Handle shape ???

P

Pete Allan

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Oct 29, 2003
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I desided to make a copy of a 1650 fur trade knife. I have found pictures of the many blades from various digs so I picked out the one that was marked with the "L" and cross and now the blade is finished but all I have found is a sketch of a rotted handle. From the sketch I know the outline shape but not the cross section shape. Any one know the shape I am looking for?

Thanks for helping
 
Is your blade design a stick or full tang? I have had the same problem looking at artifacts, in fact I built one several months ago and after staring at the picture for many hours, realized it was an integral and I had it all wrong. I had to start from scratch and build a new one.

The best advice is to look at the artifact very closely. It helps to blow up the handle section and try to sketch it. Then go back to knives of the same era that have the same handle and try to add the features that should be on that knife.

The nice thing about that period is that the handles are pretty simple affairs (except for the French Gentleman's and Officers Knives.)

Good luck
 
Sounds like I should have given more details. The one I made is the one that has the tang, held by 2 pins, showing on the top and bottom but only going about 1 1/2" into about a 4" long handle. Sorry but I don't know the name for this type of arrangement.

I do have some good pictures of both the French and English intergral tang knives so I made one of each and I was very pleased with the results. By the way both of this type knife also had only a 1 1/2" tang but with 1 pin.

I guess I will have to learn how to post pictures here. I know my kids could do it with all their neat equipment but it might cut into their game playing :grumpy:
 
Give me a little Pete. Somewhere in this mess I have a book with a picture of an original, complete with handle. I think that is what you are looking for. I'll find it this morning and try to scan it for you!
 
Pete from your desription that is called a half tang.

In my experience the older fur trade knives had flatter handles than we use today. They were just kinda outlined and the edges rounded over not the contours that are popular today


Like the The knife in the link or like a Russel Greenriver type knife.
 
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