Shake a (Dog) Leg!

timberweasel

timberweasel

Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
6,194
I've been thinking about the dogleg pattern recently, and have a few questions that some of you may be able to answer...

Are there or have there ever been any distinguishing differences between a 'dogleg' and 'serpentine' pattern or are the terms synonymous? I'm thinking that a dogleg has two different sized bolsters whereas a sepentine has equal sized ends. Am I on point or out to lunch? Do you think the wavy handle inception came about to better seat a secondary blade on jacks? Better ergos? Design flair? Which pattern emerged first?

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GEC #56: Dogleg?

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Case Small Texas Jack: Serpentine?

If anyone has any thoughts on the matter, or maybe just want to chat about the good ol' dogleg pattern and/or share some pics, please post up!

Thanks for reading! :)

-Brett
 
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I really like my #56 dogleg jack. I assumed that the bolsters being different sizes was a requirement of being a dogleg but I don't know that for sure. So your question is of interest to to me. I look forward to reading the responses.
How do you like the Frontier Bone? I am always impressed at how it changes shades when looked at from different angels.

Jim
 
Grateful said:
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I really like my #56 dogleg jack. I assumed that the bolsters being different sizes was a requirement of being a dogleg but I don't know that for sure. So your question is of interest to to me. I look forward to reading the responses.
How do you like the Frontier Bone? I am always impressed at how it changes shades when looked at from different angels.

Jim
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I dig the Frontier Bone, Jim. The entire design makes for a stout little knife, and partnered with the Frontier Bone covers, it makes me think of a bulldog for some reason. I reckon that makes it my little bulldog leg jack... :D The blade-to-handle angle is simply fantastic for utility cutting/slicing, imo. Very comfortable.

-Brett
 
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Schrade called this little fella a Dogleg jack. Folks on this forum would probably call it a Peanut. :confused: Could it be that a Peanut is also a Dogleg?

Jim
 
I think Peanuts are technically doglegs; a very small example of a dogleg.

I'm similarly interested in the distinction between serpentines and doglegs. I agree that doglegs are distinguished by not being even-ends, but I'm not sure serpentines are necessarily even-ends. Maybe it's a "square is a rectangle but a rectangle is not a square" situation? Someone on this forum more knowledgeable than I is bound to know.
 
You're on the right track, different size bolsters, with the head bolster being larger than the pivot bolster. Also note that the shape of the S curve is mirror image in the two that you show. The dogleg has the head end curving away from the blade.
 
That's a good point about the opposite curves; it's got me wondering whether a dogleg would be more comfortable/ergonomic in hand than the serpentine I tend to favor.
 
lambertiana said:
You're on the right track, different size bolsters, with the head bolster being larger than the pivot bolster. Also note that the shape of the S curve is mirror image in the two that you show. The dogleg has the head end curving away from the blade.
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Good observation on the curve direction on the handle!

Interesting how the GEC #57 Geppetto Whittler uses an identical frame to the #56 but, with the master blade on the opposite end, the curve direction is reversed. A reversed dogleg inverted version? This could get confusing... :D

-Brett
 
Looks like Whittlers can go either way.

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Serpentine: Boker Tree Brand 'Beer Barrel' Whittler

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Weird hybrid dogleg (?): Queen #47 Humpback Whittler

Looking through my collection, I realize that I have but four folders that I'd now consider serpentine: the Boker above, two Case Stockmen, and a Case Texas Jack. Hadn't really paid attention until now.

-Brett
 
I've always thought the main difference was the direction of the curves. The serpentine trapper/peanut frame has a convex spine at the butt of the knife, making it more comfortable to hold blade down/away for push cutting. The dogleg has a concave spine, like a congress or swayback, so more comfortable for draw cuts, like cuttin' a plug o' 'baccy.
 
black mamba said:
I've always thought the main difference was the direction of the curves. The serpentine trapper/peanut frame has a convex spine at the butt of the knife, making it more comfortable to hold blade down/away for push cutting. The dogleg has a concave spine, like a congress or swayback, so more comfortable for draw cuts, like cuttin' a plug o' 'baccy.
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Except I've seen trappers described as doglegs! :confused:

I always thought doglegs were doglegs because, well, they look like doglegs: a burly shoulder curving and tapering to a skinny foreleg.
 
Stencil said:
I always thought doglegs were doglegs because, well, they look like doglegs: a burly shoulder curving and tapering to a skinny foreleg.
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This has always been my understanding. Whereas a serpentine pattern should be more sinuous and, well, serpentine in shape.
 
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I know that blade-shape, configuration and handle all play an important role in classifying a traditional knife, but do you think blade-trumps-handle in most cases? :confused:

The term "Jack" is pretty generic and often means two blades or more, pinned on the same end--regardless if the handle is a dogleg, sleeveboard, coke bottle/swell center, equal end/cigar, etc. But a Jack with equal sized blades is often referred to as a "Trapper" (although most I've seen have been doglegs.) And a "Trapper" pinned at opposite ends might be called a "Muskrat" (must a Muskrat have two identical blades? Is something like a GEC #76 clip-and-spey a "Muskrat" or a "Moose"?) A "Stockman" also seems to be identified by the blade configuration. Maybe same with a "Whittler"? :distrust:

On the other side of the coin, there are patterns that are almost entirely classified by handle: Canoe, Congress, Sunfish/Elephant Toe... even Sway Back handles seem to get top billing over blade configuration.

I think I'm over-analyzing things and, admittedly, I'm not altogether sure where I'm going with all this... :o. Thanks for all the input and patience with my curious questions! :thumbup::)

-Brett
 
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