Which blade arrangement constitutes a genuine USA Whittler? Some Photos.

Joined
Jul 28, 2005
Messages
2,204
My knife books generally state "a whittler is a three blade knife with a large blade in one end and two small cutting blades of equal length in the other end. Some whittlers have two springs and each small blade bears on one of the springs with the large master blade extra thick and bears on both springs".
"They can range in pen knives under 2 inches closed up to heavy cutting tools over 4 inches long. These were called Carpenters knives"
I have seen various Schrades described as 'Whittlers" e.g. 804<1> 893,804,863,831,plus the Ulster 58OT. Schrade brought out Commemorative Whittlers and Collaborations as well.
My photos show the 863, Ulster 58OT, Heritage 8041 and identical Mountain Whittler Knife Club 1982 <1 of 100>.Plus a very old Cut Co Whittler and box,and some others.
Schrade Cut.Co. Bicentennial Whittler Commemorating Kentucky and Tennessee from 1976 <3000 made>..."made up of original old bits"
Warren Whittler LE <1500 sets> Warren #1 wharncliffe style blade and Warren#2 modified pen style both in high carbon steel."Both styles of True Whittlers were designed by Warren Tool Co to perpetuate whittling and carving as an art and craft and made by Schrade Cutlery Corp."
The grand-daddy set of all which gave a configuration of every style blade was the Schrade Rogers <only 300 sets made> collaboration "Exchange -A-Blade Set"Featuring smooth Jade bone handles with genuine Pearl inlays....mongrammed leather storage pouch.Can you imagine ripping into a piece of Poplar with this dainty elaborate set? I originally obtained the second set to do just that but havn't had the heart to since Schrade closure..I wonder how many did with only 298 other sets out there in Schrade land.
Soooo lets see your other Schrade Whittlers.....Hoo Roo
 

Attachments

  • P8260003.jpg
    P8260003.jpg
    36 KB · Views: 54
  • P8260024.jpg
    P8260024.jpg
    35.2 KB · Views: 47
  • P8260018.jpg
    P8260018.jpg
    45.9 KB · Views: 67
  • P8260015.jpg
    P8260015.jpg
    39 KB · Views: 44
  • P8260008.jpg
    P8260008.jpg
    41.8 KB · Views: 49
some more photos of Whittler patterns...
 

Attachments

  • P8260012.jpg
    P8260012.jpg
    44.7 KB · Views: 37
  • P8260010.jpg
    P8260010.jpg
    44.1 KB · Views: 34
  • P8260027.jpg
    P8260027.jpg
    43.3 KB · Views: 32
  • P8260016.jpg
    P8260016.jpg
    47 KB · Views: 26
  • P8260017.jpg
    P8260017.jpg
    41.6 KB · Views: 32
...whittler photos...
 

Attachments

  • P8260002.jpg
    P8260002.jpg
    37.2 KB · Views: 17
  • P8260014.jpg
    P8260014.jpg
    44.3 KB · Views: 17
  • P8260020.jpg
    P8260020.jpg
    45.5 KB · Views: 18
  • P8260030.jpg
    P8260030.jpg
    39.9 KB · Views: 19
  • P8260007.jpg
    P8260007.jpg
    48.6 KB · Views: 15
....and with blades in the Rogers Jade bone handles....
 

Attachments

  • P8260034.jpg
    P8260034.jpg
    46 KB · Views: 16
  • P8260031.jpg
    P8260031.jpg
    42 KB · Views: 10
Larry,

I know this is a Schrade forum but your question was, "Which blade arrangement constitutes a genuine USA whittler?" Thus, here's my chose. Go ahead tar and feather me. I deserve it.

Case's Seahorse Whittler
XXCA-5676SeahorseWhittler-1.jpg


Jackie
 
I guess any arrangement of sharp blades that does the job for you is the simple answer.
Jackie, that 'Case' with the Master wharncliffe blade makes me just want to sit on down and start a'whittlin' mate! Nice!
 
Very nice,always love the photos. I've got to figure the picture thing out so i can share,thanks again.G.M
 
Nice collection there Larry! That big 'ol Cut.Co would be considered a cattle knife rather than a whittler, and I think the 58OT would be considered more a stockman pattern. The 804 (and its many variations) would fit the bill more than any other Schrades, complete with the split spring blade arrangement and all important coping blade. Todd, yours is the 8364, which was also available with a coping blade instead of the pen blade and went under #8363. This was kind of the little brother to the 804, which in Cut.Co #'s was the 81004 (confused enough yet?), by the way that # on the blade is not the pattern #. I'm not sure exactly what it denotes, but I've seen it on a number of Cut.Cos. . Anyone know what it means?
Here are a few that would follow your books definition, including a couple of 804's:

dxl1mq.jpg
[/IMG]

Next is an 85th Anniversary whittler, look familiar? Nice sterling silver bolsters and stag handles on this one, but still the classic 804 frame. This is my favorite of all the anniversary knives. I've also included a couple of shots of the split spring arrangement, which made for a very stout blade that wasn't as likely to snap shut on your hand ( thought you might like a bling shot Larry:D ) :

nqpd86.jpg
[/IMG]

