red handled butcher knife

[Duane]

Bents Fort sells a butcher knife with a red handle,does anyone know anything about them.i have been thinking of getting one

[Mark]

Yes, I own one. I cannot say they are an exact copy, but they are the next best thing. I is one of my favorites. For the price, which was $18 several years ago, it is a very good buy and representation for our era.

Mark

[Rod]

Are these the same red handled butchers that Ft. Union sells?

www.fortuniontp.org/tradegoods.html



Rod

[Duane]

It looks exactly the same to me.

[sean]

Are you talking about the red-handled scalper on that site or the unstained handled butcher? I think those are the scalpers from Pakistan that most traders sell. They are fairly similar in quality to most period scalpers. Only real difference they have a stainless blade.

If you want a good representative butcher go to this site and get the 6" model:

www.sheffieldknives.co.uk/acatalog/Miscellaneous.html

If you want a really nice scalper (maybe a just a little bit too nice) talk to Wick Ellerbe. He makes some really nice ones out of O-1 in patterns from the mid-1700 through the early 1800's.

Sean

[isaac]

I would also recommend Rich Worthington for a GOOD red handled scalper. He has been making a number based on originals he has handled. He also used Padouk or Camwood for the handle (why they were called red handled... not because of paint). I picked up one of his knives this summer and have used it to skin and butcher 2 deer and a bear as well as skin out a few beaver tails. THE BEST knife I have ever used for butchering and etc. bar none... and I grew up butchering 4 head of cattle a year plus wildgame.

Isaac

[windy]

Love t'see one; i've got a few 'riginals an' thar ain't one uv em i'd call "best" fer nuthin'--thet "padauk" must be what they called "african stumpwood" back in th' day. i do have one thet i'm guessin' wuz driven thru a war club head t'make it dig deeper, but i'm durned ef i c'n figger how they hoped t'keep 'em frum foldin' over ef they wuz stabbed with very hard; ain't none uv 'em thick as a modern "old hickory". mind yer topknot! windy

[isaac]

Yup... not very thick. This one is thin and "springy" enough to use like a filet knife. I will try to take some photos tonight.

IW

[Chuck Burrows]

Dec 2, 2010 8:50:35 GMT -7 isaac said:

He also used Padouk or Camwood for the handle (why they were called red handled... not because of paint).
Isaac

For sure redwoods were used but maybe some were painted?:
per Lewis and Clark Expedition.....
3. Knives, with fixed wooden handles stained red, usually called red handled knives &such as are used by the N.W. Co. in their Indian trade.

stinet.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=A416177&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

Also I'm surprsed that more of the students of the genre haven't considered rosewood, a definite red wood, either East Indian (also where the black horn handle material used came from) and/or Brazil - especially since rosewood was a pretty common handle material for Sheffield Bowies from the 1830's on........

[isaac]

Good point on the red stained ones, Chuck! I wonder if this wasn't common among "knock-offs."

Isaac

[Cody]

Ive never seen one of these but redwood aint very durable as oak and hickory and the like but it is very weather resistant

[windy]

i picked up a redwood handled green river skinner; looks jist like th' ones in th' 1884 catalogue. seems like i read in th' cump'ny hist'ry thet they pressure treated 'em, sumhow. this'n's holdin' together rite well; th scales're in better shape'n th' blade. don't guess that th' scalpers war made with redwood, tho; th' brits din't have much truck with th' californios durin' th' shinin' times. i got a mid-to-late 19th century sheffield scalper with rosewood, (stamped u.s.navy onna scales, mind ye) and one frum th' early 20th--th' pattern never did go outta style fer tradin' with primitive folks er them thet wanted t'be. look up "bushman's friend" onna innernet and once ye git past them holler-handled'uns ye'll see some; 'specially down under. mind yer topknot! windy

[Duane]

I have decided to get the Sheffield knife,from England.I ordered it today.D

[isaac]

Here is my "scalper" from Rich Worthington (as well as images of a few more)...

frenchinwisconsin.yolasite.com/my-blog/sharp-pointy-things