Looking for a "lamb splitter''

krex71 · Apr 5, 2015

Hello all!

Still a noob on this forum, forgive me if I don't know the proper terminology of some things. I collect big, usable (key word!), meat cleavers and butcher knives. I've got two handed beef and hog splitters, all made at the late part of the 19th Century. I'm looking for what's called a lamb splitter, or buffalo skinner. Think of a butcher knife with the blade as thick as a heavy meat cleaver. It doesn't have to be an antique nor pristine. I use, but never abuse, these blades, trying to be part of their history.
Can anyone recommend a maker or bladesmith? I ask only because eBay tends to 'over-value' these things for the wrong reasons...

Thanks in advance to all and any help or info!

ev13wt · Apr 5, 2015

Their. Their history. They're is always "they are".

Welcome! Just read around here for a while and visit other parts of the forum and you will find the info you're looking for!

Also feel free to post a pic of your big two handers!

tltt · Apr 5, 2015

Lamson and Russell were the last commercial makers that listed them that I know of. Lamson listed them till the late 90's at least. It might be worth it to see if they have any dead stock laying around. Baring that, it might actually be worth it to see if a custom maker might want to try making one, because most nice examples are in the $100 - 200 range now.

Here was more or less the standard style from about the 1920's on -

vintage-russell-harrington-cutler-co-green-river-new-box-12-lamb-splitter_261427452530.jpg

.

I've always liked L & I J White version with the curl on the end -

.

tltt · Apr 5, 2015

P.S. Here's an old article on using them as a survival knife -

https://books.google.com/books?id=a...0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=lamb splitter&f=false .

Might have to scroll up a page.

It was actually popular to mod them into woods going knives in the 60's - 70's, and they also served as the base knife for many fake Bowie knives too.

harronek · Apr 5, 2015

Here is a pic of my Carcass Splitter , made in England and used in a slaughter house .
This thing is heavy , my wife is holding it in the second picture and was struggling to hold it up while i messed around with the camera .

Ken

devieduran · Apr 5, 2015

very big blade, does it you use to kill an elephant?

ev13wt · Apr 5, 2015

That is seriously big knife business. Cool!

tomsch · Apr 6, 2015

I have three beef splitters as part of my cleaver collection but never managed to pick up a lamb splitter. They are indeed a butcher knife shape but long and heavy and look pretty useful for overall outdoor chopping. Here's two of the beef splitters....

krex71 · May 13, 2015

Auto-correct is a bitch when you're doing speech to text. Was that reply supposed to embarrass me some how? Pointing out grammar mistakes doesn't make me look stupid, it makes you look like a pretentious boob. So if you can't give me any viable information or welcome me to the forum without any grace or respect, you can kindly piss off, ev13wt .

krex71 · May 13, 2015

tomsch said:
I have three beef splitters as part of my cleaver collection but never managed to pick up a lamb splitter. They are indeed a butcher knife shape but long and heavy and look pretty useful for overall outdoor chopping. Here's two of the beef splitters....

Those are great! Glad someone else tries to save these tools. Well done!

krex71 · May 13, 2015

tltt said:
Lamson and Russell were the last commercial makers that listed them that I know of. Lamson listed them till the late 90's at least. It might be worth it to see if they have any dead stock laying around. Baring that, it might actually be worth it to see if a custom maker might want to try making one, because most nice examples are in the $100 - 200 range now.

Here was more or less the standard style from about the 1920's on -

.

I've always liked L & I J White version with the curl on the end -

.

Thanks for the info!

krex71 · May 13, 2015

Thanks for that, tltt!

krex71 · May 13, 2015

harronek said:
Here is a pic of my Carcass Splitter , made in England and used in a slaughter house .
This thing is heavy , my wife is holding it in the second picture and was struggling to hold it up while i messed around with the camera .

Ken

That thing makes me envious... Maybe some people don't see it, but to forge those things is an art to me.

krex71 · May 13, 2015

20150513_213645_zpsockzd2f6.jpg~original

After all those impressive splitters, here are a few of my foundlings that now reside with me. 17" Forschner Chef knife for... scale?

CoelacanthNZ · May 14, 2015

OP: I have seen several of these in my travels and always wrote them off as odd cleavers - now I know what they are I will make more of an effort to collect them. I am a long way away in New Zealand but if I find another I will let you know - I am sure I could get it to you somehow.