Ye Olde Boocher Knife

[mattybock]

It seems every old text I read the old timers had butcher knifes. Rather than Bowies, toothpicks, etc. Was this really that common back then?
I suppose it was a readily available knife and poor folks used what they could afford. On a second note, would anyone try skinning or butchering with one today? I have a notion to take one on a feral hog trip next year. Hopefully the hog will not look like a jack the ripper victim.

A cousin of mine (the type that sporterized old bolt action military guns that should be in cabinets for hierlooms) uses this fancy 'Bowie' knife for all of his deer and hog butchering, bespite having fine kitchen knife in the house! I mean to teach him a thing or two about frugality.

 

[KentuckyBlacksmith]

We still use em'..Ontario butcher knives are still made from 1095 (high carbon steel) Not real purty' but effective non-the-less. I know a guy here locally that takes them and dresses them up. Burns and stains the handle then makes a primitive style sheath. Then re-sells them. Ive cut up plenty of fresh pork with em' :wink:

 

[LRB]

The butcher types were very common in the 18th and 19th c. However, it seems that the term was very loosely used when put into writings, especially for 18th c. Scalper type trade knives have been called butcher knives, and got their beginnings in Europe as butcher knives, but the butcher types we know today were common. The only differences are that the blades, most commonly, start out from the grip at the same width with no choil, or heel, and the grips were attached with smallesh iron pin rivets. The cheaper versions were most often tapered half tangs, and the blades were also tapered. Full tanged versions were also commonly tapered. Since these were forged from a smaller piece of steel, the tapering is a result of the steel being stretched out by the forging to match a given pattern. These knives would be thicker at the grip/blade junction than most made today. However, a reasonable copy can be made from todays butchers by removing the blade heel, and replacing the grip, or grips using small iron pin rivets to secure them. Use a cheap white hard wood, or even a dark exotic wood. These knives were made in Europe, and not gripped in American woods by the makers. Exotic woods are found on some old originals. Especially English makes. Tom Patten used to do this using small diameter all thread. He would use the all thread to screw the grips up snug, then peen the ends to small rivet heads, making a very secure and HC looking grip assembly. The use of epoxy will add more strength, and help seal the tang from water intrusion.

 

[George]

It seems every old text I read the old timers had butcher knifes. Rather than Bowies, toothpicks, etc. Was this really that common back then?

I think it was, and not only among those who couldn't afford better. George Rogers Clark, older brother of William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame, was a major participant in the Revolutionary war on the Kentucky frontier and in the old Northwest Territory, capturing it from the British. He was a big deal. Here's the knife he carried, from The Longhunter's Sketchbook, by Dr. James A, Hanson. I've seen it, it's a butcher knife.

I've used a similar knife for more than 15 years, have cleaned every deer, javelina, turkey, squirrel and rabbit I've taken with it. It's perfect.

Spence

 

[oldude]

I have a buddy in Colorado that is a pro butcher that cuts up critters from the size of turkeys to Bull Elk and none of his blades are over 8 inches long and his prefered blade is 6 inches.The blades are not thick like most of the so called hunting knives are. He said (and so did my grandpap)that a a big ol 10-12 inch hunting knife looked good but they sure wear you out when cuttin meat and ain't much good at skinning unless you hold the blade up close to the tip.When I asked my buddy about splitting the pelvic bone or back bone he said thats what a hatchet was made for. Well the folks of old cut alot of meat and I think that any longhunter or mt man would have a good lite knife and a hawk, after all they would expect to cut a lot more game animals than men in knife fights. My preferd blade for hunting/camp use is an old Herters with wood grips and a 6 1/2 inch blade. Bent

 

[BillinOregon]

Great thread. Wick, I really do hope you plan to write a book some day.

 

[LRB]

I'm afraid that would be a very short book. A two pager perhaps. In large print. Supposedly, there is a book being writen by the guy that used to have the Lanouvelle/France website. He used a lot of photos/pictures and info from Ken Hamilton on that now defunct site. Should be fine book, if it ever gets done. Our missing librarian, Pichou, could probably do a fine book if he tried.

 

[mattybock]

well talk about historical accuracy! Thanks friend, I might take an old saw blade and a file and see what I can do about replacing my early planned stainless butcher knife.

 

[Ken Cormier]

I was just reading about trade scalpers/butchers the other day.My next one will have a red oxide linseed finish. That was a quite common finish on trade knifes. just my $.02

 

[LRB]

Depends on when, and where.

 

[Congress Own Regiment]

We still use em'..Ontario butcher knives are still made from 1095 (high carbon steel) Not real purty' but effective non-the-less. I know a guy here locally that takes them and dresses them up. Burns and stains the handle then makes a primitive style sheath. Then re-sells them. Ive cut up plenty of fresh pork with em'

I agree that the Ontario butcher is a great base to a H/C knife. It would take very little effort. To make it pastable as H/C price is good quality is there. And to boot they are made in the USA
I have a few that I use in the Kitchen as well as at the meat pole.
I like them and that is saying a lot. I make knives.
Trappers/Mountain-man primary needs of a knife was to work with nature.Not to fight off man. That was the job for Soldiers.
The ever popular fantasy knives are more a kin to jewelry. Made popular by movies.