Things you'd like to see out of Redmeadow Knives?

On the topic of daggers, this one is pretty sweet.

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Yep, would like to get one of those. They come up on eBay every once in a while, but always seem to be beat to hell.
 
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Great info Dylan, keep it coming. That "scalper" (bright green background) is really interesting. It would be interesting to know how the handle studs were traditionally done, unless they were through pins but I doubt it.

That's a good question - I suspect that it is likely done with brass tacks akin to many period examples of both knives and rifles being decorated in ornate ways. In some cases, it appears that they were driven in and then either cut or ground flush or nearly flush.

Here is some great info regarding "scalping" or "scalper" knives from the late 1700s - early 1800s. I am including the link and then I'll quote some of the notable passages.

https://scavengeology.com/native-am...h-the-fiction-the-business-the-blood-history/

http://www.manuellisaparty.com/articles/pfd's/Some Thoughts on Butchers.pdf

These scalpers are of the simplest pattern possible-a generally straight or very slightly curved blade 6 or 7 inches long, fairly straight and unsharpened on the top, ending in a point from which the sharpened bottom edge begins and runs along the bottom back to the grip, making a curved edge suitable for skinning and slicing. The grip is a single piece of wood split with a saw for two-thirds of its length. The short tang of the knife blade was shoved into this split and fastened by two or three rivets inserted into holes drilled from side to side. With a minimum of machine polishing, the knife was completed and ready for sale.

hundreds of blades of this general style have been found at fur trade sites of the 1780-1840 period.

The Sheffield guys told me that some of the handles were also of the extreme octagon shape and that other handles were originally nothing more than the rectangular slab handles with the corners angled. They also told me that tangs were made both half and full. Full tangs were easier to haft and were stronger,

but cost slightly more to produce. Pin numbers varied as to the size of the blade it supported and whether it was full or half tang. You’ll see 4, 5, or 6 pins commonly, usually depending on the size of the knife. Either way it was always more than 3 pins. The 3 pins become standard with the invention of the “big fat” brass cutler’s rivets of the 1890s. Iron and less often brass pins are correct for the time period and not the large brass cutler’s rivets. Brass pins are also acceptable. Some of the 19th century examples even have 3/32” to 1/8″ iron pins. The norm, based on years of handling and looking at originals in collections and other research, is wood handled with iron pins.

The “scalping knife,” or “scalp knife,” had ordinary the shape of a single-edged butcher knife, but occasionally it was two-edged, like a dirk. The traders usually sold the knife alone, the Indians making the scabbard according to their own liking. The instrument was carried in the belt or on a cord passing about the neck. The prices paid for these knives differed widely. Thus, in 1665 certain Canadian Indians received 8 knives for 1 beaver skin, while in the beginning of the nineteenth century, during the height of the power of the fur companies, $7.50 was paid in their territory for a knife which in England was worth 3 1/2 pence. At about the same period farther south, in the United States, a knife cost $1. Catlin tells us that in 1832 a Sheffield knife, worth perhaps 6 pence, was valued at the price of a horse.


Some pictures of finds - note the tangs.

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A diagram of sorts.

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Here is an interesting reference with regards to the mentioned book - note the reference "Brass inlaid knives". I found the book on archive.org and am leafing through it.

John McKnight leaves on a trading expedition with the Comanche in 1822 (Three Years Among the Mexicans and Indians by John McKnight. In his trade list are: …2 doz. Cartouche Knives …2 doz. Buck Knives …3 doz. Brass inlaid knives …1doz. Clasp knives and …1 doz. Pocket knives … The list of McKnight's goods are in the Chouteau/Moffit collection in the Missouri Historical Society. From Tomahawk and Long Rifle, Vol. 12, No. 1 (March 1987).


