Riflemans knife

[longrifle78]

This is my latest attempt at a knife, the blade is forged from an old file & is 7 3/4'' long.

 

[Ringel05]

Nice. :thumbsup:

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

Nice shape to the blade. :thumbsup:

 

[wattlebuster]

I like it Joe :thumbsup:

 

[LRB]

Looks good to me!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Nicely done. I suspect you well researched riflemans knives before making that one. Most of the riflemans knives were self made or done by local blacksmiths. Longer blades were very common. Ten to 14" was often seen.

 

[MSW]

I like it!

 

[Ken Cormier]

Nice job my favorite style

 

[LRB]

Nicely done. I suspect you well researched riflemans knives before making that one. Most of the riflemans knives were self made or done by local blacksmiths. Longer blades were very common. Ten to 14" was often seen.

Can you post a few pics of original 18th c. riflemans knives, per your description, that have documentation? I'd like to see a few. Even if only period art.

 

[lonehunter]

Good looking knife, Nice work! :thumbsup:

 

[izzyjoe]

Good looking knife!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Nicely done. I suspect you well researched riflemans knives before making that one. Most of the riflemans knives were self made or done by local blacksmiths. Longer blades were very common. Ten to 14" was often seen.

Can you post a few pics of original 18th c. riflemans knives, per your description, that have documentation? I'd like to see a few. Even if only period art.

I Googled 'revolutionary rifleman knife' images and got a good selection. Surprise was the middle two images in the second row are mine. The pic with rifle, bag and other items and the one to the right of it. Further down on the page is a pic with about a dozen that are good representatives. I'll try to scan a page from my book the rev encyclopeida and post later.
For Google, try: https://www.google.com/search?q=re...mrygGg9YGYCA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=504

 

[Rifleman1776]

OK, below is a page from the Encyclopedia of the American Revolution, page 97.
When a friend forged my knife in 1976 we had only five examples of originals to design mine by. They ranged from about 10" blades to 14". I took an average of those for mine and it came out to 11 5/8".
In the pic below, #4, the one in the center could be the grand dad for mine, nearly identical. I have always been very happy and proud that mine came out so representative of what a real Rev. Rifleman would have carried.
Many of the originals were Scottish short swords the riflmen broke shorter and reground to be handier for carrying and fighting with.

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[LRB]

Those are all daggers. The top two are European according to Neumann. Those on the web pics are mostly new made. At least two which I made myself. At least one made by Kyle Willyard. The few older ones are 19th c., or undocumented as 18th c., unless I missed some. I thought you might have had pics of documented American 18th c. knives carried by riflemen that might match the romantic vision many see as a colonial riflemans knife.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Those are all daggers. The top two are European according to Neumann. Those on the web pics are mostly new made. At least two which I made myself. At least one made by Kyle Willyard. The few older ones are 19th c., or undocumented as 18th c., unless I missed some. I thought you might have had pics of documented American 18th c. knives carried by riflemen that might match the romantic vision many see as a colonial riflemans knife.

Agree. All but the one in the center is are daggers. The center one is arguable. With digging I might find more pics of some old orig. riflemans knives.
And, agree anything that pops up with Google has to be viewed with some common sense. Doesn't mean they are all wrong. One must do more research to find the 'real facts'.
But, I'll stand by mine being a good representation. With the data we had available to us in 1976 I believe we did well in creating it. I did the book work, Don Kramer did the work-work.

 

[kopfjaeger]

Now that's a nice knife. Oh, that's properly why I bought it. "LOL"

Now I just need to find a really nice beaded sheath for it.

 

[LRB]

Not much bead work in the time that knife is supposed to represent. It would go better with a plain Jane homely "home spun" type. Do it yourself. If you're not good with leather work, all the better. Just make it a slip in the belt carry with tie thongs for security, and make it safe for carry, simple, but able to take abuse.

 

[satx78247]

WELL DONE. - CONGRADS.

yours, satx

 

[Billnpatti]

Darned good looking knife.

 

[44-henry]

Not to hijack the thread, but would it really be that unlikely to find daggers in common use in America during that period?