Here are some other knives I've decided to carry. I think they are well suited to reenactors, history fans, or others interested in traditional and functional knives.
IndexDuring the Colonial Period, knife blades were often traded rather than finished knives. This saved space in shipping, and customers were often unwilling to pay for something they could make themselves (the handle portion). These are hand-made replicas of the finished knives. They are made of properly tempered spring steel and take a good edge. Like the originals, they are quite thin (about .062" or just under 1/16") so they are light to carry and make good slicers. The sides are lightly polished after heat treat and the residual scale resembles damascus. Since they are hand made (in the US) they vary quite a bit. All have nice Maple wood handles with brass pins. The knives are sold without sheaths, but I now have some available separately below. No sheath is supplied, but it's not that hard to make your own.
French drop point trade knives are a done in a classic
all-purpose pattern. They come in several sizes.
#TR-FS; the small drop point is just right for a neck knife or patch cutter.
The blade is about 2 3/4", and the length is about 4 3/4". $26.
#TR-FM; the medium drop point is a more generally useful size, with a
blade length of about 3 1/2", and a length overall of about 6 1/2". $30
#TR-FL; the large drop point has about 5" of blade and is about 9" overall.
$34
#TR-FB; this one has the very early ball end on the handle. Besides being
very authentic, I think it improves control. $34.
#TR-M; the Metis pattern reminds me of a Green River Dadley style. It would
make a good all around utility and butcher knife. The blade is just over 5",
and the knife is about 9" overall. $34
#TR-ENG: the English trade knife is modeled after the straight-forward
English trade goods of the period. The handle is of hexagon form rather
then the rounded form of the French drop points. The 5 1/4" blade is straight backed, and
the knife is about 9 1/4" overall. $34
#TR-SW; The Southwestern bird-beak style is a trailing point skinner. The
handle shape locks into your hand, even when it is wet or slippery. The
blade length is just over 5". $34.
#TR-LC; the Lewis & Clark is copied after an example associated
with the famous expedition. Interestingly, it is very similar to a very
early "I Wilson" knife in my collection.
The blade is fairly narrow and straight, with a clip to form a acute point. It's about
about 5" long. While the example in the group picture has a square handle, my current stock
has rounded handles like the one shown with the "I Wilson" knife. $34
#TR-V; the Voyager is a slightly larger version of the roach belly utility
knives traded by the Hudson's Bay Company. The blade has a
bit of a curve to work against a block or for occasional skinning. It's a good all-around
shape that goes back to the medieval period. The blade is about 4 3/4" long, and the
knife is about 8 1/2" overall. $34
#TR-RB; the Roach Belly is the smaller version of this classic early shape.
It has a rounded handle that really feels good in my small to average sized hand. The blade is
a bit under 4", as is the handle. I think this is my favorite of the lot. $30
#TR-BT; the Boot Knife is a wickedly pointy little thing. It would be at
home in the kitchen as a paring knife, or in the boot or bodice as a weapon. The blade is a bit over
4" and the length overall is about 7 1/2". $34
#TR-FK: the Trade Fork is an eating fork made in the same style as the
others. In Newman's "Colector's Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution" (p. 109)
stick tang eating forks are shown as two tined, full tang forks like the Trade Forks are three
tined. These are nicely done with hexagonal handles and could be matched with several of
the knifes above. (It was common for the knife and fork to be similar in style, but not the spoon.) $26.
TR-HBR; The Hudson's Bay Roach Belly is a bigger and heavier
version. The blade is about 5 1/2" long, 1 5/16" wide and .092" thick. It's about 10" overall.
It has a bit of heft.
#TR-HBR; The knife is $45.
#TR-HBRS; and the sheath is $18.,
TR-KFS; is a sheath for the fork and a medium sized knife such as the Roach or Boot. It's a convenient way to carry your eating utensils. The price of the sheath is $25. The fork and knives are sold separately.
#OH-73; The Old Hickory Sticker gets it's name from it's use at hog butchering time. Similar knives were popular with Native Americans and others who kept one edge razor sharp for fine work and the other edge stronger for coarse work. The blade is a bit over 6" long, 1 1/16" wide and .081" thick. The handle is about 4 1/2". This style of handle can be fun to customize. $11.
#OH-71; The Old HIckory Skinning Knife is a heavy duty skinner for larger animals from deer to cattle (or even buffalo). The blade is about 6" long, and .091" thick. $11.
#OH-77; The Old Hickory 7" Butcher Knife would have been right at home in the sash of a colonial period Native American, or a Rocky Mountain fur trapper a hundred years later. The blades are about 7" long and only .056" thick. These are cosmetic seconds, and may have minor spotting on the blades. I can't say that I've noticed any however, and after they used once or twice it won't matter. $9.
