Damascus patch knife

[Coot]

Sadly, several very knowledgable members have been driven away from the Forum by some who choose to be offended whenever a historical inaccuracy is mentioned. If someone wants to carry/use a fantasy item or be content with "old timey" as a standard, that and they are fine. Likewise, when someone tries for a more historically correct approach, that and they too are fine. All members need to be free to share whatever knowledge they have and anyone presenting facts should never be subject to personal attack.

 

[Black Hand]

I fear this is a form of buyer's regret. The person realizes they've been had by a vendor or really wanted something "cool" that wasn't PC/HC and then try everything to justify the purchase/item even to the point of defending in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary or the utter lack of any supporting evidence.

If some think that a juvenile personal attack or straw-man will dissuade others from sharing the facts, they are sorely mistaken. Our job as historians is to attack misinformation wherever it occurs. If you don't like it, too bad for you...

Now - back to our regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Kansas Jake]

My Grandpa said you could catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. My point is "attacking" misconceptions can be done, but many times a "correcting" approach may be just as effective without creating divisions or driving people away.

 

[Black Hand]

Regardless of how you say something, even if it's said in the nicest way, someone is going to get bent out of shape. When did people become so incapable of taking even the slightest disagreement?

 

[Crewdawg445]

Regardless of how you say something, even if it's said in the nicest way, someone is going to get bent out of shape. When did people become so incapable of taking even the slightest disagreement?

BAM! WELL SAID! :applause:

I also might add constructive criticism... Is that even alive in today's society? Ridiculous how things have became.

 

[Mickc01]

I'm really feeling for Paul R here. He posted a photo of a nice little forged knife that, OH-MY-GOSH, he called a path knife.

Come on guys, put the HC/PC manure to the side long enough to appreciate the craftsmanship that went into this little knife. I am personally very interested in what is correct verses what is not but when we get all bent out of shape by a calling something a different name than it was called in the 18th century, we are missing the point.

The point is, in the 18th century there actually were small knives. And many an original bag set had a knife sheath. Did they use these small knives to cut patches?? Of course not, they bought pre-lubed patches from Track of the Wolf and had them overnighted to the frontier by FedEx. SHEESH!! Can't we all just get along.

Anyway, like I said in an earlier post on this tread, nice knife, Paul.

 

[Mickc01]

Sorry for my rant. The older I get the more I seem to type without thinking

Seriously though, I have gotten to where I seldom post on here for the very reason I wrote the knee jerk response above. I have been shooting and collecting BP guns, accouterments, books, etc. since I was 16 years old and feel like I have a pretty good handle on what is correct and what is not. I even spent a stint as a reenactor. Still after getting my hand slapped a couple of times, I am VERY careful about what I post and say to the point of mostly just reading. So that's my 2 cents. Take it as you will....Mick C

 

[Claude Mathis]

Not all of us want to be as HC as possible. Some don’t care. Some are very tuned into being HC. We are all in our own Journey.

I wrote this many years ago and I would change some of it, but you get the idea...
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/192073/

 

[kemart17]

very nice knife, thanks for sharing. a kid on my crew does blacksmithing, going to see if he can recreate 1.

 

[thomas]

I really like it! :thumbsup:

 

[Ron LaClair]

A blacksmith made one of those stricker/patch knives for me, I used it for awhile before putting it on the blanket at a shoot. A handy multi purpose little knife.

I've noticed that there's a person on this thread that is being critical of this type of knife, asking for documentation and suggesting that it is not PC/HC. All well and good except that some time back he listed what he himself carried on a scout/trek and there were many "modern" items that he carried. That could be termed hypocritical on his part to my way of thinking :hmm:

 

[Black Hand]

I've noticed that there's a person on this thread that is being critical of this type of knife, asking for documentation and suggesting that it is not PC/HC. All well and good except that some time back he listed what he himself carried on a scout/trek and there were many "modern" items that he carried. That could be termed hypocritical on his part to my way of thinking :hmm:

This coming from the guy wearing modern boots in the latest picture posted of himself. :slap:

Yes - I carry modern items for health & safety consisting of a flashlight and basic first aid kit, and they stay in my pack for emergencies. I also carry a water filter because only an idiot would drink unfiltered water from wild water sources.

What I don't carry/use are fantasy items that never existed all the while claiming they are HC or PC...

 

[Ron LaClair]

This coming from the guy wearing modern boots in the latest picture posted of himself.

Yes - I carry modern items for health & safety consisting of a flashlight and basic first aid kit, and they stay in my pack for emergencies. I also carry a water filter because only an idiot would drink unfiltered water from wild water sources.

What I don't carry/use are fantasy items that never existed all the while claiming they are HC or PC...

