Whittler or Not...

ptradeco

ptradeco

Joined
May 26, 2010
Messages
2,872
Okay gents, and ladies, here is something to digest. Is this a Whittler or is it not? Honestly, I don't know. I will tell you this; it has springs that are of equal length and width throughout, measured with precision instruments, it is a classic Whittler configuration obviously, except for the equal springs, and it feels/looks like a Whittler. There are no wedges, spacers, etc. between the two back springs. But is it…? What do you think? I own many antique and modern custom Whittlers so please don't show those examples here, if you have one of similar spring/blade construction please DO show it. This particular knife is Joseph Rogers c. 1875-1900.

There is a hint, in the pictures, as to why it may or may not be what you think it is. Who can find it?


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Ed, thank you for your input. Let's see what some others have to say, personally I am not sure!
 
Brad, as you know I cant tell you much about knives.
I would call that a Whittler immediately - I never thought that a knife HAD to have a Swedge spring set up, and the way the Main runs off both Springs, and the secondary blades each use their separate springs= WHITTLER to me, and what a beautiful Whittler you have my friend - Wow!
 
ptradeco said:
Ed, thank you for your input. Let's see what some others have to say, personally I am not sure!
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Well, maybe it's a "gentleman's whittler"... And, it may be something a bit more specialized that I'm not familiar with. I would say that I would have considered it a whittler and not questioned it further. So, I might get an education here, which I certainly don't mind at all. It is a beautiful knife whatever it is.

Ed J
 
I'd say so. The two springs under the main blade cap it. The blade configuration is pretty classic whittler, but I think the purists have to have the two springs (one in the case of split backspring) under the main blade to qualify.
 
TLARbb said:
Yep! I'd say that's a whittler. And a nice one, too.

Ed J
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Campbellclanman said:
Brad, as you know I cant tell you much about knives.
I would call that a Whittler immediately - I never thought that a knife HAD to have a Swedge spring set up, and the way the Main runs off both Springs, and the secondary blades each use their separate springs= WHITTLER to me, and what a beautiful Whittler you have my friend - Wow!
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100 % agreed Gentlemen - that´s a whittler for me as well and a pretty nice one too!

Interessting discussion on the AAPK Forum, for sure and pretty interessting to read, thanks Gev :)
 
That is a gorgeous whitter for sure.

And I have never, ever, seen a knife that is 125 to 150 years old that looks that clean and nice. No discoloration on the pearl scales at all, no tarnish or discoloration on the blades, not even a speck of dirt! Excellent!

How was it maintained in such pristine condition? Do you know?

Robert
 
V.interesting! No tapered backspring, no spacer (that sometimes people wrongly call split spring). New pattern, Equal Spring Whittler?? By the quality it looks like an Exhibition knife or a personal one off by the cutler? Clues in the picture..? Red line, bamboo mat, sushi mat?? Gets more and more interesting! It's been stored in amber (almost) to preserve such pristine appearance of the blades and handles.
 
I would call that very beautiful old knife a whittler - if the main blade rests between the two secondary blades it's a whittler; there are several variations of backsprings on whittlers. OH
 
I think it's a whittler but I believe whittlers with the secondaries on the wide end of the sleeveboard frame are not common. Very pretty knife, congrats.

Regards

Robin
 
Brad, my Joel Chamblin sleeveboard whittler has the same spring construction, but the main opens at the wide end of the sleeve.

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Kris
 
I don't claim to be an expert, but I'd call that a Whittler. I do, however, know a beautiful knife when I see one, and that's a beauty. :thumbup:
 
If I saw it I'd just assume it was a whittler pattern, looking forward to learning something though :)
 
ptradeco said:
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Within what I consider the "poker hand ranking" of pattern distinctives, whereby some features trump others when it comes to final (or popularly-agreed-upon) pattern designations, "whittler" rises to the top simply because of the blade placement and selection.

I like the subtlety of the spacer being underneath the springs at the two-bladed end and not evident as a wedge atop. I don't care as much for the triple pen blade "selection," but someone evidently wanted such...? Regardless, I doubt either rises to the level of a deciding factor.

I am curious to hear what you or others are seeing that would lead to a definition that would trump 'whittler' for this particular piece.

(Good stuff, Brad. Thank you.)

~ P.
 
It is a whittler according to Bernard Levine's definition in LGIV:

A whittler is a three-blade pen knife with a large blade in one end and two small cutting blades of equal length in the other end. Whittlers have two springs. Each small blade bears on one of the springs. The large blade is extra thick and it bears on both springs. The thick master blade bearing on two springs is the most distinctive feature of a whittler.
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I was very fortunate to have seen this knife in person at the Badger show. A great example of the cutlers art.
 
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