Period correct knife for fur trade in western Canada 1800-1815

[Fatboyz]

As I live and trek right here in David Thompson Country, at the head of the North Saskatchewan river, I am setting myself up to be relatively period correct for some trekking. I will be trekking along the North Sask in areas travelled by Thompson from the time of his travel through the Howse pass, 1807. I also hunt and trek along the Brazeau river near the Southesk, and Dowling ford. This crossing is named after the earl of Southesk who travelled through there in 1859-1860. I would like to make abelt knife that would be period correct for 1800-1815 for Western Canada. THoughts?

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Can't help with knives but this site is pretty good if you need a hawk or axe.
https://www.furtradetomahawks.com/

 

[user 48679]

Butcher pattern knives, as depicted here (although the sheath would have been more rustic than the one below):

https://www.knivesofthenorth.com/products/river-traders-lewis-and-clark-knife
Lewis & Clark ordered 40-odd like knives for their early 1800's expedition.

 

[rich pierce]

Knife shapes that work haven’t changed much since Roman times. A folding pocketknife and an English trade knife would be my go-to. Here’s my English pattern

trade knife. Our dog chewed the handle a bit when he was little.

 

[Fatboyz]

Knife shapes that work haven’t changed much since Roman times. A folding pocketknife and an English trade knife would be my go-to. Here’s my English pattern View attachment 195774trade knife. Our dog chewed the handle a bit when he was little.

That's about what I was thinking would work. Took a knife making course last spring, and am just building my forge so this will be one of my projects this summer.

 

[LRB]

Butcher pattern knives, as depicted here (although the sheath would have been more rustic than the one below):

https://www.knivesofthenorth.com/products/river-traders-lewis-and-clark-knife
Lewis & Clark ordered 40-odd like knives for their early 1800's expedition.
View attachment 195752

Butcher pattern knives, as depicted here (although the sheath would have been more rustic than the one below):

https://www.knivesofthenorth.com/products/river-traders-lewis-and-clark-knife
Lewis & Clark ordered 40-odd like knives for their early 1800's expedition.
View attachment 195752

Make the pins iron/steel. lose the scandi grind, give it a slight covex full grind

 

[Fatboyz]

Make the pins iron/steel. lose the scandi grind, give it a slight covex full grind

So the grind more like the English trade knife? Brand new to knife making, did you mean "Convex"? Mr. Google has nothing for "Covex"? Do you think that Lewis and Clark Trader knife shape would be better than the English Trade knife shape? Can make one of each! I have access to lots of used Ferrier rasps. I have a plasma cutter so cutting the shapes is no issue.

 

[LRB]

So the grind more like the English trade knife? Brand new to knife making, did you mean "Convex"? Mr. Google has nothing for "Covex"? Do you think that Lewis and Clark Trader knife shape would be better than the English Trade knife shape? Can make one of each! I have access to lots of used Ferrier rasps. I have a plasma cutter so cutting the shapes is no issue.

Which, depends on you. Yeah convex . I think the English scalper or common butcher would do. A sharp point is handy very often. I prefer the common French boucheron for all around use. But, I also like the English. Maybe just me, but I don't care for the L&C butcher shown because the point is too blunt for my taste. Most butchers are to blunt to me. Your milage may vary. A sharp kinda narrow point is good to separate joints on critters.

 

[Bushfire]

I'm neither an expert nor a self described expert but I don't recall seeing many if any historical examples using maple. Seems to be a modern thing.

 

[Some_Mook]

While a "sharp kinda narrow point" may be good for separating joints on critters, the fur trade trappers were primarily after the pelts, and weren't altogether concerned with precision disassembly of the animals joints. Sharp narrow points would be more prone to puncturing and damaging the pelt when separating the skin from the underlying connective tissues. Butcher knife blade styles lent themselves to quickly skinning animals without poking extra holes where they were not needed or wanted. Speed and efficiency would be a desirable function for a skinning knife shape.

 

[Fatboyz]

Being a trapper, for skinning I actually just use a small knife on the hind legs to the vent, then the rest I just pull away with my hands. For beaver my preferred knife is like a little patch knife. I think the sharp point trade knife is what I'll make as my carry knife and I have a little Sheffield knife for skinning.

 

[LRB]

This is what I did most of my skinning and deer working with. Had a pocket in my shot bag for it.

 

[Bushfire]

View attachment 196078
View attachment 196079
This is what I did most of my skinning and deer working with. Had a pocket in my shot bag for it.

Beautiful work Wick, and love the filework. Wish I could've grabbed one of your knives when you were making them!

 

[LRB]

Thanks

Beautiful work Wick, and love the filework. Wish I could've grabbed one of your knives when you were making them!

Thanks. I wish I could still do that stuff.

 

[Fatboyz]

Wick does the blade stay open just from friction or is there a lock of some sort?

 

[Brokennock]

...Wish I could've grabbed one of your knives when you were making them!

I could not agree with anything more.

 

[Red Owl]

As I live and trek right here in David Thompson Country, at the head of the North Saskatchewan river, I am setting myself up to be relatively period correct for some trekking. I will be trekking along the North Sask in areas travelled by Thompson from the time of his travel through the Howse pass, 1807. I also hunt and trek along the Brazeau river near the Southesk, and Dowling ford. This crossing is named after the earl of Southesk who travelled through there in 1859-1860. I would like to make abelt knife that would be period correct for 1800-1815 for Western Canada. THoughts?

So, you are basically going to be in Canada. That would be NWC/Hudson Bay Territory. I'd think about a scalper with a 6-7" blade. The butcher knives were more of an American Mountain man choice, probably because John Jacob Astor of the American Fur Company came from a family of butchers. The heavy Hudson's Bay or Chief's knife might be more of a native peoples choice as would be a dag or bayonet type knife.
There was a little bit of variation in scalpers, mostly the contour of the belly part of the point. Also the length. A scalper is pretty lightweight and easy to carry.

 

[Red Owl]

FOLLOW UP- I did a quick web search. BE CAREFUL on whatever is presented. I checked out the documentation on a lot of things and in many instances there isn't any. On the following, stay with the half tang styles and you ought to be good to go.
https://www.google.com/search?q=fur...grc=3BIMCVjM0HxZqM&imgdii=j9fdJPyWbsjBrM&ip=1https://www.google.com/search?q=fur...grc=3BIMCVjM0HxZqM&imgdii=j9fdJPyWbsjBrM&ip=1https://www.google.com/search?sa=N&...=1#imgrc=8dcTWyv5J9LvpM&imgdii=yx9IibmvFM4v9Mhttps://www.google.com/search?q=fur...A&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1#imgrc=u0K3vCXYg1mrfM
Well some of what I tried to copy and paste didn't work out, in any event look around on the sites.

 

[rusty]

They would have used a plain butcher knife, google Nowil, and son you will find one there, I have one they are great. Things were not as fancy back in those days...

 

[rusty]

The handles were pinned on back then..