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Shadow pattern
- Thread starter Dijos
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2004
- Messages
- 577
Dijos, I beleive a shadow pattern describes and folder without bolsters.
I used to have a small Case stockman with yellow handles and birdseye rivets that I think would qualify. I think the sodbuster pattern is also considered a shadow.
Check out Bernard Levines section of the forums or check one of his books on knives and their values.
Hope I helped out a little bit.
The Pa. Knifeguy
I used to have a small Case stockman with yellow handles and birdseye rivets that I think would qualify. I think the sodbuster pattern is also considered a shadow.
Check out Bernard Levines section of the forums or check one of his books on knives and their values.
Hope I helped out a little bit.
The Pa. Knifeguy
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2001
- Messages
- 18,423
pa knifeguy is correct, "shadow" is not a single pattern itself, but any slipjoint without bolsters. If they have just a bolster at the pivot end, they are called a "bearhead". You can see some examples of "shadow" knives here.
http://www.newgraham.com/shadow.htm
There is also a decent dictionary of knife terms here.
http://www.casexx.com/new_page_2.htm
http://www.newgraham.com/shadow.htm
There is also a decent dictionary of knife terms here.
http://www.casexx.com/new_page_2.htm
Do you think the shadow pattern was made w/o bolsters to save money or for asthetics? It would appear to be cheaper both in materials and time for constuction, assembly and finishing. Anyone know if a bolster construction is more durable than one w/o bolsters?
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2001
- Messages
- 18,423
My first thought would be that the "shadow" pre-dates the bolster and that the bolster system came about to make knives stronger and more durable.
To me that seems like a logical progression, but now you have me curious. Time to hit the books!
To me that seems like a logical progression, but now you have me curious. Time to hit the books!
Shadow bolsters have been used mostly for aesthetics since the mid-1800's - there are a lot of fine old Sheffield MOP, ivory, tortoise shell, and horn knives that have shadow bolsters (or tip bolsters - much the same - with tiny slivers of bolsters at each end of the knife -- the pivot pins still go thru the scale material directly).
However, the whole shadow construction goes way back -- usually using a pivot pin that goes thru washers on the outside of each of the scales and is peened over them (same basic concept that Tony has elaborated). Look at the construction of lots of old French clasp style folders made of horn or antler or wood. The old friction folders also use this sort of construction.
I've heard that Tony says the construction used in his shadow knives is actually stronger than an equivalent bolstered knife. Makes sense - with solid micarta or G10 type scales, and the reinforced pivot area, the whole knife essentially becomes one solid structure. With bolsters, there is always the thinner, discontinuous area where the bolster becomes the liner and the separate structure of the scales.
However, as to the origin of the terms "shadow bolster" and thus "shadow pattern", I'll have to turn that over to someone else. Why did they call no bolsters at all shadow bolsters? I know they used the term shadow this way back in the 1800's, but I don't know why.
-- Dwight
However, the whole shadow construction goes way back -- usually using a pivot pin that goes thru washers on the outside of each of the scales and is peened over them (same basic concept that Tony has elaborated). Look at the construction of lots of old French clasp style folders made of horn or antler or wood. The old friction folders also use this sort of construction.
I've heard that Tony says the construction used in his shadow knives is actually stronger than an equivalent bolstered knife. Makes sense - with solid micarta or G10 type scales, and the reinforced pivot area, the whole knife essentially becomes one solid structure. With bolsters, there is always the thinner, discontinuous area where the bolster becomes the liner and the separate structure of the scales.
However, as to the origin of the terms "shadow bolster" and thus "shadow pattern", I'll have to turn that over to someone else. Why did they call no bolsters at all shadow bolsters? I know they used the term shadow this way back in the 1800's, but I don't know why.
-- Dwight