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Jigged bone.
- Thread starter parkman21
- Start date
waynorth
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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- Nov 19, 2005
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- 32,823
parkman, it's far from a boring subject, IMHO! Jigging is the act of texturing. If you jig bone you are cutting, gouging or chipping the surface to give it grip, or improve the appearance or both.
Sometimes it is done to make the bone look like stag, or something else. I've also seen jigged wood, and jigged(second cut)stag. Case has been laser cutting the bone surface in all kinds of patterns, and you can call that jigging too! My two cents!
Sometimes it is done to make the bone look like stag, or something else. I've also seen jigged wood, and jigged(second cut)stag. Case has been laser cutting the bone surface in all kinds of patterns, and you can call that jigging too! My two cents!
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- Aug 10, 2006
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Hi Parkman, I agree with waynorth that it's not a dull subject. Are the scales you have fake because they are plastic trying to be jigged bone, or are they jigged bone trying to be stag? I love jigged bone, I think it makes for a great handle material, especially for a traditional knife.
I think the original reason for jigged bone was as a readily available substitute for stag, which is kinda hard to come by. The good stuff comes from India, and they have an embargo on the stuff, so new knives with geniune sambar stag are uber-expensive. Case managed to work a deal recently so they claim to have a supply laid by now. But they are charging a huge premium for it. Jigging is supposed to make otherwise smooth bone rough and grippy like stag horn. A lot of times it's burned to darken it as a way of making it look more realistic.
Case has gone further to add several different textures that are not intended to mimic stag. Barnboard jigging being one example, with the laser cut stuff that waynorth mentions being another. I have just recently gotten into traditional knives and I'm fascinated by jigged bone. Far from being "fake", jigged bone is a very nice handle material in its own right. Giraffe bone is gorgeous stuff (itself a rare and expensive material) But there will always be purists who insist on genuine stag.
I think the original reason for jigged bone was as a readily available substitute for stag, which is kinda hard to come by. The good stuff comes from India, and they have an embargo on the stuff, so new knives with geniune sambar stag are uber-expensive. Case managed to work a deal recently so they claim to have a supply laid by now. But they are charging a huge premium for it. Jigging is supposed to make otherwise smooth bone rough and grippy like stag horn. A lot of times it's burned to darken it as a way of making it look more realistic.
Case has gone further to add several different textures that are not intended to mimic stag. Barnboard jigging being one example, with the laser cut stuff that waynorth mentions being another. I have just recently gotten into traditional knives and I'm fascinated by jigged bone. Far from being "fake", jigged bone is a very nice handle material in its own right. Giraffe bone is gorgeous stuff (itself a rare and expensive material) But there will always be purists who insist on genuine stag.
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- Mar 7, 2006
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- 2,171
Parkman, when you say fake jigged bone, are you referring to various plastic type handles? Delrin sees a lot of use with saw-cut textures, bone, and simulated stag. As long as there is no confusion and a knife that has Delrin scales is not being passed off as real bone, there's nothing wrong with jigged Delrin scales. (Not that you said there was) They are stable, attractive, and durable. That said, I still prefer real bone and stag. However, I have some excellent knives with jigged Delrin handles and count them just as much a valued part of my collection as my stag, bone, and other natural material knives.
You can make an impressive collection just by collecting jigging patterns. I'm still learning a lot about where different patterns came from. So, nope, not a boring subject at all.
You can make an impressive collection just by collecting jigging patterns. I'm still learning a lot about where different patterns came from. So, nope, not a boring subject at all.
....I always thought jig refered to any of several lively springy dance steps in triple rhythm.....oh...sorry....
-Cheers
Sorry, it's not.
It's what you here going down some particular streets in certain cities in the world: " Hey Mistah, wanna jig-jig! Cheap, five dollah..."
/ Karl
Bone that has been "jigged", ground (i.e. "carved") with some kind of pattern, random, or other, that was originally done to help provide a better grip on the scales (handles).
These days they are put on more for looks than anything else! Smoothbone came into use much, much later (some time between the 60-80's (I believe it may have been more toward the 80's, cant remember right now?).
Jigging has been around for man, many years (well over 150 yrs). Some companies that have been around for a while still use much of the same jigging equipment. Like boker in solingen, the jigging machine they use, is, if I remember correctly, is almost a 100 yrs old (now?).
These days they are put on more for looks than anything else! Smoothbone came into use much, much later (some time between the 60-80's (I believe it may have been more toward the 80's, cant remember right now?).
Jigging has been around for man, many years (well over 150 yrs). Some companies that have been around for a while still use much of the same jigging equipment. Like boker in solingen, the jigging machine they use, is, if I remember correctly, is almost a 100 yrs old (now?).
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And the term itself probably comes from the "jig" or template used to tell the cutting machine where to make the cuts.
-- Sam
-- Sam
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- Dec 4, 2005
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- 912
Here is a little history of one of the early makers of Jigged Bone that you guys may find interesting...
