Duane
Mountaineer
Lethbridge Alberta
Posts: 209
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Post by Duane on Oct 10, 2012 10:41:34 GMT -7
Howdy Mountaineers,On the half tang butcher knives what would have been more common 2 or 1 peice handle grips or both..D
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Post by joshwilson on Oct 11, 2012 13:29:07 GMT -7
Two piece wood, with 5 brass pins in the handle
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char
Mountaineer
Posts: 24
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Post by char on Oct 12, 2012 5:10:02 GMT -7
One of the major fur trade suppliers of butcher knives during the RMFT was John Wilson of Sheffield. All of the original Wilson’s I have seen use two scales of what appears as European beech wood. The smaller ones (5-6 1/2 “ blades) have 5 iron pins (not rivets) while the larger ones often have 6 iron pins. There were however other makers such as Tillotson, Greaves and Hiram Cutler but I haven’t seen any original of their make. The orders from the AFC to Greaves in 1832 specifically asked for knives “in every respect similar to Wilsons of Sheffield”(MFT Quartely Vol 23, No 3 pg. 2). Here’s a good description of an original Wilson butcher with one of his earliest known markings: www.scandinavianmountainmen.se/includes/misc/johnwilsonbutcher.pdfI hope this helps! /Char, the Swedish mountaineer. |
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Post by tcalbert on Oct 14, 2012 17:34:27 GMT -7
I have owned several examples of 1/2 tang Wilsons hafted into a one piece slotted handle. All appeared to be a rather straight boning pattern.
And one very early marked Wilson rehafted into a single piece handle as well. Besides that one, the rest of the handles looked to be factory made and original to the blades, and were secured with 3 iron pins if I recall correctly.
Even so, the majority of the early butchers Ive owned or seen do indeed seem to be made two piece scale handles with 5 or 6 iron pins.
tca
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char
Mountaineer
Posts: 24
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Post by char on Oct 14, 2012 23:17:30 GMT -7
tca,
Interesting with one piece handled wilson boning knives. Haven't seen any of those.
Got any pictures to share?
(updated the link in my previous post)
/Char
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Post by tcalbert on Oct 15, 2012 6:00:52 GMT -7
I can take some photos of a few of my Wilsons tonight if there is someone I can email them to that will post them here for me.
I will need an email address to send them to.
tca
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char
Mountaineer
Posts: 24
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Post by char on Oct 15, 2012 6:21:45 GMT -7
You can send them to me. I'll PM you my e-mail.
/Char
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isaac
Mountaineer
Posts: 331
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Post by isaac on Oct 15, 2012 6:24:51 GMT -7
t (updated the link in my previous post) Thanks... I hadn't been able to get it to work! Isaac, hoping to be butchering buffalo in 1 1/2 weeks! |
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Post by RileyMN on Oct 15, 2012 9:59:18 GMT -7
Isaac, hoping to be butchering buffalo in 1 1/2 weeks! WHAT? Tell me more! I believe my bride is going to purchase a bison prime rib for my upcoming half-century celebration. Very expensive! but she said "You're only 50 once." I said I had only been 49 once also, but she seemed to think that wasn't the same ..... |
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Post by RileyMN on Oct 15, 2012 12:14:57 GMT -7
Oh, I will be cutting the meat with a butcher knife - what should it look like? (back on track now...)
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Post by tcalbert on Oct 15, 2012 17:16:29 GMT -7
well, it should look like Buffalo meat I suppose, especially if its very expensive. ;D
tc
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char
Mountaineer
Posts: 24
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Post by char on Oct 18, 2012 5:54:32 GMT -7
I just thought i should end this thread by publishing some of the pictures tca was kind enough to share. Lets start out with one of the one piece handled boning knives. This one is marked with one of the Wilson firms latest markings. The "EX. SYCAMORE ST" was according to MFT quarterly vol. 14 no. 3 used between ca. 1949 to 1975. In other words Wilson did make one piece handled knives, but probably not for the mountain market of the 1820s or 1830s. Attachments:
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char
Mountaineer
Posts: 24
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Post by char on Oct 18, 2012 6:00:24 GMT -7
Same knife, but from a different angle. The three pins holding the blade is also different from the earlier two piece handled ones that usually had five or six. Attachments:
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char
Mountaineer
Posts: 24
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Post by char on Oct 18, 2012 6:18:53 GMT -7
Here you can see the difference between the two piece handled knives with five pins (upper 2) and the late one piece boning knives (lower 2). The top one is a well used skinning knife with most of the markings worn off. From what I can see the remaining markings look like: ..FIELD ......ND The second from the top looks like a butcher with a clip point ground by one of it's previous owners. This one is also marked SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND making them both post 1890. Attachments:
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char
Mountaineer
Posts: 24
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Post by char on Oct 18, 2012 6:27:48 GMT -7
To finish this, here's two pictures of a near mint condition Wilson butcher with rendezvous era markings. This one belongs to my SMM brother Charlie "Muleskinner".   Thanks tca for sharing your pictures. And good luck on you project Duane. /Char |
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