I've got an itch for a Cattle Knife, but what exactly is a Cattle Knife?

Something I find interesting besides the various configurations of blades, is the variety of nail nick positioning. All three knives in my above post have the same blade configuration but look at which side the nicks are on, on each blade and they're all different.
 
Enrique Pena calls this a Eureka Cattle Knife
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Here's a Canoe Cattle by Ruple
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Didn't realize Rick Menefee made any three-blade knives
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black mamba said:
Northfield Cattle Rancher in Black Pearl LG+

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Northfield Cattle Baron in Black lip! My go to hiking slipjoint!

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Jake- that is an amazing Eureka Whittler- and I don't like yellow scales!!😳 my goal is to hold one one day, even if I have to make it myself! But maybe an iteration such as yours for next years forum knife??
But I do like Eureka, whittlers, long pulls, the rat tailed bolsters, swedging- even the shield looks good!! I can't quite make out who made it 😝, how is it for opening and closing? Any idea of age etc?
Thanks for sharing.
 
CUTS LIKE A KRIS said:
Jake- that is an amazing Eureka Whittler- and I don't like yellow scales!!😳 my goal is to hold one one day, even if I have to make it myself! But maybe an iteration such as yours for next years forum knife??
But I do like Eureka, whittlers, long pulls, the rat tailed bolsters, swedging- even the shield looks good!! I can't quite make out who made it 😝, how is it for opening and closing? Any idea of age etc?
Thanks for sharing.
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I think you should make a Eureka ...and send it to me! ;) :D

I sold the Henry Sears Eureka... if I recall correctly Enrique has it. It looks like he used the same handle shape but he didn't use the same design for the construction. I think his 2-spring version is a much better design than the original 3-spring. He does beautiful work. Although the old Henry Sears doesn't have liners, it's a bit bulkier than a typical cattle knife. With liners, it would have been like carrying a potato (according to Tony Bose). The shape of the handle is very comfortable in hand.

 
blademan 13 said:
I think of a Cattle knife as a relatively large equal end 3 blade with 2 off the following secondaries; Spey, sheepsfoot, punch. The only one I have at the moment
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I'm really glad you posted that. That was the knife that prompted me to get a gold account and learn about how PayPal works and how the exchange works. Obviously I missed out on the sale but damn that thing is awesome! I have had zero luck finding another one anywhere but i'm still looking. Enjoy that knife!
 
I just purchased the 2015 Case/Bose Cattle Knife...I can't wait to see this one in hand. It has 2 clip blades...large main and a small secondary with a Sheepsfoot secondary as well (looks crossed with a wharncliffe to me). Check out this thread for more info, pics and also more discussion on the pattern in general and how they came with different main and secondary blades showing that there is no concrete "this is what a cattle knife is" if you will. There's some variation allowed.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...laboration-what-pattern-are-they-going-to-use
 
Jake, If I recall correctly, Tony's knife is patterned after an old knife that a collector showed to him. I don't know if the knife is technically a Premier Cattle or a stockman. The premier cattle has a serpentine frame. From what I understand, it is less slim than most stock knives and the Bose knife seems to fit the description. But I've never seen a Premier Cattle. Pattern names weren't written in stone and manufacturers don't always follow convention. GEC has called some knives "stockman" even though they were equal end and not serpentine. And they make up a lot of pattern names like "French Kate" (a person with some local history). As another example, Queen calls their surveyor pattern a "railsplitter".
 
You're right Jake. Here is the quote from Tony Bose found on page 4 of the thread I linked to for the Case Bose Cattle Knife:

"Rhett Stidham sent an original of this pattern for us to pattern several years ago. It had a spear master blade with a punch. Diamond Edge was a trade mark of the Shapleigh Hdw Co in St Louis. Very old brand. Most of their early knives were made by Empire, I believe this knife was made by them but can't prove it. The one Rhett sent was the only one I've ever seen, probably more out their somewhere.

I have made several of this pattern with a spear master and all blades as well as a spear master with a punch. Sense I like the clip blade better that's what I decided to have Case make it with. It's a great , rare old pattern and they did a great job on it. It really works nice. I realize you can't please everyone with the blade choice so I just go with what I like..."


The spear main would have been nice since it comes with the small clip secondary but like Tony said, he goes with what he likes best. No argument from me, as I'm sure that's what Cutlers from the old companies did as well and that's why the variety is out there along with creating a little confusion on what exactly a certain pattern can be defined by. I'm sure geographical locations of Cutlers played a role in this as well as they would have wanted to make a knife that was useful to the local people that would be buying them.
 
5K Q's, post 17, i think your Cattle knife is a Kingston, a lower end Ulster line, made in Ulster or Imperial factories 1950's-60's i think. I have a small collection of Kingston's but they are at my other house. I'll check in about 2 weeks and post a pic of a Kingston Cattle to see if it jives with your "USA" knife.
kj
 
Brad, Do you have either a Premier Cattle knife or a catalog scan? Otherwise I might dig through some of my old catalogs and see if I can find one.
 
Peter Parker said:
The size is 3 1/4" to 4 1/8" but usually 3 1/2" and 3 3\4" are the norm or more common...
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There were, in the days when the pattern was more common than now, two standard sizes. 3 3/8 inches closed for the junior version, and 3 5/8 inches closed for the most common size. All other sizes put together would not come to one per cent of sales.
 
The vintage Cattle knives larger than 3 5/8" are the most collectible. I have some at 3 3/4". The 4" and maybe 4 1/4" are rare. I'm not sure if there ever was a 4 1/4" so if anyone has an example please post it.
kj
 
Nice Schrade! :thumbup: Here is a hybrid, a true whittler with wedged springs. The covers are gum fuddy or some such.

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Tongueriver, that's a gorgeous Schrade. What is the closed length on that one?

I recently picked up this Fight'n Rooster in smooth white bone, @ 3-5/8" closed.

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The Schrade Cutco is also 3 5/8 inches. That smooth white bone is a good thing! :thumbup:
 
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