Gunstock History / Vintage Examples

**richstag** · 10-17-2012, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Gevonovich

Kevin, this may work into the history of the design somehow.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunstock_War_Club

Jim McDougall has a great explanation on a forum about early ethnographic arms.

I am really enjoying all the contributions and this thread idea

I finally got a chance to search this! That is very cool! I could not find a direct link between the Gunstock War Club and the Gunstock knife pattern, but I did find the entire read very interesting, and I found comments that you may be referring to by Jim McDougall. I may have missed something.

Thanks Gevonovich!

**Gevonovich** · 10-17-2012, 12:58 PM

Kevin, I found no direct connections to the Gunstock knife pattern but I thought the history of the War Club may give some insight into the development/conception of the gunstock knife pattern.

**richstag** · 10-17-2012, 01:01 PM

Yes, I agree

**Pipeman** · 10-17-2012, 02:27 PM

Here's a couple of gunstock war clubs I made this year. The large Walnut club is typical of the woodlands clubs of the 18th and early 19th centuries. The smaller is the style used most often on the plains in the mid and late 19th century. Hard to put in your pocket though

Best regards

Robin

Gunstock war clubs were actually made by First Nations. I think they thought "why are carrying around this barrel when we can just whack people with a stock. Apparently none were made from old gun stocks.

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**jujigatame** · 10-17-2012, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by supratentorial

Nate, You can get your own humongous pointing finger on photobucket.com, under "stamps". I wish I could find the arrow that I used to use but I think they got rid of it... or at least I can't find it on the new beta test software.

Thanks.

**navin74** · 10-17-2012, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by supratentorial

Cool knives, Jim!

Kevin, Unfortunately the auctions are no longer showing up on the eBay website. If you search Worthpoint for "vintage gunstock knife", you'll pull up some examples. Here are some catalog scans...

1927 Empire

1920 Remington

1918 Bingham

1918 Ulster

1925 Ulster

1927 Ulster

From what I understand, there are also gunstock whittlers, gunstock stock knives, and gunstock lobsters. I would need to double check the definitions in Levine's Guide but I don't have my books with me. I've also seen photos of some unusual hybrids like an easy open gunstock and a farmer's jack/whittler/gunstock with a folding ivory budding blade. Here's a catalog scan with Keen Kutter stock and double-end jacks. The handle appears to be the reverse of a gunstock but I don't know if that is the actual pattern name.

The gun stock jack was clearly recognized in old catalogs.

Hello Jake. Thank you for the information above. Do you have the last two catalog pages without the big red stamps?

Nathan

**caseknife64** · 10-17-2012, 05:46 PM

I have an old Waterville Ebony Gunstock jack, has to be turn of the century, will post pics when I can, if you are wanting to see older examples.

**richstag** · 10-17-2012, 05:51 PM

Robin, those are just awesome! Thanks for the pic and the info!

Nate, nice :-P

Originally Posted by caseknife64

I have an old Waterville Ebony Gunstock jack, has to be turn of the century, will post pics when I can, if you are wanting to see older examples.

Yes please, I would appreciate seeing that very much so.

**supratentorial** · 10-17-2012, 06:12 PM

If you change your mind, you can paste the pointing finger back into the photo...

**supratentorial** · 10-17-2012, 06:15 PM

Nate, Is it the angle of the knife in the photo or is the clip point rather short and stubby on this pattern?

Originally Posted by jujigatame

Thanks.

**Dan57** · 10-17-2012, 06:39 PM

This knife isn't vintage, but it's probably the best looking traditional I've ever seen. It's a video of the knife that's mentioned above.

Fast forward to about 5:30.

**supratentorial** · 10-17-2012, 06:58 PM

Ryuichi Kawamura makes several gunstock patterns.

Gunstock English Jack

Gunstock Lockback

Gunstock whittler

**Bigfattyt** · 10-17-2012, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by jujigatame

Thanks.

That is freaking funny!

**supratentorial** · 10-17-2012, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by Bigfattyt

That is freaking funny!

Bigfattyt, Do you have information about gunstock history or vintage examples to share?

**jujigatame** · 10-17-2012, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by supratentorial

Nate, Is it the angle of the knife in the photo or is the clip point rather short and stubby on this pattern?

As clips go it is fairly abrupt. I think the impression you describe is influenced by the grinds to some degree. It's a pretty broad, thick blade for its length and having a lot of meat left between the belly and the clip accentuates that chunky look. It was always very interesting to me visually but the thickness was too much of an obstacle to ever getting a reasonable edge geometry on it that would match up with my usual cutting needs. I miss having it to look at but the stockman I got in trade gets a ton more use.

**Gevonovich** · 10-18-2012, 12:00 AM

Super nice, Robin!! Thanks for sharing your work and knowledge

**richstag** · 10-18-2012, 01:49 AM

Jake, those customs sure have style! The whittler really grabbed my attention. I bet its comfortable to use too.

**Campbellclanman** · 10-18-2012, 02:54 AM

Stunning knives shown here guys, and the old advertisements for the knives are just awesome-Just Look at those Ulsters!!....what I would do to own such a beautiful knife such as that!
Thank you very much for the trouble of showing us!.
I wish I had some knowledge to share in helping as to where the gunstock originated!
The only gunstocks I have owned are modern era knives-I do love the Jigged Bone on this-I am not sure about the blade engravings-I think I like it far more than dislike it...I know it sounds silly..

And John Lloyds lovely example that I gifted to my good friend.