A Question for Trapper Enthusiasts

Trout Hound

Trout Hound

Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Messages
693
Howdy Y'all,

This is something I've been wondering about for a while. The trapper pattern has never really "spoken to me," although there's no question that it's one of the most popular patterns around, especially among hardy working class folks.

For those of you who love trappers, I'm wondering what types of uses you find for the large spey blade. I tend to be a stockman guy myself, and I find that the spey is by far my least used blade. So, what, if anything, do you use it for, besides castrating cattle or skinning out game?

Thanks!!!


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I have found that it works good as a food prep blade. The full size spey on a Trapper is much better in this regard than the short one on a Stockman. That said, my preference is single blade or Wharncliffe Trapper when it comes to the pattern.
 
Some trappers have a Wharncliff secondary.
My large (5 inches closed) Buck trapper has one, and a bail so it cannot go overboard.
I forget which TV fishing star had input on it.
 
Howdy back at chyah,

what types of uses you find for the large spey blade.
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Good question. First off I would recommend getting a good Trapper and give it a fair try. I love my little stockman's and have many but when I want a knife these days . . . and partly from these guys / gals influence . . . I tend to go longer and honestly the full size trapper feels kind of small and when I first starting using it it was "a big knife".

Why ? I have discovered I am a large handle guy . . . even if I am using a fairly short blade (under three inches) I still like a full size handle . . . think Para Military by Spyedrco. I REALLY like the larger handle on the Trappers and especially the fatter handle of the Case Stag shown bellow.

See photos bellow on my take on the spey blade on a trapper.

Now if I were to only carry one knife then it would be nice to have a back up blade that was sharp and waiting when I dulled the main blade but in reality I carry more than one good sized knife pretty much all the time so I simply would never use the spey blade.

This totally transforms the Trapper for me from a nice knife to a pretty freekin’ great knife. Ergonomics wise.





That second blade is just in the way of a good grip.
 
I'm with dannyp. The long spey is the best blade for lunches, so makes a great work day EDC. The nearly round tip of the long spey is great for spreading condiments, stirring sauces or drinks, and slicing and serving. When I worked an 8 hour day with a lunch break, I nearly always carried a trapper.
 
If I buy a two bladed trapper I usually have it removed by Glennbadd, if not I usually aim for single bladed trappers.
 
I never thought much of the trapper pattern until I bought a couple of Rough Riders in finishes I liked. It has already been said, but the big spey is just dandy for spreading mayo and slicing cheese. Then I have a nine-month-old poodle who is starting to get obstreperous. Sometimes I look at him, look at the big spey, and think, hmmmm...
 
There's no secret to using a spey you just find things for it as you go along. Let's say you're opening a package but you don't want to poke the contents inside. That and letter opening I've found it to be better than most.. Of course there's spreading or scooping cuts while carving or any of the other tasks that always get mentioned in the what's a Spey for threads. The point I'd like to make this time around is this: it's a low riding extra full size blade, it fills out the handle to make it more comfortable and I keep it very sharp. It doesn't need an instruction manual boys, it's a knife! You can use it for any knife related task. :p
 
I use it for food and cleaning game and other clean blade needs.

The long spey has a straight edge.... it combines the uses of a sheepsfoot or wharncliffe and the usefulness of a blade with a belly. It works best when stoopid sharp.
 
I'm a big fan of Trappers. The spey is useful for cleaning wild game, food prep and any situation where a strait edge is handy. It a great pattern.

Jim
 
I use it the least and the large spey blade is used for "clean" tasks where as the other blade gets used for pretty much anything other than food.
 
I only ended up carrying my trapper for a short time, it didn't really "speak to me" either but I figured I should give it a fair shot.

But, when I did carry it, I sharpened the spey a little finer the clip and saved it for food use. Had I caught or shot anything while carrying it I would have used the spey for gutting/skinning as well, but I didn't.
 
