17th century knives?

[J.Marsillo]

I have an upcoming rennaiscance fair and will be setting up a booth.Does anyone have some good historicly accurate handle materials circa 1650.I have a buddy that works for the railroad getting me a bunch of bones (Imagine that)

I was thinking for some cheaper knives doing a rawhide wrap instead of cord?

Also what about construction,was there any particular style that was favored or not even around yet? Small belt knives are in the works too.

 

[ritzblitz]

I would imagine the knives that settlers used had handles of common wood such as maple, oak, osage orange, hornbeam, and possibly even pine. I'm sure bone and leather were used as well. I bet alot of leather wrapping was done around bone and wood.

I love reconnaissance fairs.

Alex

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

A hardwood handle core with a leather wrap and secured with twisted steel ,brass ,or copper wire would be a good handle.Or you can juts cover the wood core with twisted wire from top to bottom. The blade style would be a plain dirk shape (sharp on one side usually ), somewhat like an "Arkansas toothpick. Look at some of Jim Hrisoulas's knives for examples. His books and videos show how he does this very well.
Stacy