Defunct Blade Shapes/Styles and Other Historical Oddities, Peculiarities, and Rarities

[TurnipGreens]

Just like the title says, this is the place to post and discuss now-defunct blade patterns, or any other anomaly within the history of traditional knives.

This can include shapes tailored to a specific trade or use that has since disappeared, one-off styles and configurations put out by specific manufacturers, and anything else y'all think fits.

As long as it is somewhat defunct now, it's fair game. To qualify, it need not be completely impossible to find now, just not widespread.

For example, the Cotton Sampler had a specific function which is largely defunct, was never popularly repurposed, and is now not widely available, though some places still make it, so it fits nicely. Conversely, while the Spey had a specific function not widely practiced anymore, it has nonetheless found widespread popularity for other uses, so does not fit.

 

[Jack Black]

Quill Knives outlived quill pens, but are long obsolete. This is my oldest, from the 1830's.

Thread 'A 200 Year Old Quill Knife'

Apr 18, 2022

I sometimes have to smile at the wishful thinking that can go into dating old English folding knives, ('Spring Knives' as they are rightly called). In truth, they can be extremely difficult to date precisely, due to a number of factors I've mentioned many times before, in particular the idiosyncrasies of the 'Little Mester' system of production, which was dominant in Sheffield throughout the period of cutlery production there. There are, however, still a good number of hundred year-old Sheffield knives around, and some older than that, but it's not often that I come across one as old as...

• Jack Black
• Replies: 48
• Forum: Traditional Folders and Fixed Blades

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[Jack Black]

Some older readers may recall the disputes, in the mid to late 20th century, between longshoremen and dock-workers on the one hand, and their employers on the other, relating to ‘containerisation’. The employers envisaged greater efficiency and cost-saving, while the workers foresaw a reduction in their pay and industrial muscle, and the inevitably of redundancies. Both groups were proved right in terms of their predictions, the employers won, and today, virtually all international shipping is in the form of containers. However, the 20th century was not the first period of history, when there was a dispute over containerisation, and when it radically transformed maritime shipping. Everyone, from the ship's captain, to the humblest docker, once supplemented their wages with 'sweepings', whereby which it was taken for granted that they helped themselves to a portion of the cargo. When cargo began to be transported in wooden barrels and hogsheads, the coopers and carpenters, with their marking irons, became powerful, since only they could slip in and out of the wooden containers, so to speak. Their Rase Knives were much more primitive than the one on this gaffer's knife from George Butler, which is different to any other I have seen.

 

[Jack Black]

Here are some ink erasers, for scratching out a mistake. There are different types, sometimes you get a whole set of half a dozen.

 

[danno50]

Nice examples, Jack.
Here is an old Keen Kutter cotton sampler.

 

[Jack Black]

Nice examples, Jack.
Here is an old Keen Kutter cotton sampler.

View attachment 2677037

Thank you Dan, that's a beauty

 

[waynorth]

The short beak!! (from Smith's Key!!)
(Typo corrected)


Found on this old Oates Barlow; approx. 200 years old!!

More recently featured on this "Ancient" in 2015!!

 

[Peregrin]

I think this might meet your criteria.

Here's an old, rare Dassaud Laguiole, gifted to me by Âchillepattada Jean-Marc. This one has a Trocar secondary blade. I did a little research and came up with this. I found it very interesting, as it was all new to me.

"Most of us who did not spend years in medical school do not know what a Trocar is; it is a surgical instrument used to puncture body cavities. Now, you may ask yourself why a cattleman would need such an instrument, here is why: Herds of cattle do not always stay in their assigned fields, although the dogs usually keep them put, they do escape from time to time. The worse fields a cow can escape to are the ones that contain "Luzerne" AKA "Alfalfa"

Luzerne is a legume or a plant that produces nitrogen utilizing its root system. This is what contributes to an animal's suffering from "bloat" if they eat too much of it, or eat it at a particular time, i.e., when the grass is damp and young (young grass contains proportionately more of the toxin).

"Bloat" is the technical name for what happens, i.e., the animal "blows up" or "bloats" from the gas produced in its rumen (which is one of the four compartments of its digestive system). If the bloat is not relieved on time the cattlemen will lose their herd as most animals will succumb to internal stomach pressure.

The only way to save the animal was to puncture the stomach to relieve the pressure, so the French shepherds used whatever was at hand, including pieces of barbed wire, nails, or sharp sticks until the Awl was integrated into their knives.

The Awl's shape and size were designed to assure that the cattlemen would not injure the animal by inserting the awl too deep, the tapered triangular angles of the awl are made to create a "clean" hole, not a slash. The notches often found on various models are purely decorative."

 

[Modoc ED]

The blade shown in the picture Jack Jack Black posted above is currently used by some U.S. Forest Service personnel as a Timber/Tree Scriber.

 

[r8shell]

Corn Knives for podiatry.

 

[waynorth]

Just like the title says, this is the place to post and discuss now-defunct blade patterns, or any other anomaly within the history of traditional knives.

