Explain the Trapper

T

tomcrx

Joined
Jun 7, 2007
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953
I was always curious why the trapper pattern has become so popular. It seems a recent pattern from the mid 1900's. Old vintage catalogs (1800- 1940) never have them listed. As a child no one I knew carried them and was not really aware of it until I started to purchase knives on my own. The first one I do remember seeing when I was younger is the old kabar a gentleman we coon-hunted with had. He was from out of town so we forgave him:)

So my question is to those who love them why do you? What makes the pattern so attractive/useful for you? Also if anyone can shed some light on the rapid increase in popularity, that would be appreciated.
 
I'll answer for me. I like the pattern because of the long slender clip blade which and do just about anything you need to do with a pocketknife. They long spey blade for me is just a backup blade for the clip, but then I am not a trapper, just like the pattern. I think the spey blade might be easier to skin with and/or less likely to damage a pelt. But, again, for me it is the clip blade and a sharp backup in case something untoward happend to the main blade. I use a Schrade single blade locking trapper a lot, but this forum has me carrying other patterns around as well.

One other thing about the trapper pattern is that it fills the hand and you can do serious work with it and yet it is slim enough not to be obnoxious in the pocket.

Anyway, my thoughts on the matter.

Ed
 
Speyblade is also less threatning looking than most other blade types. Its good blade to use if you're in populated area. I used to dislike tarpper but now I got 4 trappers; 2 case full sized wharncliff trappers, case mini trapper and parker-frost trapper from late 70's.
 
The trapper pattern gives you two long and fairly slender blades versus other patterns that have generally shorter blades. That's probably the best advantage.

For those that don't know, the Wharncliffe Trapper came about by Tony Bose because he found the typical trapper spey blade not being much use to him. He would re-profile the spey blades (on the production knives he bought) into a Wharncliffe shape. Eventually when he started making knives, he began making what is known today as the Wharncliffe Trapper. Case, in the Jim Parker days, began making the Wharncliffe Trapper after Parker got the pattern from Tony. This was before Tony was officially part of the Case team and therefore never got credit for the idea, even to this day.
 
KnifeHead said:
The trapper pattern gives you two long and fairly slender blades versus other patterns that have generally shorter blades. That's probably the best advantage.

For those that don't know, the Wharncliffe Trapper came about by Tony Bose because he found the typical trapper spey blade not being much use to him. He would re-profile the spey blades (on the production knives he bought) into a Wharncliffe shape. Eventually when he started making knives, he began making what is known today as the Wharncliffe Trapper. Case, in the Jim Parker days, began making the Wharncliffe Trapper after Parker got the pattern from Tony. This was before Tony was officially part of the Case team and therefore never got credit for the idea, even to this day.
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Thank you for that bit of information.

Ya learn something new everyday.


Thanks again,
John
 
I find myself liking having a shorter blade most of the time therefore trappers are not among my favorites. I'd like to try a muskrat sometime but probably would have the same issue. Didn't the hawbaker muskrat have a wharnie?

I'm thinking about one of the Utica 1095 muskrats. Anyone familiar? Is it a single spring?
 
Here is my take on the trapper, as a hunter/trapper.
The spey blade is the workhorse. You make a small cut in the pelt slide in the spey blade and it just glides between the meat, bone, or organs that you do not want to get into. With the long slender blade it makes fast easy work of your cleaning chores from a small squirrel to a 50lb beaver.

The clip blade makes a very good, in the field, fillet knife, like in most cases a very good long slim slicer/cutter. And for that reason I too like the muskrat. May just have to get one for summer carry.
 
I carry a Trapper in my truck 24/7/365 so that I'll always have one available when I go hunting. The spey blade is just right for skinning squirrels and rabbits. As "deltashooter" said; the blade slides easily between pelt and skin.
 
"TRAPPER" pocketknife.
My trapping mentor, Dick Lugabihl, used a muskrat knife sometimes but preffered a little fixed blade knife made by QUEEN if memory serves. This small fixed blade knife was sorta like that little A.G. RUSSELL fixed blade pocketknife A.G. has sold for decades now, but the blade on Dick's knive was about an inch longer. He could unzip and skin a muskrat so fast you'd think it really had zippers !!!
ME ....I always used and still always carry a stockman pocketknife and over the past 50+ years have gravitated to longer versions and now prefer the EYE BRAND 4 1/4" yellow handled version. My old 4 1/4" CASE stockman has always been a dandy pocketknife in the field also.
And back in those days oh so long ago I carried a SCHRADE 80T 4" stockman. Still have, blued blades and all. I'd still carry it but I am scared of losing it with no replacement available.
As for the so-called "trapper" knives of today....what can I say....marketing hype ???
 
