Davy Crockett Folder

[crockett]

Just got back from a trip to Texas. Stopped at San Jacinto and looked at the museum inside the monument. They had a friction folder that was supposed to have belonged to Davy Crockett, and recovered at the Alamo; which, is interesting since it was a pretty late date for anyone to still be using a friction folder and old Davy having been a congressman, etc surely had enough money for any type knife. His friction folder looked nothing like those from France used in the fur trade. The handle was about 4" long and of either bone or light wood, and an angular, "dog bone" shape. The blade was about 3 1/2" and there was a tang extension of maybe 2" that would be under your thumb but no "button" on the tang that I could see. I took a photo but it didn't come out very good due to reflection of the glass case. In any event I'm going to try and see if there is a curator that can give me more information on the knife. I also saw Davy's double edge- 6" blade hunting knife- pretty much like the one sold by Dixie Gun Works.
I also saw one sheath with lead rivets- these rivets were very small, about like plumber's solder- just cut off a 1/2" and peen hammer the ends to 3/16" heads. The problem with the sheath- was it original or a replica just put in the case?

 

[LRB]

Interesting. Keep us updated as to what you find.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Haven't been to San Jacinto for years but don't see who cold have picked it up other than one of the Santanistas, officer or enlisted. For years they displayed a M.1809/39 Potsdam musket listed as a San Jacinto used musket. Never did get a good answer on how a musket mod that didn't start til 3 years after the battle could have been there in 1836. Ma Williams always said, "Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear"...seems to work! :wink:

 

[tenngun]

why john wayne had a colt and 73 winchester in the movie comancheros set before texas became a state. I spect if the duke could have had a gun almost 40 years early santa anna could have got some 3 years early.
If in fact it was a mexican gun it may have come from the m/a war,or even the rebellion against maximilon

 

[Wes/Tex]

If in fact it was a mexican gun it may have come from the m/a war,or even the rebellion against maximilon

Yeah, those weer only 10 and 30 years in the future! :wink:

 

[tenngun]

yeah folks run thier histoies together. I have a cosin who owns one of our ancestors guns used in the AWI. We had the ancestor he fought in the war... but the gun is a cw springfield,you won't convience my cosin

 

[crockett]

I should have written down the information but if I recall it was taken off his body by one of the Mexican soldiers after he died/was executed at the Alamo.

 

[crockett]

Well I found this on the net- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Davy_Crockett_knife.jpg

The information doesn't say it is a folding knife but it looks like it to me, it looks like a slot in the bottom of the handle and as I said the tang extends about 2" into the handle. The rivet farthest forward would be the pivot pin, the big rivet would stop the tang and the third- I have no idea. As I said- it might not be a folder but the handle sure looks like it has a blade slot.

If anyone has any information- please share. I have emailed the curator- maybe that will help.

 

[crockett]

Well I feel like an idiot but the curator contacted me and says it is fixed blade. The straight edge...I wonder if he used it as a patch knife.

 

[Black Hand]

The straight edge...I wonder if he used it as a patch knife.

Used and sharpened quite a bit...

 

[codymobley]

Just a caveat about the San Jac museum:

A lot of the items there are lacking actual provenance. I've had a couple of friends who have worked there and due to items being donated by wealthy donors they 'felt' like the items should be described as the donors called them.


Hence why Sherman's blue coat in there is actually of 1860s vintage rather than ca. 1836.

 

[Rifleman1776]

a pretty late date for anyone to still be using a friction folder

I thought we were still using them.

 

[crockett]

Possibly but Bernard Levine, the "Knife Expert" claims that by the time of the American Revolution the spring backed knives in America had become more popular than the friction folders- however the split was still close to 50/50. In Smith's Key 1816- a Sheffield Knife catalog to what Sheffield made for America- all spring backed knives by then (In the catalog). Since friction folders are still made (They are made and sold in Spain) they are pc to about any age but not the most common.
The folding knife "industry" in the US was largely post- 1840. (not knife- folding knife) so what was made in Sheffield was very important. On the trade lists for the North West Company, by about 1820 only spring backed knives are routinely listed. The friction folders sold by the French in earlier times are largely gone.
So don't throw away your friction folder, just be aware that spring back knives were becoming ever more popular.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I just ruins my day when I make an attempt at humor and someone gives a serious reply.
'scuse me while I go crawl into hole. :wink: :rotf: