Will Power
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 33,363
Tom I'm not always very good at expressing myself.
Many knife 'names' come from manufacturers' marketing ploys that then become part of general parlance, if they take on. I don't know what English or German makers originally called a 'Congress' knife, a study of old catalogues may help. Or if they called it 'Congress' to appeal to American vibes or if Americans started dubbing it Congress, but whatever, American pride in its Democracy & Constitution means the name Congress is bound up with American I.D. and none other. Interestingly, GEC's soon to be re-released 13 pattern is on a Congress frame and they've opted to use names resonant with politics for the various models - Whip, Speaker and the third I forget.
You could not imagine the English calling the pattern House of Lords
But, when Scout knives were mentioned earlier as a candidate a) Baden Powell was the founder of Scouting and was English but b) the Scout pattern is a development of the Sportsman's Knife a costly & complicated pattern favoured by English & French cutlers. The Scout knife was undeniably very popular in the US for a significant part of the c20th.
Brownshoe is correct in that some definition is required, but is it possible? He may also be correct in saying that we are all correct. You could also argue, that the Muskrat pattern is really 'American' as fur trapping and skinning fur animals was a big occupation in N.America not so much in Europe. The notion of having a knife with two long identical blades (apart from the Improved version) has never been widely popular it seems to me, except with skinners or knife enthusiast collectors. But it's certainly American in its use and origins even if it's a lesser known pattern today. The Trapper also appears to be fundamentally American in use and origins, for similar reasons to the Muskrat.
The wreck of the Arabia reveals diverse patterns, large Swell Ends/Teardrops have largely disappeared from view today-more's the pity, but even if it was one merchant's large consignment, it does give some indication as to tastes and popularity. There are plenty of Congress types on view and as Brownshoe points out, this was in an area that was not part of the South, suggesting wider popularity.
Many knife 'names' come from manufacturers' marketing ploys that then become part of general parlance, if they take on. I don't know what English or German makers originally called a 'Congress' knife, a study of old catalogues may help. Or if they called it 'Congress' to appeal to American vibes or if Americans started dubbing it Congress, but whatever, American pride in its Democracy & Constitution means the name Congress is bound up with American I.D. and none other. Interestingly, GEC's soon to be re-released 13 pattern is on a Congress frame and they've opted to use names resonant with politics for the various models - Whip, Speaker and the third I forget.You could not imagine the English calling the pattern House of Lords
But, when Scout knives were mentioned earlier as a candidate a) Baden Powell was the founder of Scouting and was English but b) the Scout pattern is a development of the Sportsman's Knife a costly & complicated pattern favoured by English & French cutlers. The Scout knife was undeniably very popular in the US for a significant part of the c20th.Brownshoe is correct in that some definition is required, but is it possible? He may also be correct in saying that we are all correct.
You could also argue, that the Muskrat pattern is really 'American' as fur trapping and skinning fur animals was a big occupation in N.America not so much in Europe. The notion of having a knife with two long identical blades (apart from the Improved version) has never been widely popular it seems to me, except with skinners or knife enthusiast collectors. But it's certainly American in its use and origins even if it's a lesser known pattern today. The Trapper also appears to be fundamentally American in use and origins, for similar reasons to the Muskrat.The wreck of the Arabia reveals diverse patterns, large Swell Ends/Teardrops have largely disappeared from view today-more's the pity, but even if it was one merchant's large consignment, it does give some indication as to tastes and popularity. There are plenty of Congress types on view and as Brownshoe points out, this was in an area that was not part of the South, suggesting wider popularity.
