I'm putting together a classic camping kit and I'm looking for sugestions.

[savagesicslayer]

I'm building a camping kit someone from the 1800's and exploring the interior of North America would have.
I have a Tomahawk,camp axe and a good fixed blade knife that wouldn't look out of period.I'm kinda stuck on a folder.What kind of folder did people carry back in the day?
I'm hoping to go camping with my rustic kit some time this summer.

 

[Trent Rock]

.What kind of folder did people carry back in the day?

I've read a large number of books regarding mountain men and "explorers"
Never ran across one that carried a folder
Why would you need folder if you had a Russell Green River knife??

I THINK folders were more popular from about 1880 on
Could be wrong
Don't quote me on that, though

BRL might know.......

Interesting question though :thumbup:

 

[artmichalek]

When George W Sears was exploring the Adirondacks in the 1880's he was carrying (in addition to a hatchet and fixed blade skinner) a Moose, which is usually around 4-4 1/4" with a clip and spey blade on opposite ends.

 

[jackknife]

Actually pocket knives and folding knives in geneal were popular in this country from the early days of the colonies on.

There is mention of folding knives in Harold Peterson's book "American Knives", published by Charles Scribner's Son's New York. Among the entries from John Johnston from 1802 to 1811, from what I gather are orders for his trading post, are the following.

5 dozen scalping knives.
1 dozen pen knives.
1 dozen Barlow knives.
2 dozen jack Knives.
6 dozen butcher knives.
2 dozen 4 bladed pen knives.

This from chapter 6, page 119.

On exibit at the museum at Jamestown, is the remains of a pocket knife found at Jamestown, that had one small folding blade, and asmall cup blade for measuring powders. It is supposed to be an apothicaries knife. In the museums at Yorktown, Valley Forge, and other sites dating back to the Revelution, there are simple one blades folding knives, not too unlike the simple sodbuster.

It seems like from the 1600's on, where ever you found people, you had pocket knives. If there is one common trait, it would be simple construction, single blade, wood handles.

 

[mnblade]

It seems like from the 1600's on, where ever you found people, you had pocket knives. If there is one common trait, it would be simple construction, single blade, wood handles.

Given this, I would think a Kissing Crane wood-handled Sodbuster would fit the bill (at least in spirit) for savagesicslayer, don't you, jackknife?

 

[stockman242]

I would have to agree with mn, a wood handled sodbuster would do nicely.

For us traditional guys, maybe you could post a link or some pictures of your kit so far.
I know I'd be interested to see it.

Peter

 

[Ron53]

You can't go wrong with a Barlow. Also, if you're talking about the earlier part of the 1800's, these may do nicely:

http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?cPath=14&products_id=87
http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?cPath=14&products_id=76

These styles were popular from the mid-1700's into the 1800's. An Okapi folder (http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=2412) would be quite "period-correct" as well, due to it's styling.

Ron

 

[Andrew Colglazier]

Friction folders were also common.

Andy

 

[Will Power]

Single blade medium size knife 3.75 with bone or wood handles such as a Great Eastern No.73 Scout.

Any wood or bone scaled Jack or perhaps a Schatt&Morgan Harness Jack?

Any Pen Knife or Barlow would cover the era. Jackknife gave some excellent info.

This is a very interesting project,what firearms and cooking utensils are you taking along? Please post pix when you've assembled the gear!

All the best!

 

[gbuskirk]

Here are pocketknives from the steamboat Arabia that sank in the Missouri River in 1856.

I think you'd have to define your era and your character to pick your knife. Mountain man, cavalry soldier, sodbuster, rancher, cowpoke, 49'er, etc.

 

[ken erickson]

Here are pocketknives from the steamboat Arabia that sank in the Missouri River in 1856.

I think you'd have to define your era and your character to pick your knife. Mountain man, cavalry soldier, sodbuster, rancher, cowpoke, 49'er, etc.

Cool Link! Love the array of patterns, not unlike today!

I think I count 7 Congress patterns ? Five in the main group, one in the main group with missing scales? And one off to the left side.

 

[savagesicslayer]

Wow thanks for the great responses.
I'm fascinated by the Rogers Rangers of the french Indian war era and the western trappers and mountain men.True that these 2 are vastly different but they had the same spirit.They went deeper into the unknown than anyone else at that time dared.I love exploring the deepest and darkest parts of the woods deeper than most dare so I can empathize with them.
My kit thus far includes:
-Fort Turner Rogers Rangers Tomahawk
-Snow and Nealley Hudson Bay axe
-Forged Trade knife (Track of the Wolf metis Knife)/BRKT Fox River.I have these 2 as I haven't tested the Trade knife yet to see what I can put it through.The Fox River has brass pins and I have it wrapped in rough leather.
-Flint and steel.Though Truthfully I can get a fire going better with a fire bow.
-large wool blanket.this will serve both as bed and pack.I plan to set my kit up as a Hudson bay pack.I'll pack all my spare provisions and wrap the blanket around them and tie the ends and wear it slung over the shoulder.
-Compass.
The kit I still need to get:
-Flintlock musket+ all additional kit that goes with it.
-Tri-corner Hat/coon skin cap.
I'm open to suggestions from all of you.I like the sod buster knives.Simple and effective.

 

[Will Power]

Here are pocketknives from the steamboat Arabia that sank in the Missouri River in 1856.

I think you'd have to define your era and your character to pick your knife. Mountain man, cavalry soldier, sodbuster, rancher, cowpoke, 49'er, etc.

Really interesting artefacts and I'm stunned at how well they've held up after 150 years in the river!

Some damn BIG knives there too and surprisingly familiar:thumbup:

 

[brownshoe]

The knives were not in the river forever. They were actually about 1-2 stories underground before they were dug up. The big MO, before the ArmyCorp got their hands on it, would switch channels with every flood. The Arabia was buried under mud and silt and the big MO moved about a 1/4 mile away leaving the steamboat underground. IIRC most of the goods on the Arabia were packed in wooden boxes or kegs. The knives may have been greased or oiled by the manufacturer to retard rust before sale.

 

[STDK]

Interesting thread, after looking at the Pic's of the Arabia I would go with a Barehead Jack with wood handles. Neat pic' from the Arabia, I had no idea of all of the old patterns that were used in that time period.

 

[mnblade]

Here are pocketknives from the steamboat Arabia that sank in the Missouri River in 1856.

Well no wonder she sank - not a serrated, one-handed, super-locking tanto mall ninja knife in the bunch!!!

 

[xbxb]

You might grab some rope. It's one of the most handy things to have around and I'm pretty sure many of the mountain men carried some with them.

 

[neeman]

Here are pocketknives from the steamboat Arabia that sank in the Missouri River in 1856.

I think you'd have to define your era and your character to pick your knife. Mountain man, cavalry soldier, sodbuster, rancher, cowpoke, 49'er, etc.

what an amazing link!

 

[stockman242]

I'd whittle a nice big ol' spoon to add to the kit.

Peter

 

[SilverFoxKnows]

Laguiole style knives date back to, I believe, the 1700s. I've seen repros of Valley Forge knives and French friction folders from reenactment sites but I don't know what the steel quality is. But a Laguiole or a Nontron are very old designs and wouldn't be too out of place anywhere there were French fur traders.

Frank