Uses For The Stockman

B

BladeLoverChamp

Joined
Apr 15, 2019
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31
I have always found the stockman knife pattern very unique and cool ever since I’ve been into knives. Although I find myself a little indecisive on what kind of use I can find for all 3 blades, so what I wanted to ask, and I’m sure this’ll generate some interesting discussion, is what do y’all use your stockman knives for and what’s some good use for all 3 blades y’all are able to find?
 
With a stockman, I almost always find I use the main blade and secondary straight edge the most. What’s nice is having that one extra smaller blade with a sharp edge on standby. There’s really no need designating a use for the blades, it’s just nice having a few at your disposal.
 
I use the main blade for general use. I use the sheepsfoot blade for any cut which needs to start in the middle of a surface, like for opening packages. The sheepsfoot is unmatched for making puncture cuts. The harder you push, the more it forces the blade open.
I save the spey for those times when I need a razor sharp blade.
 
I was told by an old man that the stockman had 3 blades form3 different purposes. The main blade was for the majority of general cutting, piercing etc.
The sheep’s foot was for rough stuff that would dull it.
The Spey blade was for delicate work requiring a razor sharp blade.
 
knarfeng said:
I use the main blade for general use. I use the sheepsfoot blade for any cut which needs to start in the middle of a surface, like for opening packages. The sheepsfoot is unmatched for making puncture cuts. The harder you push, the more it forces the blade open.
I save the spey for those times when I need a razor sharp blade.
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this is exactly how I use mine also.
 
I greatly dislike spey blades. Some are better than others, and those that are better are closer to pen blades. That's my opinion, anyway. I don't do much cattle castrating these days (or ever). Because of this my favorite stockmans are ones like the Case 6332 (old predecessor to 63032, with half-stops) and the 6318HE or 087 models. The main blade is obviously your "main" blade, the pen blade for detailed work, and the sheepsfoot for packaging and other draw-cut use. Remember that not only do you have 3 different blades, but you can have 3 different edges. For example, a regular edge on your main blade, a thinned-out scalpel-like edge on your pen/spey, and a toothy "working" edge on your sheepsfoot.
 
knarfeng said:
I use the main blade for general use. I use the sheepsfoot blade for any cut which needs to start in the middle of a surface, like for opening packages. The sheepsfoot is unmatched for making puncture cuts. The harder you push, the more it forces the blade open.
Click to expand...

Agree. Since I have carried one off and on for many years, I look at it as the first utility knife for me. I was the first pattern I bought for myself with my own money somewhere wayyyyy back, probably early to mid 60 when I "outgrew" my BSA knife. I have used a stockman as a work knife, a hunting knife, a camp knife, and anything else that needs cutting. By far and away my favorite traditional pattern.

knarfeng said:
I save the spey for those times when I need a razor sharp blade.
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In carpentry/trim/cabinet work, it is nice to have a blade that is sharp and rounded to cut without gouging your surfaces. You can actually do a little light planing with the blade if you are careful, but it does need to be very sharp.

Of course, the spey does a mighty fine job cutting the V in my cigars, too!

Robert
 
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I use mine:
- When a rumble breaks out with the Sharks (or Jets).
- To hack my way through the vegetation trying to make it to Dr. Livingston.
- To cut bait so I can catch that big fish my buddy Ernie wrote about.
- To slice my main shroud line so I can deploy my reserve chute in the event of a Mae West.
- For hand to hand in the woods just outside Bastogne.
- To carve big totem poles from tree stumps I'm too cheap to have ground.
- To whittle the bat called "Wonderboy".

I'll think of some other stuff later - my wife Mrs. Mitty has some things for me to do. ;)

(yeah - I do all the other stuff mentioned above too :) )
 
Planterz said:
I greatly dislike spey blades. Some are better than others, and those that are better are closer to pen blades. That's my opinion, anyway. I don't do much cattle castrating these days (or ever). Because of this my favorite stockmans are ones like the Case 6332 (old predecessor to 63032, with half-stops) and the 6318HE or 087 models. The main blade is obviously your "main" blade, the pen blade for detailed work, and the sheepsfoot for packaging and other draw-cut use. Remember that not only do you have 3 different blades, but you can have 3 different edges. For example, a regular edge on your main blade, a thinned-out scalpel-like edge on your pen/spey, and a toothy "working" edge on your sheepsfoot.
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It’s funny you mention that. I stayed away from the blades part of the discussion. But, I’m with you. Not a fan of pen blades or sheepsfoot blades actually. The sheepsfoot always sits up so tall that it’s a little bit uncomfortable when doing harder work with the main blade. One of my very most favorite knives, the maker put a pen and a wharncliff in it. And it is PERFECT. The blades are ground hella thin, and he packed in a ton of blade for the size. They are ground to fit and not “crinked”. There is a tiny bit of blade rub, but well worth the size of blade he packaged into the frame.
D280A14B-77EC-4BD4-905E-E636F10D6E91.jpeg 7CBF8146-F33F-4B70-8546-DBF6B4C36158.jpeg

see how low profile the secondaries are when using the main?
302F7F33-B77A-4145-8B70-9681E832E2D4.jpeg
 
When I was a kid growing up on the farm the spay blade was always used to castrate livestock.
 
