French Boucheron

[Runewolf1973]

This is my first attempt at recreating the French boucheron scalping knife. I tried going as historically correct as possible. It is based off of a drawing of an original. The blade is 1084 steel, 6" long and 1/8" thick tapered in both directions with 1/8" pins peened in place. The oversized, octagonal handle is made of Beech. Other than the "aged/darkened" appearance I gave the blade and the wood (which I prefer anyways), I think it is fairly accurate. What do you guys think?

 

[user 48679]

Looks like a gennie to me - Nice work...

 

[Brokennock]

This is my first attempt at recreating the French boucheron scalping knife. I tried going as historically correct as possible. It is based off of a drawing of an original. The blade is 1084 steel, 6" long and 1/8" thick tapered in both directions with 1/8" pins peened in place. The oversized, octagonal handle is made of Beech. Other than the "aged/darkened" appearance I gave the blade and the wood (which I prefer anyways), I think it is fairly accurate. What do you guys think?

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It looks good to me. But, you are challenging my memory as to what size pins the French tended to use. Pin size and number of them being different between French and British knives.
Hopefully @LRB or @Artificer will be around shortly to remind me.

 

[Artificer]

I LIKE it a LOT!!

I'm not as good on French trade knives as Wick, so I defer to his knowledge on pin size.

Do you intend to fill the void on the bottom of the grip under the tang with cutler's resin?

Gus

 

[Runewolf1973]

I made my pins 1/8" as per this drawing of an original French knife. Two pins on the French knives and 3 smaller pins on the English knives.

 

[Runewolf1973]

I LIKE it a LOT!!

I'm not as good on French trade knives as Wick, so I defer to his knowledge on pin size.

Do you intend to fill the void on the bottom of the grip under the tang with cutler's resin?

Gus

All I did before pinning the handle was heat the blade up to tempering temperature and melt some rosin (for violin strings) onto the tang before pushing it into place. I gues I could mix up some cutler's resin and melt that in there too, but I don't think it really needs it.

 

[D.Summers]

Even though it's dull, the heel of the knife seems poorly designed. I was a professional chef for 40+ years, and that looks like trouble. Granted, it's not a kitchen knife, but the sweet sweep at the heel to the business side of the blade looks like pain. I don't recall ever seeing a knife design like this. No bolster, no hilt? A pretty knife, for sure, but maybe one I'd steer clear of. JMPO. I hope folks can see what I'm saying

 

[D.Summers]

Bloody, tired hands slip. I've butchered I don't know how many animals, in kitchens and on tables in the yard. Skinned possums, muskrat, 'coons and foxes before I ventured into some great kitchens. Knives get bloody, and slippery. That single element seems poorly employed.

 

[D.Summers]

And the knife's tang should extend to the end of the handle. More strength, better balance.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Even though it's dull, the heel of the knife seems poorly designed. I was a professional chef for 40+ years, and that looks like trouble. Granted, it's not a kitchen knife, but the sweet sweep at the heel to the business side of the blade looks like pain. I don't recall ever seeing a knife design like this. No bolster, no hilt? A pretty knife, for sure, but maybe one I'd steer clear of. JMPO. I hope folks can see what I'm saying

I completley understand what you're saying and I agree. I'm not terribly fond of this design also, I merely made it that way because that is what is "correct" for the time period. I prefer a broader blade with more heel like on a modern chef's knife.

 

[Runewolf1973]

And the knife's tang should extend to the end of the handle. More strength, better balance.

Again, I agree. This is the cheap design of the originals. I prefer full tang blades any day.. What I find interesting is it is actually way easier to make a full tang, untapered blade than this partial, tapered tang. It's more work to get things to fit "just right" into the wooden slot.

 

[D.Summers]

I sure wasn't busting on you, my brother! I see that you are recreating an old design. And that is as cool as all get out! And it is a lovely knife!

 

[D.Summers]

We professionals can be mighty picky! I'm glad I'm not one anymore!! It is a lovely knife!!

 

[Runewolf1973]

I sure wasn't busting on you, my brother! I see that you are recreating an old design. And that is as cool as all get out! And it is a lovely knife!

This is more the style that I am accustomed to making. It is not exactly "period correct", but they are very user-friendly. I personally dislike metal bolsters because they just seem to add too much extra weight.

 

[D.Summers]

A brilliant knife like those have no need of bolsters! My goodness, do you sell your knives?

 

[Runewolf1973]

A brilliant knife like those have no need of bolsters! My goodness, do you sell your knives?

I have sold some and I have a whole bunch sitting on my table.

 

[D.Summers]

A knife, except on some well made french knives, and some japonese knives, don't need a bolster. Your knives pictured show that. Thru out my career I have used Portugese knives with no bolster or hilts. I like the German knives, too, that have bolsters and baked ceramic scales, but my favorites are much like the ones in your last post!!

 

[D.Summers]

Your knives would be put to hard use in my kitchens! And on my homestead! Beautiful!!

 

[Artificer]

All I did before pinning the handle was heat the blade up to tempering temperature and melt some rosin (for violin strings) onto the tang before pushing it into place. I gues I could mix up some cutler's resin and melt that in there too, but I don't think it really needs it.

To paraphrase what you wrote elsewhere, when one makes a very accurate repro of something, all the good things and faults of the original product are repeated.

Very much agree original knives like this often did not have the void filled with cutler's resin, though some did.

However, it is also true that it is much more difficult to keep or clean blood, gore and bits of flesh out of that area when used for hunting and butchering.

While it is my personal preference only, I don't want a knife that might wind up infecting or poisoning me when a period solution is available to preclude this from happening by filling that area with cutler's resin.

Please don't take this as personal criticism of you, but rather pointing out another problem with the period design.

BTW, I really like the other knives you posted as well.

Gus

 

[D.Summers]

It's interesting how knives in professional kitchens have changed. I have a F.Dick chefs knife that is heavy, and 18 inches long, 12 inch blade, quarter in wide at the bolster, that is a monster. Made maybe in the 30's. It's for dealing with the primal cuts that restaurants used to deal with. No longer. Cuts are brought in wrapped in sous-vide, cleaned and ready. Nowadays, prevalent knives are slim Japonese knives with great elegance, sharp and effective. But they wouldn't be too effective against the sides of beef, veal and lamb that were delivered to our restaurants in the late seventies, early eighties. Then you needed cleavers, heavy, and hacksaws. Chop chop thru the chines, and trim excess bone!