My rediscovered knife....

[Peter LeRay]

Here is a knife I made from a Green River blank 28yrs ago when I was 13. Found it in my dad's shop. Perfect timing since I am almost done with my flintlock fowler build!

 

[crockett]

Those are good knives and I used one for years. To my way of thinking, just about the right thickness for a "using" knife. I tried to do some research on the design because it is supposed to be pc. As much as I can tell the Sheffield butcher knives had the familar "Hump" on the top/spine in the tip area and the Green River as you have shown was from London cutlers. If anyone has any info on the history of the style, please share.

 

[Mickc01]

Excellent job of putting that together. Much better than I did around the same time and with the same model. And no rust either!! All ready for a sheath on your shootin bag.

Also, I for one wantta see that fowler when finished and don't scrimp on the pictures!...Mick :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[rusty]

You did a very nice job on your knife,I like that style of blade a great deal.I just wish that there was know jimping on the blade and that it was a couple of inches longer...

 

[satx78247]

NICE.

yours, satx

 

[Peter LeRay]

I'll be sure to share plenty pictures of the fowler when I'm done! !!

 

[matt denison]

Those are good knives and I used one for years. To my way of thinking, just about the right thickness for a "using" knife. I tried to do some research on the design because it is supposed to be pc. As much as I can tell the Sheffield butcher knives had the familar "Hump" on the top/spine in the tip area and the Green River as you have shown was from London cutlers. If anyone has any info on the history of the style, please share.

That shape blade is a Dadley. Start your research there.

 

[LRB]

I can say from experience that the jimping can be of good purpose on that type of knife. When working with such a knife that feels the same, edge up or edge down, it is very good to have jimping or simple grooving that you can feel and know which side is up or down without having to look. I learned that the hard way using a Dadley I made for myself while working a large gator. The jimping or grooving needs to start closer to the grip however.

 

[BillinOregon]

Wick, had not heard the term jimping before. Thanks.
Peter, many years ago I made up a similar knife using that Green River Dadley blade as well, but all this time later, I am still too embarrassed to show it. Nice job!


:redface:

 

[Peter LeRay]

Thanks! I myself have just learned what the "jimping" is for myself!!

 

[crockett]

I never heard of jimping. Is it pc? I thought it was decorative, was there any purpose?
On the Dadley, one knife magazine I read several years back had an article on them and that's where I got the notion they originated in London. They had photos of originals, most 5" but a couple of 6" blades. I can't recall if they had the jimping but off hand I don't think they did. I never could pin down if the style was pre-1840 or showed up in the 1850's.
All information appreciated. The longer I'm at this the more I have come to realize all the stuff I don't know. A never ending quest.

 

[LRB]

Jimping was intended as only decoration, but on a knife like the Dadley, it can also serve as a reference in the dark, or whenever needed. As far as 18th c. use of jimping, I'm not sure , but I would not be surprised to find some examples somewhere. The term, jimping, may be a 20th c. origin.

 

[Stophel]

I just happened to run across on a knife discussion board where a guy who had hafted a Green River Dadley type blade (sans "jimping", which looked a lot nicer! I'm not a big fan of it) had ground himself a little "choil" just ahead of the handle to keep him from nicking his finger on the edge. Not a bad improvement, I think. Just a very shallow semi-circle. :wink:

Don't want to "steal" the picture, but if you do a Google Image Search for "knife choil Green River", it should be the first one! :wink:

 

[LaBonte]

Yes jimping or gimping or gimping is PC and the term dates back to the 1500's - it's origins are a bit obscure but most etymologists consider it of a Southern Scots/Northern English derivation. Exactly when it became associated with knife spine filework is even a bit more obscure, but seems to go back at least to the late 1600's.
as for examples of 18th Century period pieces here are three:
A mid 1700's sgian dhu or sgian occles

a folder found at Ft Pitt, Pa

a Spanish navaja folder from Florida

 

[crockett]

So, decorative and pc. Thanks. On the Pitt folder...any information on a stamp mark or how old it is? The nick looks ground rather than stamped. Looks like there is a spring as well.
I'm trying to do some research on folders and so far a lot of misinformation, some from rather note worth sources. Trying to shift through all of it.

 

[LRB]

I had forgotten the Scots. Very good LaBonte.

 

[Treestalker]

It's obvious to all but the newly awakened that the gimping on the back of the Green River Dadley blade is there for the EXPRESS purpose of scraping scales off of Catfish! :rotf: Tree