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Many years ago I began, (with Ken Erickson), to ask makers of my stock and cattle knives to substitute a "zulu" or semi-wharncliffe / drop point type blade in place of the spay on my custom built knives. I've had such done by Ken Erickson, Enrique Pena, Ryuichi Kawamura and others.

Here's an example by Ken Erickson:

IMGP8951_0781_edited-1.jpg
 
I grew up on a farm and ranch in rural America and the stockman pocket knife was a prime necessity. All the men and boys I knew had a stockman pocket knife and I just assumed that was the standard.

To me it isn’t a true stockman if it doesn’t have a spey blade and the ones with an awl in place of the spey blade are a harness knife. The ones with a pen blade are like a three blade urban jack knife. Lol. And then others with various tools like a hoof pick or hook are specialty knives kinda like a multi tool.

The main blade on a stockman I use for general slicing and piercing, the sheep’s foot blade for rope, twine and trace cutting materials like leather or gasket materials. The Spey blade is of course for casterating but also makes a good skinning blade for small to medium size game. I use it like a scalpel and mostly the upswept end of the blade. With those three different blades I could do most any small or light to medium tasks. For heavier tasks I use a larger knife.
 
wackafew said:
When I was a kid growing up on the farm the spay blade was always used to castrate livestock.
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I agree. But that isn’t a task that I have needed. Lol.

Blues said:
Many years ago I began, (with Ken Erickson), to ask makers of my stock and cattle knives to substitute a "zulu" or semi-wharncliffe / drop point type blade in place of the spay on my custom built knives. I've had such done by Ken Erickson, Enrique Pena, Ryuichi Kawamura and others.

Here's an example by Ken Erickson:

View attachment 1544690
Click to expand...

That’s a really good idea! I might would actually prefer it in the spot of the sheepsfoot , but either way, that’s a very useful blade shape to have on hand.
 
Clip is used for general work. Sheepsfoot for delicate or semi-delicate work like carving, precision paper cutting, etc.... I regrind the spey for rough work like scraping, etc.... The short length makes it great for that type of work, and it's my least favorite blade, so if one has to take damage, I hope it's that one.

Also, I've gravitated to the 4 1/4" + size, I find it works great for 99% of daily tasks.
 
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Lesknife said:
I grew up on a farm and ranch in rural America and the stockman pocket knife was a prime necessity. All the men and boys I knew had a stockman pocket knife and I just assumed that was the standard.

To me it isn’t a true stockman if it doesn’t have a spey blade and the ones with an awl in place of the spey blade are a harness knife. The ones with a pen blade are like a three blade urban jack knife. Lol. And then others with various tools like a hoof pick or hook are specialty knives kinda like a multi tool.

The main blade on a stockman I use for general slicing and piercing, the sheep’s foot blade for rope, twine and trace cutting materials like leather or gasket materials. The Spey blade is of course for casterating but also makes a good skinning blade for small to medium size game. I use it like a scalpel and mostly the upswept end of the blade. With those three different blades I could do most any small or light to medium tasks. For heavier tasks I use a larger knife.
Click to expand...
That is pretty much how I always used mine. Sold off the brood cows a few years ago so i don't really need to cut bull calves these days. I can remember when Case sold stockmen with the spey blade etched "for flesh only". Very thin scalpel edge.
 
It’s nice to use one of the blades on a stockman or cattle knife as the rough use blade so as to better preserve the edges of the other blades.
 
Lesknife said:
I grew up on a farm and ranch in rural America and the stockman pocket knife was a prime necessity. All the men and boys I knew had a stockman pocket knife and I just assumed that was the standard.

To me it isn’t a true stockman if it doesn’t have a spey blade and the ones with an awl in place of the spey blade are a harness knife. The ones with a pen blade are like a three blade urban jack knife. Lol. And then others with various tools like a hoof pick or hook are specialty knives kinda like a multi tool.

The main blade on a stockman I use for general slicing and piercing, the sheep’s foot blade for rope, twine and trace cutting materials like leather or gasket materials. The Spey blade is of course for casterating but also makes a good skinning blade for small to medium size game. I use it like a scalpel and mostly the upswept end of the blade. With those three different blades I could do most any small or light to medium tasks. For heavier tasks I use a larger knife.
Click to expand...

Certainly agree with all of that. Growing up in South Texas, all the men seem to carry only one of two knives; a large CASE stockman or a CASE skinner. Without the spey blade, it was not considered a "stockman" pattern, as a real rancher, cowboy or anyone that raised animals was called to castrate animals, making it a stockman's knife. To put another blade on/in it is a pretty neat idea, but that's like taking another purpose built knife (which a stockman was long before they were collectable!) like a fish filet knife, replacing the scaler/de-hooking blade with a saw and calling it a fisherman folding filet knife. Same idea, but not the same knife.

And as you said, I never heard a knife with a leather punch called out as a stockman's knife, stockman pattern or anything like that. Especially among he old timers that used them for the utility of the punch blade, they were always called "harness knives", and I had the opportunity see those guys repair all kinds of things with the punch. They even used them to undo hard knots when loads were secured with ropes.

Robert
 
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