Carpenter's Whittler

[DJD]

I've been looking recently at several knives designated as "carpenter's whittler." A nice looking, useful design. Some come with a sheepsfoot, and some with a clip master blade.
An example: http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/...p?f=63&t=20107

What defines a carpenter's whittler, as opposed to a standard whittler. Would it be size?

DD

[rprocter]

I don't know the answer to your question but the Camillus #72 in your link is not a true Whittler despite Camillus' naming it as such. The master blade does not bear on both springs. But, likely you know this.
roland

[DJD]

I don't know the answer to your question but the Camillus #72 in your link is not a true Whittler despite Camillus' naming it as such. The master blade does not bear on both springs. But, likely you know this.
roland

Roland, thanks, you are certainly right. And I completely missed that. Actually the knife that first caught my eye was an S & M (knife "D" in the link below), which does appear to be a true whittler.

http://www.schattandmorgan.com/series15.htm

DD

[tltt]

I'd say size and stoutness of construction. Carpenter's whittlers and jacks are generally sized up in width, length, and stock thickness.

Many times a blade on a Carpenter's knife would be saber ground too.

[supratentorial]

I'm not sure but it is my impression that in the old advertisements it's mostly a matter of marketing the straight edge blades like a coping blade, Wharncliffe or sheepfoot as a blade for scribing. Here's a 1952 ad for a Boker "Carpenter's Knife" (top right) advertised as having a "special cut-off pen or scribing blade"... looks like a coping blade.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...ial/img483.jpg

The "Carpenter's Jack Knife" in this 1910 ad has a sheepfoot blade and is advertised as ideal for carpentry or woodwork.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...ial/img473.jpg

And the sheepfoot on this cattle knife is also advertised as suited for carpentry work.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...ial/img476.jpg

[bernard_levine]

"Whittler" was never a pattern name, or a term of art in the cutlery industry.

Some knives were etched WHITTLER in various forms... and as noted, not all of those were what we now call whittlers.
I've seen stock knives, cattle knives, and others with that etch.

Marketing.

BRL...

[DJD]

Thanks for the clarification gents.

DD

[rprocter]

Bernard, if "Whittler" was never a pattern name, but it is now, how did this come about to give the now accepted definition of a 3 blade, 2 spring knife, with the master blade bearing on both springs ?
roland

[bernard_levine]

It is a collector term. For a type of construction, not any particular pattern (shape).

Now used by companies in the cutlery business that cater to collectors.

But still used more widely in commerce than it is by purist collectors, that is, used on knives that are not made like "whittlers."

BRL...

[CNoyes]

Here is a Robeson 622225 three blade knife similar to the Camillus 72 in the OP. The master rides on both springs, there is a brass divider separating the springs. The master clip is sabre-cut.



Robeson made other knives and marketed them as "carpenter's" knives.

These two equal-ends are in a cattle knife configuration, but both are etched, "CARPENTER'S CHOICE".





This 4" serpentine celluloid handled knife has the front handle etched in gold, "CARPENTER'S KNIFE".



Robeson also made a two blade jack with lined bolsters and a clip master and secondary pen with the clip etched, "OLD HICKORY WHITTLER".

I think Duncan Campbell owns one of those.

[Nixelplix]

Bernard, if "Whittler" was never a pattern name, but it is now, how did this come about to give the now accepted definition of a 3 blade, 2 spring knife, with the master blade bearing on both springs ?
roland

I would like to know what the historical names were, if any, that the manufacturers used for these patterns.

[bernard_levine]

Don't confound a "pattern name" with a type of construction.

A pattern is a particular "number" - that is a particular shape (handle die), with a particular selection of blades, and a particular handle material.

What we call whittler construction was a subset of what the industry called pen knives. If the industry called it by any special names before recent collector influence, I have not seen it.

All of this is laid out in more or less logical sequence in LG4. Find yourself a copy...

BRL...

[Nixelplix]

Thank you!

[Ishrub]

Another example of what is described as a Carpenter's Whittler.

CARPENTERS WHITTLER KNIFE COLES GERMANY STAG 1960s This knife measures 3.5 inches closed

[Ishrub]

BOKER TREE BRAND RED BONE CARPENTERS WHITTLER KNIFE

UNITED BOKER Red Bone Carpenters Whittler Knife, Made in the 1980's, Pattern # UC125. This knife measures 3.5 inches closed. Made in Solingen Germany.

[willgoy]

But why Carpenter?

[DJD]

But why Carpenter?

Maybe an attempt to break out of the pure whittler's market? There are relatively few guys who whittle these days compared to several generations ago. But there are plenty of carpenters.

DD

[Codger_64]

Before and during WWII, Sears called these knives "carvers" with "sloyd blade". Circa 1948 and thereafter they were called "Carpenters" with "coping blade". The patterns remained pretty much the same with a large clip blade on one end and either a small pen or small clip blade and sloyd blade on the other end. Most fiinsh carpenters have used one to do final trimming of close cope cuts on trim.

[willgoy]

Thank you Codger for the background.

[Codger_64]

Thank you Codger for the background.

But those were names applied to patterns by a merchant, not a maker. For marketing purposes.

Schrade Walden (maker) catalog 1947 called the pattern #4 "Mechanics Knife". It had the same previously mentioned blades described as: Large Sabre Clip, Small Clip, Coping Pen.

In their 1952 catalog, the 3-7/8" was pattern #804 and still called "Mechanics Knife".

In their 1953 catalog, the 3-9/16" was pattern #837 and called "Whittler".