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butcher knife

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Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Messages
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Location
The Woods
I scored an old butcher knife at a second hand store for a couple bucks. At first i thought it was an OldHickory but there are no markings other than the "forge" marks, and those don't really look the old hickry ones i've seen. Any ideas on the make? Thanks
knife.jpg
 
If I got a Russell knife with those marks, I'd send it back. Those aren't forge marks. They are intentionally put in them as a poor attempt to look like forge marks, which the originals didn't have anyway. I've never seen Russells like that. Must be something new.
 
I have had several the same shape/size over the years but with smaller pins and nothing to ID them by, I make sheaths out of leather, rawhide, wool and give as gifts or blanket prizes and they are ok for beginners or youngsters trying to start a basic kit for the "Mt. Man" era.I give nothing in the way of "description" other than "butcher knife"
 
Wick Ellerbe said:
If I got a Russell knife with those marks, I'd send it back. Those aren't forge marks. They are intentionally put in them as a poor attempt to look like forge marks, which the originals didn't have anyway. I've never seen Russells like that. Must be something new.
Well, it's a good thing that I didn't invest a lot of money in it then, but all I wanted was a knife that would take and hold a sharp edge and that's what I got.
 
Ontario Knife Co who makes the Old Hickory and knives for several other companies and has since 1889, use blades with stampings that resemble old saw blades. When the company started they ground blades out using old circular saw blades which was a high quality steel for the time and the marks were left in as a sign of quality - they continue to use them as an identifying mark alhtough they now use 1095 steel stock for the blades which are drop forged to shape.
 
To me, it looks like a rehandled military/fighter wannabe type blade.
If it works for you that's all that counts.
If a thread counter tries to give you a hard time, just remind him, you are the one with the big knife. :wink:
 
Another way to make a sheath for a skinner is to make it much wider and sew in a little pocket for a wetstone that fits in front of the handle/scales- with the point of the blade hooking under it. I saw it in one of the Baldwin books on Primitive Knives and Sheaths- If I recall it was Sioux or Blackfoot. To attach to the belt have two rawhide thongs in back- a loose fit so the sheath can get out of the way when you get on a horse.
 
I have been thru a half dozen or more of those skinnin' Beaver over the years they are great for skinning /shaving the hide off of flattails, I am sure they are called skinning knives now, Russel GR still makes them
 
Rifleman1776 said:
To me, it looks like a rehandled military/fighter wannabe type blade.
knife.jpg


I beg to differ. This is a typical butcher blade. Any fighter would have a pronounced point. IMO
 
Yep, you're right, it's a buffalo skinner, I wasn't paying attention. The "forge marks" are really just slightly indented and the blade is probably stamped that way to enhance the looks. I stained the handle with brown shoe polish. The sheath actually cost more than the knife itself, but it holds a very sharp edge.
 
bull3540 said:
Yep, you're right, it's a buffalo skinner, I wasn't paying attention. The "forge marks" are really just slightly indented and the blade is probably stamped that way to enhance the looks. I stained the handle with brown shoe polish. The sheath actually cost more than the knife itself, but it holds a very sharp edge.
I prefer a good carbon blade over stainless. :thumbsup:
 
Ditto on the carbon Steel over SS this knife works as good as any I ever tied on flattails one can hold the hide with the fir against the "fist" and shave against the knuckles and fist and shave the fat/flesh off of the hide as one works around the pelt, or tack the hide out on a plywood and shave off the fat/flesh like a razor, keeping the edge supper sharp,is the key to doing this a stone or two handily setup on the work table goes a long way toward solving this issue,and helps gain speed and competence in the process, 20-30 years of practice probably helps a bit as well, I knew one guy who could start with an 80+lb super blanket and have it fleshed.skinned and nailed off in 20 minutes using this knife and his technique for moving/shifting/sharpening/tacking the pelt almost like it was happening in one fluid motion and he had large hands that looked like baseball gloves,... my mouth would about fall to the floor everytime I watched him put up a large Beaver, he passed away ten years or so back but did teach a lot of locals how to properly and quickly put up Beaver pelts before leaving us and helped may apprentices "learn the ropes" on his trap lines over the years :v
 
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