick" knife. The smaller knife would be a backup, but also useful for more delicate tasks.

Note that I didn't say "patch knife", I don't want to start an argument about them and I fall on the side of people who question the need for a dedicated patch cutting knife. But whether I'm in my kitchen, my office, or anywhere else, I want more than one knife.

This one is not too big, in my opinion.

I'm ok with comments about practically and historic appropriateness. They are how we all learn. I prefer gentle coaching to aggressive criticism, but I agree, if you post it you invite critique.

 

[Bagman]

Thanks for the well thought out reply. Much appreciated.

As to the knife being HC... what's the issue? Full tangs existed and imported as trade goods early on. The upswept pattern is also known in English trade knives.
http://www.manuellisaparty.com/articles/butcher_knives.htm

 

[Black Hand]

As to the knife being HC... what's the issue? Full tangs existed and imported as trade goods early on. The upswept pattern is also known in English trade knives.

What you say is true, but...

We have many extant examples of trade knives from the time and (to the best of my knowledge) none resemble the knife you posted. It is indeed a knife, but not a period knife, as we know exactly what a knife of the period was.

Additionally, brass was not used for pins in the period (iron only), and the number and arrangement of pins (as well as blade shape) was representative of the origin of the knife (French vs. English vs. etc).
https://www.bing.com/images/search...0-0&sk=&cvid=6248E87B9CD941F49986CEF92330DD45

See bottom of the page: https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2013_08_01_archive.html

 

[Black Hand]

As to the knife being HC... what's the issue? Full tangs existed and imported as trade goods early on. The upswept pattern is also known in English trade knives.

Excellent examples of period knives: http://www.wickellerbe.com/gallery/index.php?action=showfull&vpic=153&gll=5&tpic=27&maxp=32

 

[Artificer]

More examples,

Excavated,
https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=65EF48A2-155D-4519-3E0F6AE0E30C3599

More documentation, http://ofsortsforprovincials.blogspot.com/2011/03/cuttoe-knife.html

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Finally found this photo of original French Trade knives.
http://oi701.photobucket.com/albums/ww20/LeLoup2/wrackhhwittenbergenmess17thc_zps5dd1a31a.jpg

I missed this before, but just noticed that in the bottom left knife on the left side and the third and sixth from the top on the right side have a sort of spur shape towards the rear of the wood grip. As many times as I have looked at this picture, I don't know how I missed that. :redface:

Gus

Oh, also wonder if they used cutler's resin mixed with brick dust to fill in the gap on the bottom of the grip that has been mentioned by others in the past? They would not have to have done that, though, if the top of the grips were sawn for the smaller width tang.

Gus

 

[BillinOregon]

Wick Ellerbe and Ken Hamilton make some wonderful knives that absolutely fit the period. Wick's English scalper is right out out of a museum.

 

[Bagman]

Does Wicke Forge his own blades? Or does he do the stock removal process from modern blade grade steels?

 

[Gene L]

Good looking knife. I don't care if it's HC; doesn't mean a whit to me. I love knives, dislike HC phobes. Looks like a good "camp knife."

 

[Black Hand]

Good looking knife. I don't care if it's HC; doesn't mean a whit to me. I love knives, dislike HC phobes. Looks like a good "camp knife."

Clearly stated:
Traditional Only - no modern designs. Do not post items unrelated to Muzzleloading. This is not a "general craft" category.

 

[Bagman]

Also "clearly stated"

Board Rules:

The focus of this site is "Traditional Muzzleloading" in America; The history of muzzleloading weapons and battles, up to and including the American Civil War. (From the inception of firearms through 1865)

 

[Bagman]

Gus...

The third knife down on the left hand side appears to be a full tang. Also a slightly upswept design. The 5th one down is definitely full tang.

Thanks for posting!

 

[Bagman]

Cunne Shote by Parsons ca. 1762. Note the upswept design of the blade.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Francis_Parsons_-_Cunne_Shote.jpg

 

[Artificer]

Though "1/3 Tang" and "Half Tang" seems to have been the most common form of both English and French Trade Knives in the 18th century, Full Tang knives were known, just a bit more expensive.

Though I can not document this; I think the 1/3 and Half Tang knives were more commonly traded/sold to both Native Americans and colonists who had to pinch pennies and/or were not as concerned about using the knife for anything other than "kitchen use."

Our dearly departed and much missed forum member LaBonte (aka Chuck Burrows) pointed out that the full tang knives were usually made by welding a cheaper piece of Iron onto the rear of the Steel Tang for these knives. Today we would not do it, but Iron back then was much cheaper than steel and worth doing the labor for a cheaper material than making the whole tang from steel.

Of course when the top and bottom of the full tangs were viewed when new, and because they file finished the blades, it most likely would not have been noticeable to most people, even if they cared.

So bottom line, full tang knives are fine for the period.

You are most welcome.

Gus

 

[BillinOregon]

Bagman, I believe Wick uses stock removal as his primary method, but maybe he will chime in here.

 

[Black Hand]

Cunne Shote by Parsons ca. 1762. Note the upswept design of the blade.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Francis_Parsons_-_Cunne_Shote.jpg[/quote]
Yes - we are all very familiar with the English scalper design. Scalper blades were narrow, long, and period knives were usually 3/32-1/6" in thickness. The knife posted is more indicative of the modern Bushcraft period.

In short, it IS NOT a traditional design....