Canoe with a Wharncliffe Secondary

[Woodrow F Call]

I tend to agree and had felt that way for a quite while until i started using the spey to scrape out my pipe bowls, a job its pretty much perfect for. So that's one point for it. The rounded end also makes a good scraper for other tasks where you don't want to accidentally slice or penetrate what you're working on. Though I dont really like the long speys on most trappers. If I ever get another trapper it'll likely be an "improved" one with a wharncliff. I love the yin and yang of a clip and wharnie combo. Does anyone know why the spey shape was deemed optimal for castrating bulls?

So it won't poke deeply where it doesn't need to.

I actually don't get the "improved trapper" at all. A clip provides a point if needed, and the spey a long straight edge.... plus you get something with a little belly that won't poke holes as easily.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Well, if you really want to know...

Making an incision with a pointed blade means that you must in most cases puncture or stab into the medium to start the cut. Cutting bull testes with a pointed blade (puncturing the scrotum) causes undo stress, and isn't as accurate as a shallow controlled cut. And if the animal moves you can actually stab it with a pointed blade. Also, geometry of the act of castration would mean you would use the point a lot, requiring more time to be careful with the animal and more stress for it as well. Not say pointed objects aren't used by some.

But think of scalpels. Many have spey shaped blades themselves. This means no hole punching to start the cut, just a nice slicing motion to a controlled depth. No jagged hole or torn flesh to heal.

To understand this better, this guy is faster than anyone I have ever seen, period, at castration. You can see the testes moving in the scrotum, making a pointed blade start cut like trying to stab jello. However (not he mentions how important it is to have a sharp knife) a spey with its long rounded curve of all edge slices through the scrotum easily with almost no pressure exposing the testes.

GRAPHIC VIDEO ATTACHED OF TRADITIONAL USE OF A SPEY ON A REAL WORKING RANCH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8eWo9dtqgE

I grew up around this type of thing so it doesn't bother me. That guy is an artist, and I was surprised at the lack of blood, his speed and his accuracy.

And what do I use my spey blade to do? Cut the end off my cigars! And for the same reason. I want a smooth slicing cut that I can control to cut a corona shaped V into the end. Been doing that for years.

Robert

Thanks for posting that. I just learned a whole lot..... and he uses a spey!

 

[Lemmy Caution]

So it won't poke deeply where it doesn't need to.

I actually don't get the "improved trapper" at all. A clip provides a point if needed, and the spey a long straight edge.... plus you get something with a little belly that won't poke holes as easily.

Hey makes sense and tradition forms for good reason. Mainly like the "improved" trappers, muskrats, etc because they give a greater contrast between the blades. But then again I've never owned an "improved" knife so it could be that I'd find them not so improved after all.

 

[Lemmy Caution]

whoops

 

[22-rimfire]

Take a look at the Canal Street Cutlery offerings over at KnivesShipFree. You might see something that grabs you. This canoe pattern probably fits your requirements. http://www.knivesshipfree.com/canal...er-canoe-pocket-knife-amber-carved-stag-bone/

I like it so much that I might just get one for myself.

 

[neeman]

If a Canoe pattern is important take a look at a Canal Street Canittler. D2 blades in a nice, slim, pocket-able knife. Here's the one they built for our 2007 forum knife, as an example of the pattern.

As was already mentioned a Case Swayback, in their stainless, is a great little knife.

I have one in bone
A very high quality piece of cutlery

Canal Street still sell them
3 1/2" Three Blade Cannitler
In bone or chestnut

You can find it on their website
Cannot give you the direct link for spotting
http://www.canalstreetcutlery.com

 

[midnight flyer]

Hey thanks for the info. I presumed as much, but didn't quite understand the ins and outs of bull castration. The more you know... lol

LOL... that video kinda brings a new perspective to "traditional" ranch work, eh? He probably castrated more bulls into steers than a Hollywood divorce attorney to get to that level of competence.

Thanks for posting that. I just learned a whole lot..... and he uses a spey!

The spey blade has outlived its use for many folks, but growing up with a 4" Case or Boker stockman in my pocket for my first couple of decades, I always use it for something. Spending a lot of time around some old timers in my youth, those guys used every blade on their stockman, spey included with the rest.

My grandfather carried an extra large Case stockman (similar to the Case 6375) and used it to clean game up to medium sized deer. He used the spey blade to skin even when he had larger skinning type knives as he liked the control he got with the stockman/spey combination.

Back when I was outdoors a lot more hunting and hiking, I saw a lot of older guys cleaning squirrels, rabbits, and other small game with their medium stockman knives. The spey blade made a great skinner as they held the knife in their closed hand with the blades facing away, and put their forefinger on the back of the knife just behind the bolster (like they were pointing their finger) to have excellent control. Much like you see doctors do with scalpels.

The spey is great for any kind of cutting that requires a slicing cut rather than a puncture or stab to get the cut started.

Robert

 

[quattromori]

Thanks to Robert for the clarification
Here is the knife I was talking about:

Fausto

 

[midnight flyer]

Thanks to Robert for the clarification
Here is the knife I was talking about:

Fausto

What a gorgeous knife... I haven't seen that pattern before. Thanks for posting a pic!

Robert

 

[yatsunil]

What a gorgeous knife... I haven't seen that pattern before. Thanks for posting a pic!

Robert

That really is beautiful!

 

[quattromori]

What a gorgeous knife... I haven't seen that pattern before. Thanks for posting a pic!

Robert

That really is beautiful!

You are welcome. A Canoe was my first slipjoint, a very comfortable pattern in my opinion, and I also wondered about having a straight edge secondary blade...then someone here mentioned this A.G. Russell model.
Nice to see how the wheel turns around, and brings more knives to more people

Fausto

 

[BetterToPerish]

The last few days I've been trying to give the spey blade a chance and have been using it as much as I can. I've found it useful in a few situations and its starting to grow on me a little. I had a large bandage on my foot and I used the spey to cut it off without worrying about poking my skin underneath. I also realized its good at opening packages (like those cursed plastic blister packages) without worrying about damaging the contents. I'm still iffy about them but starting to warm up a bit. Maybe I won't give up on traditional stockmans just yet.

That being said this GEC #62 Maverick has really caught my eye:

The ebony is just gorgeous. And I love the idea of a 3-bladed congress. I have always been fond of the congress pattern but feel like usually there's just too many knives crammed in there. The sheepsfoot on there seems longer than most secondary sheepsfoots (or is it sheepsfeet) and I still think the small pen has more usefulness than the small spey--at least to me.