18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY, HISTORICAL TREKKING, AND PERIOD WILDERNESS LIVING.
A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.
18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.
Thursday 28 February 2013
NECLHG 1680-1760 is now International.
Labels:
18th century,
america,
Armidale,
Australia,
bushcraft,
camping,
Chapters,
Glen Innes,
Guyra,
historical trekking,
Inverell,
living history,
New South Wales,
primitive skills,
Recruiting,
survival,
Tamworth,
UK,
Uralla
Australia
Armidale NSW 2350, Australia
Longhunter's Blog.
I just visited Longhunter's blog and he has this great image posted there. He and his mate are right into 18th century living history, and I think it is great to see these young men getting out there and doing it. So I thought I would share Longhunter's image with you here.
Just look at their gear and dress, a first class effort. I wish they were living here so they could join our group, but at least now we have gone international, they may have an opportunity of joining one of our Chapters in America. Well done lads!
Here is the link to Longhunter's Blog: http://longhunterunited.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/trek.html?showComment=1362105618722#c5922504936356814109
Labels:
18th century,
america,
Armidale NSW,
Australia,
historical trekking,
living history,
longhunter,
New World
Australia
United States
Wednesday 27 February 2013
More Clasp Knives.
Unfortunately there is no date on this one, but it appears to be a lock knife.
Blade markings: WHITBY MADE IN ITALY.
Two seaman's clasp knives with integral suspension rings and marlin spike. Marked 18th century, but I would guess early to mid 18th century.
Another suspension ring clasp knife marked 18th century. This one has a wood handle.
This one is of unknown origin. All metal. My guess would be another seaman's knife looking at the fish tail. Also of course a suspension ring type.
Labels:
17th century,
18th century,
Armidale NSW,
Australia,
clasp knife,
Historical,
historical trekking,
Italy,
living history,
lock knife,
reenactment,
seaman's clasp knives,
suspension ring clasp knife
Australia
Armidale NSW 2350, Australia
Monday 25 February 2013
More on Clasp Knives.
More on Clasp Knives.
The clasp knife dates back to the
Romans era, but the knives we are concerned with here are 17th and 18th
century. As with any description of an antique item of which there were many
makers, there may be some grey areas regarding shapes matched to periods. The
pistol grip clasp knife fits into the early to mid 18th century, but
of course their use would have gone beyond this date. The curved design seems
to date to the late 18th century. But
in the 19th century the shape of the clasp knife handle became
straight, with no curve.
17th century pistol
grip knives.
17th century pistol
grip Gully knife. Considered to be a fighting knife. I am unable to tell if
this has a back spring or not.
My own knife of similar size does
have a back spring, but the blade is so long that the spring is pretty much
ineffectual.
18th century French
pruning knife.
A similar knife of mine with bone
slab handle.
Found at a site of the Conoy
Indians in Lancaster County which dates from 1718 to 1743.
A similar knife of mine that has
a back spring. This type though is generally accepted as being a 1770s design
This one is dated to the 1770s.
A Spanish lock knife.
18th century Spanish or
Catalonian or Balearic lock clasp knife. The lock is released by pulling on the
ring at the back of the knife.
1735-1745 French Jambette.
Jambette blades.
This diagram of Lentega knives
are very similar to the Jambette knives. These are friction knives the same as
the Jambette, no back spring, and no lock. The back of the blade had a tab to
restrict travel of the blade, and pressure on this tab area with thumb or hand
secures the blade in the open position.
This early to mid 18th
century suspension ring blade is believed to be Spanish. These operate the same
as the Jambette.
This is the copy I made for this
type of knife.
This is an image of what has come
to be known as a “penny knife”. Its origins appear to be lost in time. Some say
it is an 18th century
pattern, others say the name is a modern one and simply means a cheap
clasp knife with no back spring and no lock or back tab or ring. Below though
is an interesting tale:
The custom takes place every year on
the eve of Ascension Day and dates back to 1159 when three noblemen were
hunting a wild boar. The boar is reputed to have sought refuge with a hermit on
Eskdaleside but the three hunters attacked the hermit and killed him. As
penance for their crime the noblemen were told they must build a hedge, cut
with a penny knife, at low tide.
French cutlers images published in
1771.
Further Information:
Labels:
17th century,
18th century,
Armidale,
bolster,
clasp knife,
cutler,
English,
European,
folding knife,
French,
friction,
Jambette,
knives,
Lentega,
NSW,
penny knife,
Spanish,
suspension ring,
tab
Australia
Armidale NSW 2350, Australia
Saturday 23 February 2013
My Finished Plug Bayonet.
I decided to make a plug Bayonet for my 20 gauge fusil. This gauge is fairly small, so the bayonet needs a small handle. I started making a wooden handle, and then had an idea. Why not use a corn cob handle?
So I did.
So I did.
My corn cob handled Hunting Plug Bayonet.
Foraging and Hunting. Bush Tucker.
Labels:
16th century,
17th century,
18th century,
Aboriginal,
Australia,
bush tucker,
bushcraft,
food,
Historical,
living history,
native,
survival
Australia
Australia
Australian Aboriginals Hunting The Flying Fox/Fruit Bat.
Labels:
16th century,
17th century,
18th century,
Aboriginal,
Australia,
bushcraft,
flying fox,
food,
fruit bats,
Hunting,
living history,
native,
survival,
tradition
Australia
Australia
Australian Natives Hunting Kangaroos.
Labels:
16th century,
17th century,
18th century,
Australia,
Australian Aboriginal,
bushcraft,
food,
Historical,
Hunting,
living history,
native,
primitive skills,
survival,
wilderness living
Australia
Australia
More On Period Knives.
More On Period Knives.
Today a friend in the States
contacted me and asked me about knives, he had been watching the History
Channel, and they had shown a knife with rivets securing the handle. Glen
remembered what I had said regarding period knives being pinned and not riveted
and so contacted me to see if I had any more to add to my previous research.
Here then is what I have so far.
20th Century riveted knives.
The
semi-tubular rivet was invented and patented in 1876 by American engineer and
manufacturer, Melon Bray.
manufacturer, Melon Bray.
The former Tubular Rivet and Stud
Company was one of Quincy's largest manufacturing companies in the late
nineteenth and early twentieth century. The foundation for the company was laid
in 1874
Rivets were added in 1874 so
the pockets carrying all those rock specimens could hold up better.
with the invention of the “big fat” brass
cutler's rivets of the 1890s.
Even in the early 20th
century butcher knives were being made using pins and not rivets.
19th Century Russel knives.
Modern copy of a 19th century Sheffield butcher knife.
Wilson catalogue knife circa 1900ad.
This to me looks like a typewriter written page, yet it is still listing knives with pinned handles, not riveted.
Three of my 19th century knives with 5 pinned handles.
18th Century Blades:
Two copies I made of 18th century butcher knives using 20th century carbon steel butcher blades. Both using just three pins to secure the handles.
17th century knives. A variety of 17th century knives, with 5,4 and 3 pins securing the handles, but unlike the 19th century knives, these pins are all in-line.
Labels:
17th century,
18th century,
19th century,
20th century,
blades,
butcher knives,
cutlers,
Historical,
historical trekking,
history,
knife makers,
knives,
living history,
pins,
rivets,
Russel,
scalpers,
Sheffield,
Wilson
Australia
Armidale NSW 2350, Australia
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