Guard or no Guard

[DiamondG Knives]

In the study mode of making a Frontieer era knife. Was wondering what the consensus is on traditinal knives. Did the have guards or not? Just wanting to pick your brains for ideas!!

God Bless

Mike

[Sweany]

Mike I did a search and came up with these two links

Blacksmiths Gazzette

Hudson Bay digital Museum Manitoba

[Chuck Burrows]

Mike- It really has in part to do with how you want to describe a "frontier" knife and maybe even more important what time period are you discussing. Period Correct is a term often touted by reenactors - the problem though is "what" Period is one discussing. For instance what is PC for the late 1700's for example does not hold true for the 1840-1850, the period in which I base most of my gear on.

In general pre 1827 frontier knives (and most other's as well) are guardless.

Then after 1827 - the birth of the Bowie and Bowies were definitely frontier knives - guards became more used, but the generic "trade" knife was almost always guardless.

Some books to check out are:

"Fur Trade Cutlery Sketchbook" available several places including it's home www.furtrade.org - this is the Museum of the Fur Trade's site and the back issues of it's quarterly are of inestimable value to any student of the frontier.

"American Primitive Knives 1770-1880" Gordon Minnis

"Early Knives and Beaded Sheaths of the American Frontier" John Baldwin

Sweany's links are great sources as well. But remember there really is no such thing as a generic "frontier" knife - too much depends on time period, area of use, etc.

[DiamondG Knives]

Sweany: Thansks! Man those are cool sites!

Chuck: Thanks for the refrence. I made one some time back that had a Buffalo shin bone handle that was topped with a waterbuffalo horn spacer that flared to form a guard of sorts, nothing fancy, just a flare in the end of the handle that swelled to make a safer grip, Blade was made from a rasp with faint file markings left in the blade. I was thinking of the fur trapper area, but not stuck on anyone era, mabe a brass or copper spacer next to the blade?

What would you guys suggest for length? Mine was @ 17" total, was bigger better back when?

Or am I trying to attatch ideas to a piece that has no limits??
Oh well the mind is a triible thing to waste!!! LOL

Thanks for the imput guys. Just got ideas rumbling around in this Ol Jug and trying to get them out!

God Bless

Mike

[Chuck Burrows]

Mike-

Or am I trying to attach ideas to a piece that has no limits??

Sort of, maybe....
Frontier knives came in all kinds of shapes and size - big was not necessarily better, but it was pretty popular. For instance in many early writings the Longhunters - Daniel Boone, et al , were known as "Long Knives" by the natives.

When thinking of designs also think of the major influences on Frontier knives, The French Trade Knife (basically a version of the common French Chef's knife), the Spanish Belduque, and last but not least the Scottish dirk. I think a lot of folks forget how much influence the Scot's Hielanders had on Frontier America from the mid 1700's - after the '45 - when so many were forced from their home and lands and transported to the New World. When looked at closely all three of the above named knives have a similarity to design and use and that transferred into such knives as the American Rifleman's knife.

The western trapping era gives an even greater leeway in design - as noted it was during this era (approximately 1820-1840 the classic Mtn Man period although I think that can be extended to around 1855) that the Bowie Knife came into being.