#46 WHALER , History and function ?

The 46 has quickly become my #1 carried pattern.

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Second from the right is a Case Whaler/Rope knife.
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Will Power said:
Another aspect to its provenance could simply be cutler's art- or vanity;)

The challenge of making some massive outlandish knife was probably equally alluring as making a small precision pattern, a test of skill and ingenuity. Then alongs comes Mr Marketer and gives it an alluring name that has say nautical connexions and the public get 'hooked' :D Nobody's going to claim this is a practical pattern but it's one that has strong effect and loyal following..

It also allows indulgence in the use of scales, the thing is so massive that it offers an outrageous canvas, just look at @gruntmedik examples, the Tidioute jigged bone looks astounding, size of a small vehicle 🤩
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Maybe when Mr. Marketer saw one he said, "That's a whale of a knife!" and the rest is history. :D
 
afishhunter said:
The pattern dates from the 1880's or 1890's.
Other names include "Sunfish", "Elephant's Toe" because of the shape, and "British Rope Knife".
Originally 4.125 to 4.25 inch closed was the most common size.
The "Toenail"/"Elephant's Toenail" is the small 3 inch version, which came out later.

While it was unquestionably used to cut small lines on sail and steam ships they were NOT batoned through the rope/lines as some mistakenly think.
They had axes/hatchets throughout the ship and on deck, available to all the crew.
The vessel could be at sea for anywhere from a couple weeks to several years before the sailor could replace his broken or lost knife.
If a rope/line had to be cut in an emergency, an axe/hatchet would be a lot faster.

Sailors are intelligent. Slip knots that were released by a tug on the tag end, along with chains and come-a-longs, were used to tie-down cargo. Splices were and are used on more permanent connections or tie-downs.
Also, the Marlin Spike was (and is) a much more popular and practical pattern aboard ship. It has a bail, which when used with a lanyard (not a fob) prevents the knife from going to Poseidon when (not "if") it is dropped on deck.
The Marlin Spike was used more for splicing than for untying knots, by the way.
Back then pretty much every crew member knew how to splice a line, lanyard, halyard, or stay, and how to tie a knot that could be released by pulling on the tag end. Those that didn't learned how really quickly.

I read somewhere that the pattern was most popular with loggers, farmers, carpenters, and other "blue collar" workers that wanted a heavy duty folding knife on the job/farm/feed lot.
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What an awesome breakdown afishhunter afishhunter
 
I have two, they are very good for food. Cutting things, super at spreading butter or peanut butter, etc. They are just exceptional cutters in general, take in mind it's a large, wide bladed full-flat grind with a keen edge. Has alot of detractors just because it isn't a dinky little knife, but it's fully capable, as much so as other slipjoints.
 
"Sunfish , elephant's toes-nail, old english rope knife, vest pocket axe , punkin seed , slab , whale or whale mincer " , see ' the best of Knife World III ' page 301 by Joe Seale and Levine's guide 4 th edition page 92 .
Worth reading !

Traditional Knife of the Week--The Sunfish

The Sunfish (Elephant's Toenail, English Rope Knife, Pocket Axe, etc.) is one of the most unusual of the two-bladed, two-ended slip-joint folding knife patterns. Most Sunfish knives are equal end jacks though Bernard Levine, in the fourth edition of his Guide to Knives, notes that other patterns...
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Elde
 
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Here is my whaler with a more traditional whaler, and a scout knife for scale.

I have to say, I was kind of surprised at the size of the sailor's knife. I was expecting it to be more of a pocket knife, but it is most definitely a belt sheath knife. It is a pretty honkin' tool, and the locking marlinspike is cool. It is a good work knife, bit definitely not very pocketable.

full
 
Will Power said:
Nobody's going to claim this is a practical pattern
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You are correct!!!! 😁 I'm nobody. "It is a practical pattern." 😇

I don't have a GEC 36 or 46 😭 but I do have these three Rough Rider.
RR139 Smooth White Bone Sleeve Board Sunfish (4 inch closed)
RR1455 "Zombie Nick" Sleeve Board Sunfish (4 inch closed)
RR 887 Outdoorsman "Smooth Tobacco Bone" series ... tho it looks more like "Appolusa Bone" to me. (4.25 inch closed)View attachment 1703783
 
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They were like most folding knife patterns, just one more gimmick to sell knives. It never was a big seller anywhere so it easily slid into obsolescence.
 
I remember when these were the rendezvous knives that year. I had learned that their function was for sailors on whaling ships to cut cable or heavy rope on the ship. But that summer it was so hot, you couldve fried an egg on that big blade.
 
waynorth said:
And beautiful pics they are!! :cool::thumbsup:
I never heard of these "Elephant Toenails" called "Whalers" until GEC adopted that name!! Other names were "Sunfish", "Pocket Axe", and sometimes, "Old English Rope Knife"!!
I feel that Whaler is still an adopted/borrowed name!! True Whalers, also known as "New England Whalers" are these medium sized Rope knives!!View attachment 1566998
They were also sold as Florist's Knives!! Swayback handle - Sheepfoot blade!!
What's in a name???🤔
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Well a bit like hairdressers cars in England, Florists knives is just not tactical enough for us 🤣
 
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