What Slipjoints Patterns are hardest to make?

[Rebus777]

I have heard that the various true whittlers
are the hardest because of the main blade
resting on two springs.

Number of blades and bolster shape probably
effect this. I would think that the hooked
bolster of the canoe and copperhead would be
much harder to get right than a square or
rounded one. On three bladed knives, crinking
and spacers have to be added.

I have noticed that Camillus uses an extra
spacing liner on their stockman, so their blades
don't have to be crinked as much.

This makes me realize the trapper is probably
the easiest multiblade pattern to make, because
of it's plain bolsters and no crinking.

Hardest to easiest?

1. True whittler
2. 4 blade stockman (have never liked 3 blades and 1 blade on ends)
3. 4 blade congress
4. 3 blade stockman
5. True Canoe (only one spring)
6. Copperhead
7. Trapper & other 2 blade Jacks
8. All the single blade Jacks

I am wondering if the canoe should be in the No.4 position because
of the hooked bolsters, spacers and crinking.

Well I've just been thinking out loud. Anyone have any corrections
or comments?

-Rebus

 

[Gus Kalanzis]

I pretty much agree with your list, but I think a 5 bladed sow-belly needs to be in there kinda high as well as the amazing horse-mans knife patterns that Richard Rogers has been making over the last 3 years or so. Those knives are simply amazing. Enough to win the Blade Handmade knife of the year.
Here is a pic of just a few of the blades on the knife that won that award in 2000.

 

[Rebus777]

Gus, of course you are correct in
bringing up these more complicated,
mostly custom patterns.

I was thinking of production knives
and whether the difficulty of manufacture
was reflected in their pricing. Maybe
stockmans are priced cheaper because
so many are made compared to other
patterns?

I really enjoy your pictures and comments!!

-Rebus

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Split Back Whittler, with 3 Blades, 2 blades one on each of their own springs, and the Master Blade on the two springs together.
It is extremely difficult to get the 2 back springs to mate up flush and still operate smoothly.

 

[mikespens]

Rebus, As usual, the pattern most overlooked by collectors, the lobster, was considered the most difficult to manufacture. The reason is it's construction using a split spring that is internal between a top and bottom blade. Though many were relativley simple 2 bladed designs such as fob knives, the pattern also includes multibladed models which somewhere along the way also evolved into sportsmen's, gentelman's, and also horseman's knives. Though Richard Rodger's custom horseman's is modern, it's copied from and inspired by a vintage Sheffield pattern. I would argue that some of these vintage knives are the equal to custom made knives of today. Anyway, the lowly lobster usually features premium materails and details such as milled liners and sometimes filework. According to Levine's, they were usually made by the shop's most experienced craftsmen and also topped the catalogs price list by a substantial margin. My personel favorite lobster pattern is the Orange Blossom, a four bladed knife which combines a whittler on top, file on the bottom and a gunstock handle. If you find one of these rare vintage knives, expect to pay a premium price. Ironically, probably the most popular modern knife pattern is an evoultion of a the lobster, the Swiss Army knife. Of course, modern automated manufacturing techniques have made them simple and cheap to manufacture.