Double Edge Rifleman's Knife

[buffcreekforge]

I want to share a project I recently finished. I made a double edge rifleman's knife from an old Nicholson file. The blade is 10 inches long and the knife is 15 inches overall. The handle is hickory with an iron ferrule and butt cap. The ferrule and butt cap are lightly engraved. The whole knife is lightly aged. The sheath is wood core with brain tan buckskin as a cover. The brain tan is center sewed on the back with linen thread. The sheath lightly aged as well. I appreciate the opportunity to share in the forum. I remain your humble servant,

Just Dave

 

[bud in pa]

Nice work :thumbsup:

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

That looks really nice ! An old work partner made a “rifleman’s” for me as a gift, thirty-five or so years ago. It was made from an industrial power hacksaw blade, used to build a bridge across San Francisco Bay. It doesn’t look half as nice as yours. Mine is a devil to sharpen too, so it just gets left in my shooting box... :idunno:

 

[LRB]

Looks good!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Nice job making a stilleto/dagger. Rifleman's knife? I'm not so sure. The stilleto was made and used by some militia. Some even had butt plug handles to be 'sorta' used as bayonets on their muskets.

 

[wattlebuster]

I like it :thumbsup: Some of my favorite knives are made from old files.

 

[Pete44ru]

DANG ! ! Pilgrim

If that knife/sheath doesn't look like you used a time machine to go back to the 1840's & git it, I don't know what does ! :v

VERY nice work, Dave...”¦. :bow: :bow: :bow:

 

[ZUG]

I like it and it must have taken a bit of time to shape the blade and put it all together along with the sheath. Nicely done :hatsoff: .

 

[Elnathan]

Very nice, and a much better candidate for a "rifleman's knife" than what most people concoct these days, though it is a bit large for the 18th century. Good size for the 19th century, though.

I'm working on a similar piece myself right now, and would have heat treated it yesterday had the weather been cooperative...

 

[MSW]

great looking knife!!

 

[tenngun]

I have read that such knifes were razor sharp on one side, and the other was kept not so sharp for rough use. I never understood what service one can get from a dull knife. I used to keep both sides of my double bit axe sharp.
Dags and daggers were carried for years. I’ve always carted butcher style. How do you use this knife?
It sure is easy on the eyes, good looking blade any block should be happy to carry.

 

[Elnathan]

I have read that such knifes were razor sharp on one side, and the other was kept not so sharp for rough use. I never understood what service one can get from a dull knife. I used to keep both sides of my double bit axe sharp.
Dags and daggers were carried for years. I’ve always carted butcher style. How do you use this knife?

I think that the idea has more to do with edge profiles rather than sharpness per se, one edge have a longer bevel with a more acute edge angle than the other.

Having said that, I think that it is a myth and that blades like this were intended as pure fighting weapons.

 

[Artificer]

I think that the idea has more to do with edge profiles rather than sharpness per se, one edge have a longer bevel with a more acute edge angle than the other.

I agree. Here is a link describing the differences in angles used to sharpen knives, depending on their use.
https://lansky.com/index.php/blog/which-angle-should-i-use-when-sharpening-my-knife/#.WycYoeS0XmI

For example, one edge of the knife may have had a 20 degree angle for the best skinning edge, though the edge would require "touching up" more often and the other side 25 or 30 degree angle for other cutting chores, so the edge would hold up longer.

Gus

 

[tenngun]

That makes a lot more sense.

 

[Black Hand]

I have read that such knifes were razor sharp on one side, and the other was kept not so sharp for rough use. I never understood what service one can get from a dull knife. I used to keep both sides of my double bit axe sharp.

I read/heard that one blade was beveled for cutting while the other blade was beveled for splitting.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Having said that, I think that it is a myth and that blades like this were intended as pure fighting weapons.

:hmm:

 

[LRB]

It's not often, but once again I think I agree with you. I cannot see a dagger blade being a good splitting tool. It would not do the thin cutting edge any good if one needed to baton it through something. I don't think much of batoning knives anyway. Some blades will take it, while others may not, and it is not what knives are intended for. I have read that David Crockett carried a short double edged dagger, but who really knows? I have a double edged, no guard, slabbed grip knife that I got on a trade. Looks like one of the green river types. 6" thin blade. I have heard my mine was called a hog killing knife, but I don't know. I've never used it.

 

[Artificer]

Would not most men during this period still be carrying a tomahawk or belt axe? So...first thing find or cut a branch to use as a wood maul/mallet and use that with the hawk/belt axe to split bones or wood as needed. No sense in risking beating on a knife.

Gus

 

[R.C.BINGAMAN]

Wick when I was a kid worked for a old man in a country butcher shop, he had a double edge knife that was used on the hog after a well placed shot to the head with a 22 it was used only to cut the hogs throat and bleed him out. It was razor sharp on both edges. It was also homemade as to the type of steel used in its manufacture I do not know, I do not think I would use a knife of this sort to out right try to dispatch the animal. R.C.

 

[crockett]

On the use, I agree such a blade was used as a weapon for stabbing. That doesn't mean there weren't double edged hog knives but those had more weight and belly at the tip- like the Dixie Gun Works "Davy Crockett". If you look at paintings of the time the thin stiletto type seems to be carried as a weapon. A big Bowie was heavy and a lot to carry around (if you were basically a hunter or trapper). The dagger was light and easy to carry.
BTW- really nice job. The tongs on the sheath, I do that too so as to not lose the knife but it seems the originals were just stuck under a belt. I've been trying to figure a way to secure such a sheath- maybe two holes in back with a rawhide thong?