I've always much preferred the Slimline Trapper in single blade form, or if you want a hardy Jack, the Copperhead is often overlooked, a fine tank-like pattern. The Böker Germany versions have a decent Clip and Skinner(drop point) type blade which I certainly like more than the Spey, a blade I still find little use for (except for converting) despite its virtues.
 
Henry Beige said:
... Then I have a nine-month-old poodle who is starting to get obstreperous. Sometimes I look at him, look at the big spey, and think, hmmmm...
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I realize it's early in the year, and I haven't been around here much this month, but this is on my short list for 2017 Quote of the Year! :D

Dr-Mabuse said:
... It doesn't need an instruction manual boys, it's a knife! You can use it for any knife related task. :p
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The good doctor has given us words to live by!! :thumbup::p:thumbup:

Will Power said:
I've always much preferred the Slimline Trapper in single blade form, or if you want a hardy Jack, the Copperhead is often overlooked, a fine tank-like pattern. The Böker Germany versions have a decent Clip and Skinner(drop point) type blade which I certainly like more than the Spey, a blade I still find little use for (except for converting) despite its virtues.
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Good point, Will. :thumbup: The drop point blade on a copperhead is a fine alternative. Actually, I think I'd like a skinner/spey blade combo on a knife; is there such an option??

- GT
 
dannyp said:
I have found that it works good as a food prep blade. The full size spey on a Trapper is much better in this regard than the short one on a Stockman. That said, my preference is single blade or Wharncliffe Trapper when it comes to the pattern.
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+1 couldn't have said it any better! Makes for a good office "lunch" knife too. I hate ordering a roast chicken leg and having to eat it with a plastic knife and fork!
 
A two bladed trapper is the "cowboy" knife. Been around/been a cowboy/rancher all my life. Everybody I know has a two bladed trapper in the pocket, most in a buckaroo pouch cause you can still get to it when you got your leggings on. Most will also carry a small fixed blade as well. Interestingly considering its name, you almost never see a stockman pattern, its always a trapper. I've never seen a spey blade used for cutting a bull calf at a branding, always the clip point. Now some of that might be regional but that is how it is in the cow country around here. The spey blade is kept for cleaner chores as many have mentioned. When I first started in leatherwork decades ago I did most of my cutting out with the spey blade on my Case trapper.

This is one of our brandings a few years back. The wife has this bull calf roped by the back feet, I've got the other end and my son is tugging out his trapper from his buckaroo pouch. He doesn't wear a belt often so doesn't use one of my fixed blades.

4rqADDe.jpg
 
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Horsewright said:
A two bladed trapper is the "cowboy" knife. Been around/been a cowboy/rancher all my life. Everybody I know has a two bladed trapper in the pocket, most in a buckaroo pouch cause you can still get to it when you got your leggings on. Most will also carry a small fixed blade as well. Interestingly considering its name, you almost never see a stockman pattern, its always a trapper. I've never seen a spey blade used for cutting a bull calf at a branding, always the clip point. Now some of that might be regional but that is how it is in the cow country around here. The spey blade is kept for cleaner chores as many have mentioned. When I first started in leatherwork decades ago I did most of my cutting out with the spey blade on my Case trapper.

This is one of our brandings a few years back. The wife has this bull calf roped by the back feet, I've got the other end and my son is tugging out his trapper from his buckaroo pouch. He doesn't wear a belt often so doesn't use one of my fixed blades.

4rqADDe.jpg
Click to expand...

BTW Horsewright, I've really been enjoying the Buckaroo pouch I recently bought from you. It's super handy, and looks great as well. It's become a permanent part of my EDC very quickly. I'll post up some pics over in the pocket slips thread when I get a chance.


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Just to set the cat amongst the pigeons, and to second Dave's observation, the spey blade probably has nothing to do with spaying. First, nobody I know refers to cutting male livestock as "spaying." Second, the name for the blade probably comes from the region around the River Spey. The shape of the spey blade is good for skinning. But that's not the same thing.

Just wanted to get that off my chest.

Zieg
 
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