How common were "cutlery" handled knives?

[Ned Buckshot]

In an effort to educate myself this question is on my mind.

In my limited research materials there are a few examples While many look like some raided Grandmas silver chest and took out a carving knife. Others appear to have an old style "Shefield" blade on them.

Any ideas on this or a direction of better research on the subject.

Thanks

Ned

[Ned Buckshot]

Like this

[St. George]

Take a look at Petersen's and Flayderman's references.

You'll see these knives there, as well as in a couple of the old 'reprint' copies of the 'Sears, Roebuck' and 'montgomery Ward's' catalogs - and in the wholesale hardware/dry goods catalogs of the period that are sometimes available.

These can often be ordered via an 'Inter-Library Loan' through your local Public Library - and you'll be amazed at what one could buy during the era.

With the right handle - something attractive but robust and made of silver - you can build a nice knife.

Those are better-suited to the Gold Rush era, as a jeweler-made/supplied knife like those beautiful San Francisco weapons - but would've been a popular knife for a 'Sporting Gentleman' of any time frame.

Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

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[Ned Buckshot]

Does any one know if those handles are filled with solder and then the blades attached?

Ned

[St. George]

From the few I've seen - they were filled with a cutler's resin and the tang was inserted.

Dried and cured, it holds like a good epoxy.

They have a 'weight' - but they're not 'heavy' - so it's not a solder.

You'll want a long tang and you'll need to make some cuts and notches to help stabilize the blade while it sets up.

'This' is a knife that will require a very high polish of all metal, since their retailer would likely have been one of the jewelers, and the clientele would've been well-heeled and willing to pay a premium.

You could even gold-plate the hilt, but don't make it 'too' gaudy.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Ned Buckshot]

Thank You Sir!

I'm not really thinking of building one but I may if I run across the right handle.

I've just always been curious.

Ned

[St. George]

Good Luck with that.

One of the things that the Hunt brothers caused in their mad attempt to buy all the silver they could, was to cause a real shortage of silver cutlery services, since folks sold those things by the thousands as silver prices climbed and climbed.

Thanks to those guys - everyone and their brother knows to look for the 'sterling' mark before they price their wares, but those prices have dropped.

On the other hand - 'Hope Springs Eternal'...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Ned Buckshot]

"On the other hand - 'Hope Springs Eternal'...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!"

Oh Ya believe me I know.

When all else is gone there is still a glimmer of hope!

Ned

[Dr. Bob]

I have one made by Will & Fink.  The blade came to me in poor condition with fine pitting over most of the surface.  The guard appears to be nickle and the handle has a nice D engraved on it!    My last name initial!  Bought it off of eBay for about $100, as it was not listed as a Bowie and listed in Span Am Militaria.  Happened on it by chance and was tickled pink to get it.  At a local gun show about 18 months later I found a period sheath that fits like it was made for it.  It cost me $150 but it completes the knife in original form. 

[Ned Buckshot]

How about some pictures Bob.

Ned

[St. George]

In thinking of this - you might want to include a sharpening steel into your search.

The handles on those - when a part of a cutlery set - were usually a bit more 'robust' than average - and those are often missing from a set, so you may find one on the loose.

They also used a lot of Stag on those - nice stuff, too - with silver buttplates and end caps.

Sheaths for this type will run the gamut from plain leather - embossed leather - leather with silver throat and tip - and all-metal.

Some will have a belt loop - maybe a belt 'clip' - while others merely depended upon the friction between the trouser's waistband and the body.

Pick a neat, slim, double-edged blade, and you're set for a little dirk of the type that was seen in California, Natchez and New Orleans.

Again - Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts out!

[ChuckBurrows]

One of the most famous of this type is the one carried by Theodore Roosevelt which hada clip point style blade - here's a pic to the handle - I know I have a pic of the whole knife some where and will hunt it up for you.

http://www.simplysarasota.com/knifecollector/RooseveltsKnife.html

Not TR's but one similar
http://www.cowanauctions.com/upcoming_dates_view_item.asp?ItemId=66818

Auction sites such as Cowans, Butterfields, Greg Martin, James D Julia, are all good resources for stuff like this since they usually include the provenance to time and place, etc.

Hope this helps.

[Ned Buckshot]

Thanks Chuck.

That handle will certainly fill your hand!

Ned

[Delmonico]

I have one of those steels like that.

[The Elderly Kid]

Rosa's "Age of the Gunfighter" has a photo dated 1859 of a group of Missouri/Kansas Jayhawkers, taken right after a raid in which they rescued one of their number from jail. Two can clearly be seen wearing cutlery-handled Bowies, so they did get worn for serious purposes. This photo includes a truly motley assortment of weapons, including an artillery shortsword! One man wears a classic "Pale Rider" hat, too. Another has an Allen bar-hammer pistol dangling from a cord around his neck.

[Ned Buckshot]

Thanks for that reply. I've got that book and havn't opened it in years. I'll take a look.

Ned