Rogers bone was made by the Rogers Manufacturing Company of
Rockfall, Connecticut. The firm started in business in
1891, making manufactured bone products, and also bone fertilizer.
They began to make jigged bone pocketknife scales around the turn of
the century. Other manufactured bone products included combs,
toothbrush handles, baby pacifiers, and one of their biggest sellers,
corn-cob pipe bits. This particular item was discontinued in the
1950s.
Early in the century, one of this firm's competitors in the bone
business was Rogers & Hubbard. About the time of the First World War,
Rogers Mfg. Co. traded its bone fertilizer operation to Rogers &
Hubbard, and received in return the other firm's manufactured bone
products business. From that time forward, Rogers Mfg. Co. was the
nation's largest maker of manufactured bone products.
At first, all of the bone used by Rogers Mfg. Co. came from domestic
cattle. By the 1920s, and perhaps even earlier, all of it was coming
from overseas, mainly from Argentina.
Most of Rogers's pocketknife handle material was made in the
distinctive jigging pattern that collectors call "Rogers bone," but
that the firm in fact called "Rogers Stag." Rogers Stag was made
using a specially designed jigging machine which the company still
has, but that has not been used since 1962 (they have no interest in
starting it up again). They also made small quantities of other
styles of jigged bone for pocketknives.
Rogers Mfg. Co. also made jigged bone for hunting knives and for
kitchen utensils. For hunting knives, they made a style of jigging
they called "Indian Trail." This is a long random "worm" style of
jigging. Their biggest customer for bone kitchen utensil handles was
Landers Frary & Clark, who used the bone mainly on kitchen forks.
During the Second World War, Rogers's production of jigged bone
handles continued without interruption. Many of those handles wound
up on cutlery items made for the government.
The bone used by Rogers during the war was all imported. It came
from Argentina, Brazil, and a new source: Australia. The Australian
bone came mainly from old (15+ years old) tough range cattle, and so
was very thick and dense and strong. This heavy Australian bone was
used mainly for hunting knife handles.
In the 1950s, cost-conscious cutlery manufacturers began to
discontinue the production of bone handled pocketknives. Rogers Mfg.
Co. changed with the changing times, and began to offer synthetic
pocketknife handles. Mr. Bitel, who started with Rogers in 1955, was
involved in the transition. He states that Rogers Mfg. Co. was the
first firm to produce pocketknife scales made out of Delrin (a DuPont
acetal resin). One trademark Rogers used for synthetic handle
materials was Romco.
Rogers Mfg. Co. last sold bone pocketknife handle material in 1962.
The firm still supplies limited quantities of synthetic handle
material to the cutlery industry, but domestic and foreign competitors
have taken most of that specialized business away.
Rogers bone was made by the Rogers Manufacturing Company of
Rockfall, Connecticut. The firm started in business in
1891, making manufactured bone products, and also bone fertilizer.
They began to make jigged bone pocketknife scales around the turn of
the century. Other manufactured bone products included combs,
toothbrush handles, baby pacifiers, and one of their biggest sellers,
corn-cob pipe bits. This particular item was discontinued in the
1950s.
Early in the century, one of this firm's competitors in the bone
business was Rogers & Hubbard. About the time of the First World War,
Rogers Mfg. Co. traded its bone fertilizer operation to Rogers &
Hubbard, and received in return the other firm's manufactured bone
products business. From that time forward, Rogers Mfg. Co. was the
nation's largest maker of manufactured bone products.
At first, all of the bone used by Rogers Mfg. Co. came from domestic
cattle. By the 1920s, and perhaps even earlier, all of it was coming
from overseas, mainly from Argentina.
Most of Rogers's pocketknife handle material was made in the
distinctive jigging pattern that collectors call "Rogers bone," but
that the firm in fact called "Rogers Stag." Rogers Stag was made
using a specially designed jigging machine which the company still
has, but that has not been used since 1962 (they have no interest in
starting it up again). They also made small quantities of other
styles of jigged bone for pocketknives.
Rogers Mfg. Co. also made jigged bone for hunting knives and for
kitchen utensils. For hunting knives, they made a style of jigging
they called "Indian Trail." This is a long random "worm" style of
jigging. Their biggest customer for bone kitchen utensil handles was
Landers Frary & Clark, who used the bone mainly on kitchen forks.
During the Second World War, Rogers's production of jigged bone
handles continued without interruption. Many of those handles wound
up on cutlery items made for the government.
The bone used by Rogers during the war was all imported. It came
from Argentina, Brazil, and a new source: Australia. The Australian
bone came mainly from old (15+ years old) tough range cattle, and so
was very thick and dense and strong. This heavy Australian bone was
used mainly for hunting knife handles.
In the 1950s, cost-conscious cutlery manufacturers began to
discontinue the production of bone handled pocketknives. Rogers Mfg.
