An antique 18th century French knife

[santos]

Hi every body

A few months ago I found Kevin Gladysz?s web site that discusses antique folders manufactured in the town of Saint Etienne, and sent to New-France (Canada) used in the fur trade with natives. He as put a lot of illustrations of these antique French knives. It?s really a great site

http://www.lanouvelle-france.com/cla...ufacturing.htm


I like these rustic knives and have since forged 4 jambettes (French folders) for my collection.

I?ve just finish the last one. The original model is in the cutlery museum of Thiers

http://www.musee-coutellerie-thiers.com/etats.htm


They call it an Eustache knife. Eustache Dubois was the name of a famous master cutler from Saint Etienne in the 17th century. The knife shown in the Thiers museum was made in the 18th century. The name ?eustache? was still given to a lot of similar type knives in 18 and 19th century in France.

Redimensionnement de eustache1.jpgRedimensionnement de eustache10.jpgRedimensionnement de virole eustache.jpg

This kind of knife is more sophisticated than the thousand knives made for trade.
The handle was in French boxwood and was reinforced by a steel ring. So the wood wouldn?t burst out when the cutler was hammering the pin that fixes the blade.

This knife is a friction folder; there is no spring to keep the blade open. I have forged the blade in 1075 steel and tempered it at 850? C in oil. The blade is 4? long and approx 1/10 ?thick

The eustache shown here, like its model, was probably a knife for a wealthy man, so I?ve engraved little scrolls and the name of the owner. There was a hole in the handle, that served for centering it on the lathe while machining the boxwood. In this hole I have put a toothpick which was certainly useful in that century. This kind of knife was used as a table knife, and after meal, the men often used the tip of the blade to clean their teeth. With the toothpick they can do this with more distinction.

Redimensionnement de eustache8.jpg

I hope you enjoy looking at this knife.

I myself enjoyed making and engraving it and I give a special tank to Kevin who show us these forgotten knives.

Thank You for your comments

[circlepknives]

That is awesome work! And I went to your site, and I must say your knife work is immaculate! Great work! Thanks for showing this to us!

[hammerdownnow]

That is really beautiful. Thats what you call a pretty Penny.

[J.Arthur Loose]

Thanks for sharing!

The first link provided has some excellent engravings of shops & tools.

I took the opportunity to check out your web-site too:

http://www.gravure-couteaux.info/

Very nice!

[Shakudo]

Very nice knife, do you plan to market them or is this one for your personal collection. there are many people in the USA who reenact the 17th,18th,and early 19th century fur trade. i could your knife in someone's special collection of folding period knives . here is a picture of a friends latest aquistion.

[santos]

Merci, Thank all you for your visit and your comments.
Shakudo my knives are only for my collection, or gifts . Thanks for the photo of your friend's old knife. For me it seems to be an Italian folder of the 19th century , with steel bolsters and bone or horn handle. And for those interested by making their own eustache , here?s a little sketch showing how I make it .

Voil?, et merci encore
eustache 1.jpg

[G?rard Heutte]

Hi,
This knife remebers me something ! ! !
Very nice work.
Best regards "et bon feu "
GG

[SharpByCoop]

Santos,

I have been in awe of this piece since you posted it. You have a RARE talent and ability to bring these methods back into modern knifemaking.

What a wonderful piece. I am glad you are so proud of it. You should be!

Coop

[Shakudo]

the folding knife could be italian,but most are thought to be french. most of the sites are known to be pre 1820,but very few have any kind of records for the trade goods. at the larger sites there is usually most documentation. this knife was found at a site which only operated from 1804-1807.the knife is known as a " cartouche knife " but unknown if french or english.

[Gene Chapman]

Great knife.

Thanks for sharing, lots of ideas and history.