English and French trade knives, 18th c.

L

LRB

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Feb 28, 2006
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Here are a couple of recently finished copies of 18th c. trade knives, "scalpers". These are very close to the originals, and were copied from relic blades. The first is English, and appeared in the colonies around 1762. The second is a French copy that was traded throughout most of the 18th c., largely in the northeast, and great lakes areas, but relic blades of this style show up in other areas also.
The blades are 3/32" 01 steel with a tapered partial tang, and a distal tapered blade of about 7" in length, and finished bright as were the originals. The grips are walnut, although most originals were beech, boxwood, and some rosewood, and secured with iron pins. I hate blond wood, but offer beech if desired in order to be more historically correct. Anyone know of a source for boxwood? The sheaths are 6, to 7 oz leather, form fitted with a center seam. Thanks for looking.
pennyknife633_640x480.jpg

pennyknife634_640x480.jpg
 
those are cool LRB. Did you forge them or are they stock removal? They look vey handy in the kitchen!

Jason
 
Very nice work LRB indeed! Would it be possible to see a side view that shows the edge of the half-tang in the handle? Without having an original at hand, I think the tangs were tapered, a slot sawed in the handle and the tang forced in, resulting in a slight spreading of the handle?
 
Very nice. I like the shape of the French knife better, but would prefer it with a tiny bit more "bulk" to the handle like the English knife, but maintaining the French handle profile. It is interesting thinking about that fur trade. Both side probably thought that they were totally ripping off the other. The Europeans might have said that they were totally scamming the Indians by trading them cheap knives and such for all of those glorious furs, while the Indians were laughing themselves silly because the white fools were giving them all of these cool metal tools in exchange for glorified rat skins. LOL
 
Cool man thanks for sharing. I especially like the French knife. I would like to see some of your refrance materials.
Thanks again
 
Those are really nice looking knives! I like the way your makers mark looks also. Good job. I remember reading somewhere that the original trade knives had handles made with wood that was put in a press to get the handle shape. Is that correct? One other thing, did you peen the pins in place? Assuming that was how they put the handles on back then.
 
Mighty pretty! We still have a lot to learn from those "old-fashioned" knives that helped build our nation. Thanks for your research, work, and sharing the pics :thumbup:
 
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