GEC "3 backspring whittler" -a proper whittler?

[moonwilson]

Hi all, I was poking around, looking for interesting new GEC's, and I came across a new post on the TSA Knives blog.

Greg describes the new pattern, which he says should come out before Christmas (hooray!) as a "3 backspring whittler"- where there are 3 blades- a primary blade at one end, and the remaining blades at the other. Each blade has it's own spring. Is this type of arrangement technically considered a "whittler"? I thought the primary blade had to have a split backspring to be properly considered a whittler. Am I wrong? Is there a good online resource that gives specific definitions of traditional patterns? The sticky here is missing quite a few.

No pictures have been released yet, sorry. Does anyone have any ideas on this?

 

[d.parker]

Queen has made a 3 back spring Sowbelly Whittler for a few name brands. Moore Maker, Winchester, I believe the Case Classics had this pattern also made by Queen. I hope the GEC is a sowbelly pattern. There are more patterns with 3 back springs that are called whittlers so I think all definitions are correct. 3 back spring, split back and split spring as long as there is a main blade on one end and two on other end. Hope this is correct.

 

[Ice Tigre]

"as long as there is a main blade on one end and two on other end" seems to be the only criteria I have ever seen, FWIW.

Could pop up to Mr. Levines' forum here and ask him, I am sure he would know the proper definition.

I had actually wondered though, how those sowbelly whittlers got called a whittler, seems to me more of a 3 bladed muskrat or moose, given the 3 full length blades..

But, I too hope the GEC is that pattern, with the 3 large blades in a sow' frame... I've been wanting one, and done by GEC would be sweet!

G.

 

[moonwilson]

The 3 backspring whittler will be based on the #54 frame- same as the Cuban/ stockman- harness jack- big jack- moose, according to Greg @ TSA Knives.

I've been trying to find my reference where I read the definition of a "whittler"- it may be in one of my books at home. I don't think it's a hard rule, I'm just wondering what others are thinking.

Regardless, I'm excited about the new whittlers. The Cuban platform with 3 springs should be extra-beefy. All of the springs on my GEC's have consistent thickness- so unless they break from this pattern, and start using thinner springs, any 3 spring GEC is going to be a monster. The new whittler will be quite a handful. I can't wait!

.

 

[jonet143]

jmo, a whittler has a split or two tapered springs. thicker main blade on one end on both springs, the two secondary blades riding on a spring each. a three spring configuration allows a thinner main blade and is more economical and less labor intensive.

here is a case classic ct30109. three spring

 

[Bastid]

jmo, a whittler has a split or two tapered springs. thicker main blade on one end on both springs, the two secondary blades riding on a spring each. a three spring configuration allows a thinner main blade and is more economical and less labor intensive.

here is a case classic ct30109. three spring

:thumbup:

I agree 100%. Three backspring "whittlers" are cool, but strictly speaking "no split/taper no whittler". (but what would you expect from an old fogey )

P.S. I am not the first old fogey to say that.

 

[moonwilson]

Jonet- I like that Case Classic! Nice.

Whittlers are interesting. I like them from a collectors standpoint, but I rarely use any of mine. I need to go through my collection tonight and look at all of my whittlers together. I don't think I have any with 3 springs- but I'm frequently mistaken. I'm not sure how much more economical it is to do a whittler with 3 springs- Rough Rider is making a bunch of them with 2 springs, on the cheap.

There are a few different ways to avoid having to make the main blade extra thick. One way is to taper the springs so that when they come together, they combine to make a single spring of normal thickness. Another is to make the secondary blades thinner than usual, and not bother with tapering the springs. That way, you have 2 thin springs coming together to make one "normal" sized one. (that's the cheap "cop out" way of doing it)

I'm interested to see how GEC handles their whittler. It's what I was hoping they would take on next. Though I would have liked to see how they tapered their springs- I bet that would have been beautiful. I'm wondering now if they will have liners in between the blades, or whether they omit them to keep the overall thickness down- as in the very nice Case Classic above.

Edit:

:thumbup:

I agree 100%. Three backspring "whittlers" are cool, but strictly speaking "no split/taper no whittler". (but what would you expect from an old fogey )

P.S. I am not the first old fogey to say that.

There you have it. I knew I wasn't totally crazy!

 

[jonet143]

thanks, old fogeys often think alike.

here is another case. 53055. uses a tapered center spacer.

 

[LuciousClay]

The 3 backspring whittler will be based on the #54 frame- same as the Cuban/ stockman- harness jack- big jack- moose, according to Greg @ TSA Knives.


.

This is disappointing to me. I was hoping for a new frame design, as I have never liked the equal-end patterns as much. I would love to see a GEC sowbelly, either whittler or stockman.

 

[d.parker]

thanks, old fogeys often think alike.

here is another case. 53055. uses a tapered center spring.

If my eyes aren't deceiving me that spring isn't tapered but has a tapered divider.

 

[jonet143]

yeah, i had a brainfart. it is a spacer. the springs are the same width.

 

[moonwilson]

This is disappointing to me. I was hoping for a new frame design, as I have never liked the equal-end patterns as much. I would love to see a GEC sowbelly, either whittler or stockman.

I'm with you on that. I'd like to see GEC introduce at least a serpentine frame to their lineup. I like the Cubans, but with the round bolsters, they're a little too phallic for my tastes. A serpentine whittler with pinched bolsters would have been nicer. Dogleg, swell center or sowbelly would work just as well.

 

[AntiqueKnifeFan]

Hey I'm sure your going to see several new patterns come out from GEC for years to come it just takes time and money to develop them. GEC has only been producing knives for about a year and half and they have come out with a lot .

 

[moonwilson]

Hey I'm sure your going to see several new patterns come out from GEC for years to come it just takes time and money to develop them. GEC has only been producing knives for about a year and half and they have come out with a lot .

That is 100% true. They've done an amazing job in such a short amount of time. No complaints here- just pie-in-the-sky musings.

 

[jonet143]

sleeveboard whittler and a canittler. these fit the whittler criteria. oh yeah, to answer the original answer...imo a whittler pattern does not have three springs. one split spring or two springs only.

 

[d.parker]

I have one modern whittler, 4" congress pattern with tapered back springs. It was made by Queen for Schatt & Morgan Series # 7 in 1997. Are there other cutlery company's making tapered back spring whittlers today?