#OH-87; The Old Hickory 8" Butcher Knife is not only a bit longer, but has a thicker blade as well. The blades are about .082" thick and the knife begins to feel as if it has enough weight for light chopping (about 6 ounces). $9.
I'm really pleased to offer these. They are working class knifes from South Africa. As such they have that "real" flavor that is often lacking in reproductions. The styles go back two or three hundred years, and fit nicely into an early camp. The blades are 1055 high carbon steel, tempered for easy sharpening and good edge retention (about a HRC of 54). The flat spring mounted to the surface of the knife is a style that goes back many hundreds of years, and works really well. The blade of the lockback locks solidly, and is released by pulling up on the ring. The others open and close with authority. Like many early knives, they are quite light and slender for their size, and are easy on the pocket, as well as the pocket book. There is an attractive metal inlay in the hardwood handle. This type of inlay is also typical of early knives.
Like the Mora knives from Sweden and the Finnish Puukkos, they look like authentic working tools because they are authentic working tools!
Okapi #907E; The top of the line, this is a big lockback
with a 4" blade. It is 9 1/2" overall when open, but weighs just over 2
ounces. The blade ratchets open and closed in distinct steps, which helps
control the blade when releasing the lock for closing. Blade thickness is
about .10". I've been field testing one of these for the last couple of
weeks and it has worked out quite well. The handle is comfortable to work
with, yet not bulky in the pocket. It holds an edge well, yet sharpens
easily. I found the ring pull blade release tricky at first, but it quickly
became second nature. (I put my middle finger in the
ring and apply pressure on the blade with my thumb.)
The price of the Okapi Lockback is
$10
Okapi #1907E; This one is for folks who don't like a lockback.
It has the same handle as the lockback with a slightly different blade of
about 3 3/4". There is a lanyard loop in place of the lock release ring.
The price of the Okapi large folder is $9.
Okapi #1979E; This is a smaller version, with a blade of about
3 1/4". Blade thickness is about .80". The knife is 8" overall open and
4 3/4" closed, with a weight of about 1 3/4 ounces.
The price of
the Okapi medium folder is $8.
Okapi #1979/3; (Have you ever wondered how they come up with these
numbers?) This is a still smaller knife. The handle is straighter, and has
no inlay. The 2 3/4" clip point blade is about .060" thick and the knife
weighs about 1 1/4 ounces. The knife is 4" closed. It's just big enough to be useful, but
almost unnoticeable in the pocket.
The price of Okapi small
folder is $7.
Okapi #1979/3G; This one is similar to the small folder, but has a
squared off blade. Again, it's about 4" closed, and 6 3/4" open, and weighs about an ounce and
a quarter. It would make a good small pocket knife for a reenactor
portraying a sailor. (Square ended knives were required aboard most sailing
vessels.)
The price of the Okapi sailor's knife is $6.
Are you a dealer? I can wholesale these and many of the items on this page.
These are the famous traditional knives from France. They come with hardwood handles (Beech, I believe) and carbon steel blades. They have excellent blade geometry, and a good grade of steel that holds an edge, but is very easy to sharpen. There is no back spring, the blade locks in place by twisting a split ring at the ferrule. They are very easy to customize (see the enlarged image).
The Cold Steel company produces a wide variety of knives, including reinterpetations of various historic and ethnic patterns. They often use modern materials, and are unsuitable for the historical reenactor, but offer a very high leval of functionality. Cold Steel knives are made to work, and work hard.
The Finn Bear sheath does not come with a liner. If you would like me to install one, add $4. It may not be necessary, but I'd do it if I were going to carry it myself. The liner will add about a half an ounce to the outfit.
Shipping and handling is $6 per order (not per item) anywhere in the US. Standard shipping is by Priority Post, insured if warranted by the value of the order. This doesn't actually cover the cost in most cases, but it's easy to calculate, and is my way of saying "thank you". Shipping is available for most other parts of the world, but usually costs more. Email for a quote. Note; shipping to Canada can be very slow.
New York State residents should add sales tax.
Most folks use a credit card and the encrypted secure order form. If you prefer, you can FAX your order to 716-731-3715. I'll need the type of card (Discover, Visa, or Master Charge), card number and expiration date. If course I'll also need to know what you are buying, and where to send it. Please include your e-mail address.
If you don't have a FAX, you can call that same number, and if your timing is good just speak to me. No collect calls.
If instant gratification is unavailable, you can always send a Postal Money Order or check to:
Ragweed Forge
PO Box 326
Sanborn, NY 14132
The Postal Snail may be slow, but he's faithful and discreet. Checks may be held for clearance, so if you're in a hurry, use a money order.
Everything on the page should be on hand and ready to ship. However some items may be short supply, so if you are ordering by mail, you might want to e-mail first so that I can hold your item (ragnar@ragweedforge.com).