1z542mw.jpg
[/IMG]

73monn.jpg
[/IMG]

dyx3lw.jpg
[/IMG]

Eric
 
Last edited:
....never complete without the box and bling Eric! Isn't that one magnificent stag handle on your 85th...I wonder if Herman Williams was still customising for Schrade in 1989.Looks like his expert work?
Lovely 804's..you can see why Schrade reintroduced as Heritage 8041 much later.
Thanks for showing...
If we ever get the Swap Meet going I have quite a few multiples of Schrades like both Schrade Rogers 'Changers" and it would be interesting to see what swapperooies we could all arrange. Did you blokes play marbles when you were kids? There was more fun in swapping 'dibs' than there was in playing with them? Knives are a bit the same. Hoo Roo
P.S. I put the 58OT up for comment because it had considerable discussion some time ago about being a 'Whittler' design and I dont think it meets the book description of both small blades on the same end either.
 
Last edited:
This one doesn't fit the "book" definition either but is a whittler. At least it is what Western called it. As well the blade combination is definately for whittling.

Not a Schrade though,but its my only other Whittler..

west6504.jpg



Also thanks for the info on my Cut. Co. as I was wondering why I drew a blank researching the "model number"
 
Last edited:
[QUOTE=Larry303; Did you blokes play marbles when you were kids? There was more fun in swapping 'dibs' than there was in playing with them? Knives are a bit the same. Hoo Roo



:thumbup:Larry, Yes I played marbles, the only problem w/ you is the fact that you got the Tumbbuster of all collections :p:D and that means you win!!! Great thing about it is you got knives/stuff noooo.. one here seems too?!:p
 
Ostroker..in Oz we called the big one a TomBowler and you dropped it from eye height and if you were lucky you could smash the other kids marble to bits or win it!
Marbles was better than comic book collecting cos you could win marbles off the "rich snot nose kids" but I couldnt invent a game to get the rich kids extensive comic book collections off them and I never had any to swap...kinda making up for it now!!!!
Todd your Western would definately do the job and would have to be a 'Whittler' IMHO..the 'Blade' book definition is too narrow,as there would seem to be many variations that qualify <do the job>. Hoo Roo
 
This one doesn't fit the "book" definition either but is a whittler. At least it is what Western called it. As well the blade combination is definately for whittling.

Not a Schrade though,but its my only other Whittler..

west6504.jpg



Also thanks for the info on my Cut. Co. as I was wondering why I drew a blank researching the "model number"

That blade configuration is like the swell center 863 that Schrade makes. I had one of those Todd, and it was a nice knife too. I gave it to a co-worker that did not have knife. I told him I was going to bring him a knife, and when he got it he said "Oh, thats a nice one." I used to carry it a lot. It is a 6504. There are older ones marked Western Boulder with a matchstriker nick. Nice knife. Western called it a whittler too, and they also made whittlers with the two secondary blades on the bottom end.
 
All marketing ploys aside, the cutlery definition of a whittler includes a split or paired backspring, with a heavier main blade riding both springs, and two smaller blades, one on each opposite spring end (or words to that effect). Every knife can be used to do some kind of whittling, but the confusion lies in how you use the term whittler. IMHO, if we call everything a whittler, it dumbs down the discourse, so I prefer to use the cutler's terms, not the marketer's. Here is a true whittler, 4" long, it's an 8323B, ca. 1936.
OTWsplitbk.jpg
 
Eventually connected to Schrade, Ulster Knife Co. made this heavy duty Whittler, often called a Carpenter's whittler.
UlsterSleeveboardOpen.jpg

UlsterSleeveboard.jpg

It's so heavy, someone used it to pound something, as you can see from the various "scars".
 
:thumbup:Leave it to Charlie to drag out some SWEEETT oldies!! I so do like the Carpenter Whittler partley cause I are a Wood Butcher:p and mostley cause it is, well just a neat OLD Knife.:)
 
:thumbup:Leave it to Charlie to drag out some SWEEETT oldies!! I so do like the Carpenter Whittler partley cause I are a Wood Butcher:p and mostley cause it is, well just a neat OLD Knife.:)
Just for you stroker, the wood butcher!
SchradeCarpenterEtchMark.jpg

SchradeCarpenterEtch.jpg

Incompetently photoshopped to show the saber grind and etch.:rolleyes:
 
Here's a smaller one, the "Sunday-go-to-Meetin' " version.
SchradePSWhittler.jpg

Here's a backspring pic, showing true whittler configuration. It is one of the hardest knives to fit and finish properly, and many old time collections focused on whittlers just for that reason. A whittler might cost two or three times the price of a regular Jack, back in the "day".
SchradePSWhittlerSpine.jpg
 
:thumbup:;)Thanks Charlie you da Man :D with some of the "best" aged knives of anyone I have ever seen! I would love to be able to CE and CF your collection but until then PLEASE continue to show your STUFF:D!!!
 
Back
Top