Fiddle back fiddle bow

[Calvin Robinson]

Another fiddle bow bread knife,this one with fiddle back maple stained with red mahogany.

 

[Hankins]

That's pretty interesting... What was used for the blade?

 

[Calvin Robinson]

That's pretty interesting... What was used for the blade?

I make these blades from my worn out portaband bandsaw blades. I grind the serrations without overheating the blades as to retain their hardness of 45Rc. I can get 3,12" blades from one portaband blade.

 

[Kohai999]

I didn't much care for the pine, but this is very nice.

If I may.....while this is a very traditional implement, it would be greatly improved by being adjustable.....am sure this has been done as well at some point, but you could really "make it your own" at this point....afaik, the field is wide open.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Calvin Robinson]

I didn't much care for the pine, but this is very nice.

If I may.....while this is a very traditional implement, it would be greatly improved by being adjustable.....am sure this has been done as well at some point, but you could really "make it your own" at this point....afaik, the field is wide open.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

Yes,I have seen the commercially available adjustable knives like this and I don't see the need for adjustment. I just slice the bread as thick as I want it,up to 1" with my knives. I guess if you wanted to slice uniform thickness then the adjustable knife would be useful. Of course if someone wants an adjustable one I would certainly make it for them.

 

[peterinct]

Interesting knife. I had never seen one before finding an "Adirondack Bow Knife" at the swap shack at the town transfer station. The blade looks like yours and the frame has handles on both ends and is symmetrical.

I think adjustable depth would be useful as maximum cut is only about an inch. One of the uses listed on the card attached to it, claims it is the "best bagel knife known to mankind"?

Peter

 

[Calvin Robinson]

Interesting knife. I had never seen one before finding an "Adirondack Bow Knife" at the swap shack at the town transfer station. The blade looks like yours and the frame has handles on both ends and is symmetrical.

I think adjustable depth would be useful as maximum cut is only about an inch. One of the uses listed on the card attached to it, claims it is the "best bagel knife known to mankind"?


Peter

These types of knives are everywhere,you will see guys at craft shows who buy the kits,assembled them and claim that they made the knives.
I've never seen one like you describe though with a handle on both ends.
I've never cut a bagel with mine but I sure it would do a fantastic job.
My knives will cut up to a 1" slice of bread,I personally can't see where I would want a slice any thicker than that and thinner slicing is easy enough to do,I've never felt the need for an adjustable one.
Thank you for your comments.

 

[Patrice Lemée]

That's great Calvin, looks very nice. I've had one in the kitchen forever and never knew what it was called. It is the best bread cutter I've ever used. I have a few old bandsaw blades and will definitely make myself one in the future.
Thanks for sharing. :thumbup:

 

[peterinct]

I've never seen one like you describe though with a handle on both ends.
I've never cut a bagel with mine but I sure it would do a fantastic job.

If you would like to see a picture, I can post one. I do eat bagels often, but I prefer cutting them with a standard kitchen knife with a straight edge. The bow knife cuts bread VERY well, but with bagels, the thin blade with the serrations wanders a bit and doesn't make a smooth straight cut?

Peter

 

[Calvin Robinson]

If you would like to see a picture, I can post one. I do eat bagels often, but I prefer cutting them with a standard kitchen knife with a straight edge. The bow knife cuts bread VERY well, but with bagels, the thin blade with the serrations wanders a bit and doesn't make a smooth straight cut?

Peter

I don't need to see a picture,I can see it in my mind the way you described it.
I also understand about cutting a bagel with that knife and the thin blade wandering. The stainless steel blade that I've seen on all of the kit knives are thinner than my bandsaw blade blades,mine are .025" thick. My blades may do a better job of slicing bagels,I'll have to buy some unsliced bagels and test my knives to see.

 

[Calvin Robinson]

I asked my wife to but some unsliced bagels so I could test these knives slicing bagels,guess what,you can't buy unsliced bagels at Wallmart!
I guess I'll have to find a bakery around here to get unsliced bagels.
While she was searching the Internet for a source of unsliced bagels she found a artical about New York charging $.08 tax on sliced bagels. At $.08 each you could pay for one of these knives real quick!

 

[peterinct]

There should many bakeries to get bagels in northwest Florida? I don't buy bagels in commercial packaging and anything Walmart sells called bagels are probably like comparing a fresh loaf of bread to packaged bread bought in a plastic bag at the supermarket.

If you have not had "fresh" bagels, you are missing out on some great eating Calvin!

I think it is more the thin width of the blade than the thickness that causes the blade to wander. The one on the Adirondack Bow Knife is .020" thick and .425" wide at the points.

Happy Easter!