Stockman Explanation

Halfneck

Halfneck

Joined
Jun 30, 2005
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So I read a good article in BLADE about the Whittler pattern & it got me to wondering about the Stockman pattern. Most of the slipjoints I had as a kid I remember being the Stockman pattern. Main Clip blade & Sheepsfoot at one end, Spey blade at the other. Always assumed the name came from this pattern being popular with Cowboys.

Is that close to the mark?

Are there variations to the blades used?

Thanks - Pat.
 
Good question. I definitely no expert on this subject, but most of them that I have seen, or own have the clip,spey.sheepfoof blades. I have seen some that had a pen blade as 3rd blade. I'm sure some more better qualified than me will be on here shortly.
 
Stockman knives are said to have originated from the cattle knife They are similar in character, but less bulky. They always have at least two back-springs that support at least three blades. Most stockman knives have a clip master blade along with a second and third blade consisting of one of the following: sheepsfoot, spey, pen, or punch.

This definition came from http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com

I'd say your were right on the mark Halfneck.
 
They can appear with Pen blades in place of Spey and Spear instead of Clip.

Pattern seems to have appered about the beginning of the last century.

Made by both English&German cutlers particularly for the American market.
 
In Sheffield the "stockman's knife" (usually having a clip master, sheepfoot and spey blades) was originally known as a "serpentine cattle knife" C1890s.

Mick
 
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From LG4, pg. 288:

"The premium Stock knife was introduced about 1890 as a less bulky and more dressy version of the Cattle knife. [The Cattle knife had been introduced in the 1870's, or thereabouts; it was bulkier.] The Stock knife was designed as a rancher's pattern, so it was at first marketed in the west.

The master blade of the Stock knife almost always some type of clip-point. The second blade is usually a spey, for castrating small animals or for skinning. The remaining blade or blades can be a pen, a sheepfoot, or a harness punch [for punching holes in leather]."

I have about 20-30 examples of this type in my collection, and the blade styles are pretty consistent. In my observation, the smaller Stockmans (Levine calls them "Junior Premium Stock Knives") are the ones with the pen blade instead of a spey, but that's not always the case.

I find these types all the time at thrift stores here, where they sometimes get donated after the owner no longer needs it (death, etc.). You should see the way these things look. I've found them with dried blood in them before, presumably from skinning or . . . (ahem) similar work ;).

Hope that helps.

~Chris
 
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