Co. changed with the changing times, and began to offer synthetic
pocketknife handles. Mr. Bitel, who started with Rogers in 1955, was
involved in the transition. He states that Rogers Mfg. Co. was the
first firm to produce pocketknife scales made out of Delrin (a DuPont
acetal resin). One trademark Rogers used for synthetic handle
materials was Romco.
Rogers Mfg. Co. last sold bone pocketknife handle material in 1962.
The firm still supplies limited quantities of synthetic handle
material to the cutlery industry, but domestic and foreign competitors
have taken most of that specialized business away.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2006
- Messages
- 2,171
Thanks Sunburst. I guess you could say we were able to "bone" up on some jigged bone history! 
Sorry, couldn't resisit. Great info though. Thanks.
Sorry, couldn't resisit. Great info though. Thanks.
!!
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
- Messages
- 912
Did someone mention Winterbottom...
BERNARD LEVINE'S KNIFE LORE
WINTERBOTTOM BONE
Some time ago I received an interesting packet of information from
Steve Deer of Indiana. He used to collect Queen Cutlery Co. knives,
and one of the distinctive features of many Queens is their
"Winterbottom Bone" handles -- called by Queen, "genuine Frontier bone
stag." He discovered that Winterbottom bone was made in Egg Harbor,
New Jersey, at the eastern edge of the Pine Barrens.
The Egg Harbor Public Library put Mr. Deer in touch with Ivor
Winterbottom, the oldest grandson of Samuel Winterbottom, founder of
Winterbottom Cutlery Works, and the last Winterbottom to be connected
with the firm. In the packet he sent me, Mr. Deer included an August
8, 1983, letter to him from Ivor Winterbottom. Some excerpts:
"A thumbnail history would start somewhere about 1885 when Samuel
Winterbottom left Sheffield for Philadelphia, leaving his wife and
three children behind. Sam's first job was peddling window glass in
the streets and glazing windows. One of his fellow peddlers
[supposedly] was Henry Disston, who was selling saws from a
wheelbarrow. In later years they joined forces and made special
circular saws for cutting bone. Some time before 1890, Samuel
Winterbottom moved to Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, and sent for his
family.
"In 1890 he set up his first shop ... Winterbottom Carter. S.W. was
the craftsman, Carter the desk man (book keeping). As time passed,
Samuel's four sons entered the business: Harry, Jack, Ernest, and Fred
(born in the U.S.).
"When the U.S. entered World War I [April 1917], the factory began
making handles for knives and bayonets. Carter, being of Quaker
belief, would have nothing to do with war materials and left the
company. Up to this time, most of the work was done by hand. Orders
were so heavy the brothers designed and hand built machines that kept
125 men working six days a week. After the war, the brothers
continued to make handles from bone, wood, celluloid, and other
materials for almost everyone in the cutlery industry. ... Some of
our customers I can remember were Schatt & Morgan (before 1920),
Queen, Imperial, Camillus, Cattaraugus, and Ka-Bar. There were 10 or
12 more, but I can't think of them right now.
"The first [bone] stag of the [Winterbottom] type came to life
during this period. It was all done by hand, and I had many blisters
to prove it. Fred decided we had to have a machine to do this job.
As you know, every piece of real deer-horn stag is different. To make
a machine that would make different patterns was quite a chore.
"Finally it was made, and we thought we had the industry sewed up.
But some fellow smarter than we were bought up some knives [with our
handles], pulled off the handles, made molds, and cast [copies of] our
handles in plastic. This, combined with U.S. Department of
Agriculture restrictions on foreign bone, and with a Brazilian embargo
on rosewood, made things so expensive, that [our operation] could no
longer survive. In 1968 I sold the business to one of our customers,
who makes wood and plastic handles for their own use."
A biography of Samuel Winterbottom in the 1924 volume, South Jersey
-- A History, provides a little more accurate information on the early
history of the Winterbottom family and firm.
"John Winterbottom, Mr. Winterbottom's father, was born and died in
Sheffield, England, and was a bone-cutter by occupation, his trade
linking his name with the world famous cutlery manufacturers of that
city. The family had followed similar lines of activity in England
for 130 years. ...
"Samuel Winterbottom was born in 1857 ... and early in life became
employed as a bone-cutter and manufacturer of handles of all kinds for
knives, in association with his father."
According to this book, Samuel worked in the paper industry in
Philadelphia, Valley Forge, and Egg Harbor until 1891, when he set up
in the handle and novelty business. He started with one employee. A
year later he had four, and moved to a larger building.
By 1924 Samuel Winterbottom had 100 people on his company's
payroll. Amber and tortoiseshell handles were a specialty. His
eldest son, Harry, born in Sheffield in 1880, was then the firm's
business manager. His second son, John, born in 1885, was factory
superintendent. His third son, Ernest, born in 1886, and his
youngest, Frederick, born in New Jersey in 1898, were both factory
foremen.