Rob Simonich was the one who kind of got me interested in trappers. We were sitting in his shop in Montana comparing the attributes of my Camillus stockman to his Camillus trapper. We each felt pretty strongly about why we preferred the pattern in our own pocket. Rob was a hunter and trapper (as well as knife maker) so I'll credit him with knowing what he liked in a knife.

I don't really have much use for a long spey blade which is why I generally opt for single blade trappers or if it is a double blade, use the spey for the work I want to spare the clip blade from. The wharncliffe trapper as introduced by Tony Bose is a huge improvement for folks like myself.

I do think it's an aesthetically pleasing pattern and that it fits the hand quite well.

When I was coming up the most commonly seen knives were cattle knives (and camper patterns), stockman and smaller pen knives.
 
The Trapper is one of the few traditional patterns that i do not find particularly attractive. Don't know why; i can see it's usefulness. The long Spey works very well for food prep when camping or picnicing. There is no better peanut butter spreader and if you have little ones 'helping' you, the shape of the blade tip makes it a bit less dangerous.
My collection of Traditional folders is getting pretty large now (~2500 ?) but there are very few Trappers or Canoes. These 2 patterns just don't "speak" to me.
roland
 
rprocter said:
...but there are very few Trappers or Canoes. These 2 patterns just don't "speak" to me.
roland
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Well, I'll agree with you on the "canoes". I just can't get into them at all (despite the popularity with many folks around these parts). But back to trappers...
 
The reasons why I love (mini) trappers are because of the handle shape, it sits well in the pocket, butt side down, clip is an excellent do anything blade. Short speys, such as on a stockman, I have no use for, but a long spey is just plain awesome. Easy to get the straight section nice and sharp like a sheepsfoot or wharncliff, while I love using the rounded tip for gouging, push cutting and scooping.
 
WIL TERRY said:
As for the so-called "trapper" knives of today....what can I say....marketing hype ???
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From what I understand, the yellow cv trapper is Case's number one seller. Of those sales, I'd reckon way less than 1 percent go to "wannabee trappers." Drugstore trappers? :confused:

-- Mark
 
Don't forget the "vanity" aspect, them being very good looking (in my books atleast)
 
I like Wharncliffe blades. I have the Case copperhead with a wharncliffe main blade and finally have come up with a Copperlock with the wharncliffe blade. I am keeping my eyes out for a wharncliffe trapper. The mini trappers I've seen lately with the pastel bone just don't look right to me. Looking for one of their big ones or a more traditional handle on the mini trapper.

A muskrat with the wharncliff on one end would be nice to try.

I've been smitten by the copperhead pattern lately; it may be the best one of all.

Ed
 
MarkPinTx said:
I find myself liking having a shorter blade most of the time therefore trappers are not among my favorites. I'd like to try a muskrat sometime but probably would have the same issue. Didn't the hawbaker muskrat have a wharnie?

I'm thinking about one of the Utica 1095 muskrats. Anyone familiar? Is it a single spring?
Click to expand...

Yes the Hawbaker has the long Wharncliffe second blade.

Utica traditionally made their muskrat pattern with one spring. I have not seen one of the new ones but they look like the same tooling.
 
I like the overall shape of the trapper and the clip point blade. I have no use for a spey blade and prefer a spearpoint for a second blade. I guess that's why I end up with barlows, Texas jacks and even whittlers. I like the look of stockman knives too but they leave me with 2 blades I rarely use.
 
knifeaholic said:
Yes the Hawbaker has the long Wharncliffe second blade.

Utica traditionally made their muskrat pattern with one spring. I have not seen one of the new ones but they look like the same tooling.
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Thanks Steve, that sounds like a winner. On their website pix the blades seem really narrow. Is that a Utica feature also?

And I agree about being a nonskinner and using the spey for gouging scraping and whatnot. But again I'm more comfortable doing those with a short spey over those in my minis (dont own a jumbo, maybe that's my problem).
 
MarkPinTx said:
Thanks Steve, that sounds like a winner. On their website pix the blades seem really narrow. Is that a Utica feature also?

And I agree about being a nonskinner and using the spey for gouging scraping and whatnot. But again I'm more comfortable doing those with a short spey over those in my minis (dont own a jumbo, maybe that's my problem).
Click to expand...

Yeah the tooling on those Utica muskrats looks like the tooling that they have used since at least the 1950's...narrow pointed blades and a single backspring.
 
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