This is a different style of knife pictured below but it does have decorative rivets and the description that accompanies the picture is as follows:

"A smoothly carved wooden handle with brass and iron rivets seats this iron blade. Five iron rivets dot the handle near the blade, six at the top of the grip, and six dots forming a circle with a seventh in the center marks the center of the hand on either side. Ten bronze rivets form an oblong circle around the seven iron rivets.The blade itself forms a spear point shape, made of dark iron.The sheath is dark leather with diamond shaped tooling along the front. All is sinew sewn. Initials J or T and I near the scabbard throat."

As I understand it, tacks or rivets were a common trade item as well.

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Pàdruig Pàdruig , Dylan this is a "Beaver Tail" Hudson Bay Trade knife? o_O

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I would have bet $$s that is was a version of a Sgian Dubh though most I've seen are a bit more ornamental.

That Beaver Tail is a beauty :thumbsup: I'll take it. ;)
 
Pàdruig Pàdruig , Dylan this is a "Beaver Tail" Hudson Bay Trade knife? o_O

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I would have bet $$s that is was a version of a Sgian Dubh though most I've seen are a bit more ornamental.

That Beaver Tail is a beauty :thumbsup: I'll take it. ;)

Sgian Dubhs were traditionally far smaller and usually single edged. Also, contrary to popular belief, it didn't become customary to wear it in one's sock until the Victorian era where it became a part of military and formal Scottish dress.

Anyway, the Beaver Tail (also known as a Dag or Indian Dagger) was one of the few styles that were offered by the Hudson Bay Trading Company during the latter part of the fur trade era. The ones I have pictured measure roughly around 12" overall with a 7" blade. Sgian Dubhs traditionally have around a 3" blade. Its predecessor, the Sgian Achlais, was larger and thought to have been regularly carried in the jacket sleeve or armpit.
 
No kilt here. I don't even have socks that would house a sgain dubh but, I might be willing to get some knee highs if means rockin' a Redmeadow like a sheep... er... Scotsman would. :D:p

Ha! That invites... less than pleasant visuals :D. I think there is a pic of me in my getup floating around here somewhere - though it might be in one of those threads that got moved off-line (not because of my kilt, or at least I should hope not).

Honestly though, I think a Sgian Dubh makes for an excellent everyday knife and I would suspect that before it got relegated to being stuck in a sock for whatever reason, it was likely a very useful utility blade - in the traditional sense, kept in a pocket or sporran.

I'd love to see a Redmeadow version. Unfortunately, most modern renditions are for formal dress so a nice, functionally sound one would be really cool to see.
 
I'd love to see a Redmeadow version. Unfortunately, most modern renditions are for formal dress so a nice, functionally sound one would be really cool to see.

I really like that idea. Here a few inspirations -

Basic in Black and silver. Can never go wrong with basic black.SD1.jpg

Imagine one in twisted stacked leather ;) - getting too formal? :rolleyes: Nice though, isn't it?
Wooden-Knotwork-Day-Sgian-Dubh.jpg
 
This might be the best thread for this for now, I may post a sticky with more details later...

I turn down a lot of requests for custom orders, my response is usually something like, "I'm not taking individual custom orders but I'm impressionable when it comes to what I make".

If you guys have a knife that you'd like to see made, start a thread and if you can get a discussion going we'll see what we can come up with. If you want to see if it's something that I'd consider first, send me a message and I'll be upfront about it. If knives get made from a discussion thread, I'll offer them first to who started the thread, then to who posted in the thread, then to everyone else. I can't guarantee that I'll find the idea interesting enough to make or even possible but this is the best I can offer since I don't do customs.

Take a look at the Gamblers Bowie thread, knives will come out of that because that's a design I've always wanted to make. A Sgian Dubh is another one that I could be convinced to do. I'm open to a lot of ideas, mostly traditional ones. If you guys have patience, and allow me to design things, I'll see what I can do to make something happen. That seems fair, I'd be open to any suggestions on that system.
 
No kilt here. I don't even have socks that would house a sgain dubh but, I might be willing to get some knee highs if means rockin' a Redmeadow like a sheep... er... Scotsman would. :D:p
Tube sock?
 
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