This can include shapes tailored to a specific trade or use that has since disappeared, one-off styles and configurations put out by specific manufacturers, and anything else y'all think fits.

As long as it is somewhat defunct now, it's fair game. To qualify, it need not be completely impossible to find now, just not widespread.

Welcome to Bladeforums, Turnip!! You've jumped right into it, with this interesting thread!!
Congratulations!!

 

[waynorth]

Corn Knives for podiatry.

I always cringe when I see those, but it's a nice collection, Rachel!! Usually razor-ground - sharp!!

 

[Will Power]

I don't own one but others may, the Horseman's Knife an old multi-blade pattern would have included things such as a Hoof Pick or Stone Hook and often a Fleam for bleeding the horse. Fleams also appeared on medical knives used by doctors for bleeding, making incisions for inoculations or encouraging Leeches to get working

Horticultural knives sometimes included a Spud which was often Ivory for enabling grafting/budding, these too are now anachronistic. Smoker's knives are now more or less a thing of the past as pipe smoking is now very rare compared to 40 years ago. They may have had a bowl Spoon for light scraping of the pipe and a tamper to push down tobacco plus spike to prod the stem with (when congested with wet tobacco, drool and tar )

 

[Rookie82]

This is a newer designed reproduction of an old historic pattern. The cockfighting knives of the 1800's were usually 3 blades with a knife blade, saw, and string cutter. As cockfighting popularity died off in the US after WW2, these style of knife blades are pretty rare now.

 

[Arathol]

This is a newer designed reproduction of an old historic pattern. The cockfighting knives of the 1800's were usually 3 blades with a knife blade, saw, and string cutter. As cockfighting popularity died off in the US after WW2, these style of knife blades are pretty rare now.

Thats not a string cutter, its the equivalent of a spey blade for roosters.....

 

[Jack Black]

The long beak!! (from Smith's Key!!)View attachment 2677048

Found on this old Oates Barlow; approx. 200 years old!!View attachment 2677050

More recently featured on this "Ancient" in 2015!!View attachment 2677051View attachment 2677052

That was an amazing find Charlie (It's a SHORT Beak )

I think this might meet your criteria.

Here's an old, rare Dassaud Laguiole, gifted to me by Âchillepattada Jean-Marc. This one has a Trocar secondary blade. I did a little research and came up with this. I found it very interesting, as it was all new to me.

"Most of us who did not spend years in medical school do not know what a Trocar is; it is a surgical instrument used to puncture body cavities. Now, you may ask yourself why a cattleman would need such an instrument, here is why: Herds of cattle do not always stay in their assigned fields, although the dogs usually keep them put, they do escape from time to time. The worse fields a cow can escape to are the ones that contain "Luzerne" AKA "Alfalfa"

Luzerne is a legume or a plant that produces nitrogen utilizing its root system. This is what contributes to an animal's suffering from "bloat" if they eat too much of it, or eat it at a particular time, i.e., when the grass is damp and young (young grass contains proportionately more of the toxin).

"Bloat" is the technical name for what happens, i.e., the animal "blows up" or "bloats" from the gas produced in its rumen (which is one of the four compartments of its digestive system). If the bloat is not relieved on time the cattlemen will lose their herd as most animals will succumb to internal stomach pressure.

The only way to save the animal was to puncture the stomach to relieve the pressure, so the French shepherds used whatever was at hand, including pieces of barbed wire, nails, or sharp sticks until the Awl was integrated into their knives.

The Awl's shape and size were designed to assure that the cattlemen would not injure the animal by inserting the awl too deep, the tapered triangular angles of the awl are made to create a "clean" hole, not a slash. The notches often found on various models are purely decorative."

Incredible Gary, I think I remember reading a reference to this before, very interesting indeed

The blade shown in the picture Jack Jack Black posted above is currently used by some U.S. Forest Service personnel as a Timber/Tree Scriber.

Amazing Ed, I wonder if they're still in use anywhere else? I've sometimes seen older models models, both fixed and folding, but they are quite big, and unpocketable

Corn Knives for podiatry.

Nice collection Rachel

This is a newer designed reproduction of an old historic pattern. The cockfighting knives of the 1800's were usually 3 blades with a knife blade, saw, and string cutter. As cockfighting popularity died off in the US after WW2, these style of knife blades are pretty rare now.

Those are fascinating knives (I even shelled out for one of the cheapo ones )

Thats not a string cutter, its the equivalent of a spey blade for roosters.....

Delicately put

 

[Peregrin]

Incredible Gary, I think I remember reading a reference to this before, very interesting indeed

You've got a good memory, Jack. I've posted about the knife a few times before.

 

[waynorth]

That was an amazing find Charlie (It's a SHORT Beak )

Name corrected! You'd think I would remember - you've corrected me before!!

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Oh I can’t wait to get back home to NEPA someday, I got all kinds of defunct and discontinued blade styles.

Curses to you oh twisted winds of fate that has me 750 miles from my beloved knives.

When I get home, when ever that may be I’ll post up some examples I have. Great topic TG

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Corn Knives for podiatry.

For the longest time I thought a corn cutter was for removing the corn from the cob. Lol