Need ideas for knife blank.

[Black Hand]

Also, the cutler's resin (beeswax, pitch & finely-ground charcoal) I make fills any gaps well.

I have never actually used Period Cutler's Resin for two reasons. I have always wondered if it would "leak" in hot weather and also would it trap bacteria or other things from blood and guts that even with proper washing could contaminate food. I honestly don't know if either of these things would happen?

So instead of the pitch, I sheepishly admit I use epoxy in Cutler's Resin mixture instead.

Gus

Gus,
I've not had any issue with leakage in warm temperatures. The high content of beeswax & pitch make it impervious to liquid infiltration and the pitch is also antibacterial. I have one knife that is in constant use in the kitchen (for vegetables and meat - raw chicken included) and also used while butchering game. I hand-wash it with soap and water and allow it to dry like all my other kitchen knives.

I've used epoxy as well, but not for the period knives I've made.

Cutler's resin:
5 parts pitch (I purify my own pitch to rosin which is what I use)
1 part beeswax
1 part filler (I use finely powdered charcoal, though I've also read of sawdust, brick dust and metal filings being used)

 

[Artificer]

Thank you for that information. GOOD to know.

I have friends in the brick trade who gather original 18th century broken bricks for me, when they can. I tell them I especially want bricks from outside brick wall fences, that's because they were the lowest grade of bricks in the period and provide some of the finest abrasive powder. I've thought about adding the powder from them to Cutler's Resin, but prefer to keep it for polishing my musket.

Gus

 

[LRB]

I don't use either in the trade scalpers, but if you put a brick dust filler in epoxy, only you have to know, and it solves the problem of water intrusion. I am not sure if any filler was used in the trade knives. As far as I know, no one has ever mentioned finding any trace of cutlers resin on any of the cheap trade type blades. I offer it if a customer wants it, but I'm not sure the originals had it or not. You would think that out of the hundreds of found blades, there would as least be traces of resin on some, but possibly it has been over looked.

 

[Zonie]

Speaking of resin as a part of a filler, has anyone ever tried using bow rosin?

It's the stuff violin, viola, cello and bass players use on their bows to allow the hair to grab the strings.

It is made from pine pitch and is quite hard to the touch.

It can be melted and it seems to me it would make an excellent filler.

It also doesn't cost an arm and a leg and it is available from most stores that sell stringed instruments.

 

[Black Hand]

If you notice above, I make rosin from pitch and use it in my cutler's resin.

 

[Elnathan]

I don't use either in the trade scalpers, but if you put a brick dust filler in epoxy, only you have to know, and it solves the problem of water intrusion. I am not sure if any filler was used in the trade knives. As far as I know, no one has ever mentioned finding any trace of cutlers resin on any of the cheap trade type blades. I offer it if a customer wants it, but I'm not sure the originals had it or not. You would think that out of the hundreds of found blades, there would as least be traces of resin on some, but possibly it has been over looked.

Wick, have a chat with Ken Hamilton. IIRC, he says that they were filled with epoxy.

 

[Elnathan]

I've never seen a documented Riflesmans knife.

I don't want to debate this issue again with you. I have but, you, and others, do not like the references I have used.

The source of the information needs to be considered. If you are referring to a Madison Grant book - the dates were known to be rather loose (+/- 50-100 years makes a big difference)....

Ditto with Neumann. With Neumann there is the additional problem that in Collector's Encyclopedia not everything he illustrates is actually from the 18th century but is only representative of what he thinks was used around the time of the Revolution, something that he admits straight up in the introduction to the book but is usually overlooked. I've had people produce something out of that book as "proof" that a piece of equipment was in use, who then treat me like a lunatic when I point out that even Neumann himself doesn't think that the actually artifact is actually from the 18th century. If it ain't dated, then it is a known 19th century piece that Neumann illustrated 'cause he couldn't find an authentic 18th century example. If it IS dated, then we are relying on Neumann's best guess based on the knowledge available fifty years ago, which may or may not be reliable or superseded by new research since then. Those have to be taken on a case by case basis.

It is not that Neumann and Hamilton are bad sources, but they are 1) written before a lot of research had been done and 2) aren't read as carefully as they should be by most folks.

 

[LRB]

I don't use either in the trade scalpers, but if you put a brick dust filler in epoxy, only you have to know, and it solves the problem of water intrusion. I am not sure if any filler was used in the trade knives. As far as I know, no one has ever mentioned finding any trace of cutlers resin on any of the cheap trade type blades. I offer it if a customer wants it, but I'm not sure the originals had it or not. You would think that out of the hundreds of found blades, there would as least be traces of resin on some, but possibly it has been over looked.

Wick, have a chat with Ken Hamilton. IIRC, he says that they were filled with epoxy.

If Ken says it's so, it has to be. Did he mention which brand they used then? I prefer Devcon 2 ton myself. :thumbsup:

 

[tiswell]

I purchased some boxwood from Rare Woods USA for knife handles. It is Buxus macowanii, not Buxus Sempervirens. But I was happy with it. It is about the color of butter. It works incredibly well. I used a sharp hand plane to create the facets and it left a surface as smooth as glass. Good stuff

 

[Artificer]

A few years back when I was trying to find more information on where the English Cutlers got their boxwood, I was a bit surprised to find Buxus Sempervirens was/is a shrubbery or small tree and often used for ornamentation. They must have cleaned out much of England to get enough box wood for the knife handles, wooden rulers and all manner of things they made from that wood in the 18th and 19th centuries.

I still chuckle at the thought of Monty Python's Knights who say "Ni!" demanding a shrubbery for King Arthur and his Knights to pass their domain. I wonder if they wanted a Boxwood Shrubbery? :haha:

Gus