I'm not sure what picture you're referring to but sometimes I do have to wear my Meindl shoes because I have nerve damage "neuropathy" in my feet caused by diabetes. I'm 82 years old and stuff happens to old people. I'm not complaining, I'm lucky to still be able to hunt and shoot my flintlocks. A lot of people my age are in a home
being spoon fed with undocumented plastic spoons. :rotf:

One thing I don't do is criticize someone for what's in their shooting bag or haversack. Like they say, "don't judge a man unless you've walked a mile in his shoes"...or boots...or moccasins.

We're supposed to be having fun in this sport so I don't see a need for anyone to get their breech-clout in a wad because of what someone else has in their tote. :shake:

 

[Ron LaClair]

Yes - I carry modern items for health & safety consisting of a flashlight and basic first aid kit, and they stay in my pack for emergencies.

When you gotta go poo-poo after dark might be considered an emergency so.... flashlight or Betty lamp? :grin:


Just kidding BH, I know you can take a joke. :wink:

 

[Mickc01]

This coming from the guy wearing modern boots in the latest picture posted of himself.

Yes - I carry modern items for health & safety consisting of a flashlight and basic first aid kit, and they stay in my pack for emergencies. I also carry a water filter because only an idiot would drink unfiltered water from wild water sources.

What I don't carry/use are fantasy items that never existed all the while claiming they are HC or PC...

I'm not sure what picture you're referring to but sometimes I do have to wear my Meindl shoes because I have nerve damage "neuropathy" in my feet caused by diabetes. I'm 82 years old and stuff happens to old people. I'm not complaining, I'm lucky to still be able to hunt and shoot my flintlocks. A lot of people my age are in a home
being spoon fed with undocumented plastic spoons. :rotf:

One thing I don't do is criticize someone for what's in their shooting bag or haversack. Like they say, "don't judge a man unless you've walked a mile in his shoes"...or boots...or moccasins.

We're supposed to be having fun in this sport so I don't see a need for anyone to get their breech-clout in a wad because of what someone else has in their tote. :shake:

Amen! And I would add what that man calls something in his bag....Mick C

 

[Black Hand]

The issue still remains that the striker/knife is a fantasy item that is neither PC nor HC for our eras. There are far better knives if one wants a period piece and I'm certain they are a lot less expensive. A simple folding knife that one carries in their bag is a far better choice if one must have a knife in/on their bag. If not, a belt knife does the job admirably well.

Critiquing a person's gear for accuracy IS NOT a personal attack. If someone takes it that way, perhaps they shouldn't post on an internet website. What is truly comical are those who are offended for someone else and have taken a comment about accuracy directed at an item as a personal attack upon themselves.

If one wishes to see the contents of my gun bag, I posted an image & list in another thread some time ago and would be happy to post again. But this isn't really about what a person has in their bag, it is a mission to make the Librarian go away and stop bothering people in their warm cocoon full of fantasy items...

 

[Zonie]

I sure am glad I don't have a knife I wanted to show folks here on the forum.

We've got two pages of comments and many of them are solely to discuss why the original poster's knife is not HC or PC.

The Original Poster just said he found a great hand forged knife. He did not say it was period correct or historically correct. He was just wanting to share pictures of his new knife with the members here.


Yes, I'm aware that the entro to this area of the forum says, "Traditional Only - no modern designs." but just how "modern" is a forged knife without a handle?
When was a forged knife without a handle first made? Was it after 1865 and if so, where would I find the proof of this?
(Wikipedia says forged knives have been made for thousands of years so that doesn't seem to limit the age to something that was after 1865.)

Now, if the knife was made out of Rene 41 or Hastelloy, both materials dating from after the early 1950's, that would be modern.

Personally, I like the knife. :grin:

 

[Black Hand]

Forged knives all start without a handle. The major objection is to the the knife/striker combo that can't be documented to the eras we represent.

Either we follow the standards set by the forum or we don't. If the sub-forum says "Traditional designs only", that is what we should see and ONLY what we should see.

 

[Ron LaClair]

BH, I saw in an earlier post you made you said when you go on a scout in addition to carrying what you need for emergencies, flashlight, first aid kit, cell phone, water purifier,... you carry a bottle of Rum and enough food to feed a squad. Being such a stickler on PC I'll bet your Rum is in a PC crock jug and your food is wrapped in waxed cloth.

I know some people might be prone to cheat leaving their liquor in a modern bottle and their food in plastic or aluminum foil .. :idunno:

 

[Black Hand]

Rum is in a corked glass bottle, bacon is in greased brown paper.

The "food to feed a squad" consists of a bag of barley, one of cornmeal, a small bag of dried hominy or wild rice, some dried vegetables (for flavoring), fresh meat and a 4x4 piece of slab bacon. You don't need a grocery store to eat well. What were you imagining?

And still, this is irrelevant to the issue of a non-HC/PC striker knife combo...