Discussion on knife patterns!

waynorth

waynorth

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Nov 19, 2005
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If you have comments, corrections, suggestions, or general BS to add, to help our evolving pattern list along, let 'er rip, right here!!
I am making scans, and posting as I have time, and I'd like this to be an enduring reference. Some terms are common knowledge, and some are opinions about names our long-dead ancestors used, so discrepancies will occur. We'll focus on the question "What do you call this pattern?", and see how it goes.
Thanks for your help and cooperation in advance:thumbup:!
 
Great idea waynorth. Will try to contribute when and where I can. Looking forward to what is sure to be a most educational thread.
 
Charlie, looks fantastic so far and looks to be just what we had discussed. :thumbup: :cool:
 
Hi Charlie. Great knives. Thanks very much for the thread. The sleeveboard jacks have me somewhat perplexed. The three on the right have much in common with the previous categories including some with rounded bolsters. The one on the left, wider at the blade end, seems most similar to sleeveboard lobsters, pen knives and whittlers. While blades open from both ends of these sleeveboard patterns, the master is at the wider end... just an observation. I hope to be educated on this though. Thanks in advance.
 
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This is a great idea. I very much look forward to future posts.

Question, is a fluted bolster the same as a rat-tail bolster? They look similar to me.
 
s-k, my understanding of lobsters is that the pivots are off center, with most having a larger two-pivot end, and some sleeveboard lobsters having one pivot at the large end, set to one side. If the pivot is centered, it's probably a faux-lobster:p (my term!!):D!
ABCDEF, the term fluted is used to describe a rat-tail these days, by many people. I may have to bow to common usage, but the traditional usage refers to a bolster with more than one wide groove, and they can be cut lengthwise or crosswise.
 
This is great. Thank you Charlie!
 
Just so you know...Charlie got all of his info from me. He received his multi-decades worth of knowledge from me in less than a week at my "i wish I knew what the hell I was talking about" boot camp. I'm kind of an amazing teacher ;) ;) ;) Your thread rocks my canuckian friend...
 
cnas122 said:
Just so you know...Charlie got all of his info from me. He received his multi-decades worth of knowledge from me in less than a week at my "i wish I knew what the hell I was talking about" boot camp. I'm kind of an amazing teacher ;) ;) ;) Your thread rocks my canuckian friend...
Click to expand...

You're quite the teacher, Campbell. ;)

Well, at least I can take credit for coming up with the idea for the project and asking Charlie if he'd take it on. :cool::thumbup:
 
Just a few additional comments on the knife patterns so far.

I've always associated the true "stabber jacks" with ones with a fairly narrow, straight (parallel sided - doesn't swell in width toward the tip) spear blade with a long, quite distinct swedge.

A slipjoint blade with no nail nick - like that easy opener barlow - was often referred to as a "sterile" blade (of course, that particular one has a fish scaler back and the original (Cattaraugus patented) version of the liner lock).

I would consider the swell end and the teardrop jacks to be separate patterns -- the swell end jacks being what you've called sleeveboard jacks (other than the one with the blades at the large end). Swell end jacks usually have sides that are slightly curved out (your third knife in the "sleeveboard jacks" is what I'd consider a definitive swell end jack). The teardrop jack is curvier and is shaped very much like a standard light bulb (the sides are actually slightly concave rather than convex), with the swell at the butt usually being somewhat larger and more prominent than the swell end pattern.

I've always considered a sleeveboard jack to be defined by having it's blade(s) all pivoted at the large end. (Of course, a sleeveboard *pen* has blades at both ends and it's main blade pivoted at the large end.)

Something that might make things a tiny bit clearer is to begin the definitions of patterns with the fundamental definitions of a jack - all blades pivoting at one end (yes, I know there are two ended "jacks", you can deal with those exceptions later) - and a pen - having blades pivoting at both ends - and then present the patterns as specializations of these basic forms. A good example is that barlow: in the patterns hierarchy it is a jack -> a barlow -> a granddaddy/daddy barlow -> an easy opener granddaddy/daddy barlow -> with locking sterile fish scaler blade (one of the Holy Grail barlow patterns by the way - along with the lockback versions).
 
Thanks for the clarification re the lobster pattern. The wider end of the lobster tends to have the greater number of attachments, i.e., top and bottom. Where as the narrower end tends to have fewer attachments and/or attachment only on one side. I am sure there is an exception or two somewhere out there. Thanks for the great thread.
 
This is going to be a really nice thread for the member that is just getting interested in slipjoints or to the member that has had a long standing addiction to them.

It would be nice if POSSIBLE to have a simple history lesson on the pattern, ie. what country of origin, approximate time period that the pattern first saw popularity. I realize with the nature of these wonderful knives that may not be possible.

But no matter what information is given I look forward to seeing this thread unfold (pun intended);)

Ken
 
Ken,

When Charlie and I first began discussing the project it was with an eye toward providing an illustrated guide, if you will, to the various patterns of slipjoints available.
We figured that it would provide a primer for those just starting out (as you mentioned) and also to give those too lazy or unable to do their own research (for whatever reason) a central place to find useful information in a visual format.

I knew that I was asking a lot of Charlie and though I have volunteered to shoulder as much of the task as I can, the truth is I don't have his collection (to be scanned) nor anything approaching his knowledge. So, I'm reluctant to add too much to the burden that Charlie has already cheerfully agreed to take on.

We discussed on the phone yesterday the possible addition of "knife terminology" as we go on so that we can point to various images to illustrate examples of several types of bone, bolsters, swedging and the like.

But, this is a work in progress and will certainly have growing pains.

It'd be great if we can turn this into the best and most comprehensive online illustrated guide, but I'm not expecting to outdo BRL's "Guide" anytime soon. ;)

Anyway, I owe a great deal to Charlie for his willingness to take on some of my ideas. (Especially the ones that cause him to do all the heavy lifting.)

Thanks, Charlie!!! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::cool:
 
I can understand how much time and effort is going to be devoted to this project! I am sure all of us here will be grateful for whatever is presented to us.

Now adding to my wish list (:D ) I would love to see a scan of the trough side of the knife . That comes form a selfish makers standpoint! The other thing would be a caption giving the closed length.

Thanks again Charlie and Elliott for your dedication to making Traditional Folders and Fixed blades one of the best and most friendly forums around. IMHO

Ken
 
Ken, you're good. I knew there was a reason I liked you. ;) :p

(We'll be expecting those gratuities to start rolling in any time now. :eek:)








(Just kidding. :D)
 
Thanks for the support, Blues; the encouraging comments everyone, and for the very specific suggestions, Zerogee! I have the strong suspicion that you (ZG) write scientific journals or something related. Your experience with organizing knowledge shows through, and I hope you will help out as this goes along.
 
That looks like a great start to a wonderful resource. Thanks for the effort Waynorth. It certainly is appreciated.
 
A big thanks to Charlie and Elliot for getting the ball rolling here for such an extremely worthwhile project!.

Charlie, the Knife Pattern thread is off to a grand start and I cannot ever remember being more exited about any project here associated with this forum as I am with this one. I am really looking forward to this project evolving into somthing quite special.

Please let me know if there is anything you may need from me in any capacity to assist you on this fine endeavour.

Anthony
 
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