Rendevous knife for a friend

Robert Hankins

Robert Hankins

Joined
May 19, 2003
Messages
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Have a friend of mine who wants me to make a Mountain Man Rendevous knife made for him. I am clueless as where to start on this one.
He wants a real user 4" blade or so and it needs to look cool at the rendevous he says.

HELP:D
 
You need to decide what he really wants. Most of the REAL knives were a simple butcher (scalper type) I have several blacksmith style knives and they are pretty simple affairs.

Some had fancier knives like John Johnson (bowie) but they were not common. Look at some of Chucks knives. They are as near perfect recreations of the non butcher types as I've ever seen.
 
I know a guy that does nothing but Rendevous knives and probably sells 250 of them a year. He takes old saw blades, circular and cross cut, the more pits and rust the better, he grinds an edge on them, slaps on a elk or deer antler for the handle and thats it. He puts on his buckskins, sets up his table and starts counting his money. He's told me that he can make 20 knives a day on a good day and sells them for $25-$100 depending on blade size. When I told him how I made knives he just shook his head and said, there's no way I would go to that much trouble. :D Just goes to show you there's room for all kinds of knifemakers out there.

So I would say, keep it looking real old and primitive and what ever you make will fit in perfectly.

Bill
 
A neat style I make is a steel "flint" knife.Make a rough hunter shape in 3/16 steel (O-1,1095,ATS-34,whatever you use) Round it to the edge in a convex grind,but leave it FAT.Take a 1/4" carbide ball burr and chuck it in your flex shaft or dremel tool,and start "knapping" out 3/8 to 1/2" long gouges.Start at the ricasso on the spine and move towards the point.Make about three or four overlapping rows of "knapps" ending at the edge.Don't make them line up or make them real even.Heat treat and temper the blade and make a quick pass with the same burr over all the "knapps".This will leave a serated edge that will cut like HE##.Buff real hard on black compound,leaving all the little grooves,don't try to make it shine,blue the blade as black as you can(or brown it).Glue on an elk handle with a sinew wrap (grind the knotches for the sinew before hardening please,I learned the hard way),and make a buckskin sheath.Sharpen it with a round diamond file,or a Lansky serated edge stone.Your friend will think you are God.
 
Get a copy of the "Fur Trade Cutlery Sketchbook" it costs like $7.00 from Dixie Gunworks or Track of the Wolf (both are on line - and yes Peter I know your thoughts on TOW :footinmou ) The book has scale drawings of several originals from the fur trade era.

For small knives - something like these might be up his alley - they are based on originals - the top blade is a common "sticker" style and the lower knife is a roach belly skinner:
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4" is a bit on the short side IMO for fur trade era knives - these are both 5" and that's about as short as the majority were (average size would be 6-8")

The handle on the upper knife is deer leg bone with a rawhide "bolster". The second knife is mule deer antler and pewter.

I just finished the sheath for the pair but it's in drying so......

Bill - is right - Mtn Men/Reenactors aren't a particularly good market for higher end/custom knife makers - most buyers are in the $20.00-$150.00 range at most. Of course as Peter said the average knife of the original period was nothing more than a plain ole butcher/trade knive.
 
and yes Peter I know your thoughts on TOW ) The book has scale drawings of several originals from the fur trade era.

I think it's an excellent suggestion Chuck. My feelings are .....well....personal sniping for petty reasons. Anyway...you know the story.
 
Peter - thankfully as always you have a sense of humor and a bit of fun is ALWAYS called for IMO :D

I do understand your take on TOW and respect - both Dixie and TOW are two vendors that I know for sure carry the book (others do I'm sure but I would have had to look them up).

BTW - are you by chance going to the SECKA show? If so the UBF hawk will be on display at Buddy Thomason's table.
 
they all should carry a patch knife too, it can be small.
and can be very simple and to the point

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With all due respect Dan patch knives are a modern concept. There's been a lot of discussion amongst the re-enactors (who can get REAL anal :rolleyes: about the documentation of such things) and there is no mention that I know of regarding patch knives until the second half of the 20the century. The vast majority of the old timers used precut patches or in case of an emergency - such as a brave bearing down on you with tomahawk in hand - no patch at all.
There are old shooting pouches with knives attached, but all are either fairly late, post the mid-1800's, or in the case of old bags the knife was added at a later date.
For me cutting a hunk of cloth off at the muzzle was/is a real pain - premade, preoiled (bear oil of course :D) patches are the only way to go.
 
Cut at the muzzle patches in many cases is way over rated. Back in my match shooting days I just cut them with a sissors and got any thing from 7/8" to 1 1/4" square for my pistols and it was good enough to win the national championship and set a good number of records. I sure wish I was younger so I could travel to the nationals again -- It was really fun there and best of all seeing all the shooters and the new equipment.
 
Wild Rose said:
With all due respect Dan patch knives are a modern concept. There's been a lot of discussion amongst the re-enactors (who can get REAL anal :rolleyes: about the documentation of such things) and there is no mention that I know of regarding patch knives until the second half of the 20the century. .
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no problem here Chuck I don't lay claim to knowing much :D

I've just made some for some Mountain Man Rendevous guys ,,,
they want I make :D it's up to them to battle out the shoulds or should nots :D
but chuck I still think they should all have one as long as it's made by me :D :D haha
 
Dan Gray said:
they all should carry a patch knife too, it can be small.
and can be very simple and to the point

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Dan, I really like that one alot! How much for something like that?
Scott
 
but chuck I still think they should all have one as long as it's made by me haha
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Well I never said I wouldn't make one..... :D can't let you have ALL the fun.
 
Fantastic pieces guys I can only aspire to come close.
Does give me a general idea of what it should end up looking like.
Wants an all purpose blade that is strong as well.
Not too big Etc.
 
Scott shop talk's not the place to talk prices.
shoot me an e-mail if your interested.. :) thanks



chuck you're having to much fun now ;) :D :D
 
Oh go on and tell him Dan....Never mind, I'll do it for you.....

They are eighteen! :D :D :D :D :D :footinmou
 
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