What would an old sailor use?

Joined
Oct 18, 2004
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Are there any specific styles of knives, fixed or folder, that would be thought of as a traditional "sailor's knife"? I'm not talking about modern models, like the green handled Old Timer's, but any "types" that would be common to or favored by seamen/fishermen prior to, say, WWII.

Your thoughts?
 
something with a sheepfoot, or wharncliffe blade. I believe many rigging knives had sheepfoot blades. Sheath knives were also used. The finnish i beleived used puukos. Ive also read that buttlerfly knives were used by sailors from spain and portugal well over 100-50+ years ago.

Heres a link to a "turn of the century" sailor's knife:
http://www.mjdtools.com/tools/list_634/32444.htm

Here is another, click on the link it is number 16:
http://americanbowie.com/page3.html

Can anyone else comment on this?
 
Most sailors used knives without points, like a sheepsfoot. A couple theories why, both I heard was so it was harder to stab with. One said it was harder to stab yourself on a pitching deck. The other was it was harder to stab somebody else. Sailors rumored to be notorious rough guys and the captains did not want them shanking each other in disagreements.
 
yes.
the humor behind it is that sailors are stereotypically drunken and rowdy, in which case sheepsfoot blades kept them from stabbing each other too much.
in reality, it's simply much safer to use a blade without a pointy tip on a ship that's tossing about at sea - less chance of putting it through your own hand/leg/etc.
and yes, the finnish (and other scandinavians) used puukkos.
peace.
 
The spike is for working with rope, you can use it to separate strands for splicing, or stick into a knot to loosen it a bit, or use it to hold on a bight or loop to pull it tight, you can also put it into the hole of a shackle pin to help open it, etc.

Luis

Edited to add a picture, some of my rigging knives and marlin spikes:

lfqmh


lv6ag
 
Very nice work, Luis, as always.
That is a neat group. Thanks for sharing with us

Bill.
 
WilliePete said:
Could you tell me where you found the French fid? (Bottom row, 3rd from right.) Thanks.

Bill

Someone I know brought it from Boston some years ago, I believe it was ordered online, a Google search for "wichard shackler spike" should show some places, here´s a couple that I found.:

http://www.onlinemarine.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online_superstore/sailing/shackeys.htm?E+scstore

http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e893.asp


Thaks all for the nice comments.


Lobo Bill,

Maybe some day I´ll find me a Schrade rigging knife.

Luis
 
Luis,
I'll keep my eyes open for you, but here in the desert I'm more likely to find a cattle knife......hey, it might have a punch, will that do? :)
I'll bet LT has a few rigging knives by old George....he has EVERYTHING....including the cornerstone. ;)

Bill
 
Like this, Don Luis?

We talked about this one before, how it doesn't have the lock.

Nice collection you have there...

Glenn
 

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Glenn,

Yes something like that, I remember I mentioned that I had never seen one without the locking lever, They do come up occasionally on ebay, the problem as usual is getting them into Mexico, thanks for the picture.

I might add that for a user my favorite is the all steel flat one with hole in the blade and shackler slot in the spike, it´s a Captain Currey made in Sheffield. My most used spike is the little black one made from a long bolt, wrapped and tied with some old boot shoelaces, funny it was made in pinch with whatever I could find and came out pretty handy to use.

Luis
 
luis,
do you know any websites where i can read a little about knotwork?
monkeypaws, etc...
thanks.
peace.
 
I don't know about sailors but there are a bunch of old pirates over in the Pirates Cove forum. No telling what kind of things they use.
 
Well it seems that R.L.Stevenson thought that sailors used a couple of knives.
One being a Gully, the other a Large Clasp knife.

Kap
 
Don Luis said:
Sure...
And check out the Links page from the International Guild of Knot Tyers
Luis

right on! thanks a lot.
peace.

edit:
kapt kopter said:
...a couple of knives.
One being a Gully, the other a Large Clasp knife.
and isn't a gully a type of large clasp knife?
 
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