|
Post by paranger on Apr 23, 2021 12:43:47 GMT -7
I handled this large type C (4 degree clip point) boucheron with ram's horn scales after an original that Ken Hamilton was kind enough to share. It bears a facsimile of the cutler's mark of Barthelemy Doron.
|
|
|
Post by Black Hand on Apr 23, 2021 12:56:14 GMT -7
The integral "bolster/guard" of horn is different - haven't seen one like that before.
|
|
|
Post by paranger on Apr 23, 2021 12:59:57 GMT -7
The integral "bolster/guard" of horn is different - haven't seen one like that before. Me, either! If I hadn't seen the original, I never would have figured it.
|
|
|
Post by Black Hand on Apr 23, 2021 13:37:25 GMT -7
It makes sense - the heel of a blade can bite you.
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Apr 23, 2021 15:04:47 GMT -7
Love it. I have one modern knife with ram's horn scales and it is one of my favorite handle materials. I had no idea there were period examples out there.
|
|
|
Post by paranger on Apr 23, 2021 18:28:41 GMT -7
It makes sense - the heel of a blade can bite you. Ken made the point that this feature appears in many antique French butcher knives, like those used by the bouccaniers in the Caribbean as well.
|
|
|
Post by hawkeyes on Apr 24, 2021 5:03:27 GMT -7
Very nice, like the profile. Any more information on the original?
|
|
|
Post by paranger on Apr 24, 2021 6:25:52 GMT -7
Very nice, like the profile. Any more information on the original? Not much I am afraid. The context of the conversation with Ken was 3 pin boucherons, and the original was one of the examples he let me see. I will see if Ken knows any more provenance when I email him next, but I will say that he seems to have an enviable collection of originals: dare I say perhaps the best in existence outside Parks Canada (most of which will never see the light of day as far as the public is concerned)?
|
|
Keith
City-dweller
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 990
|
Post by Keith on Apr 25, 2021 0:30:24 GMT -7
NICE ONE!!! I like it Well done Paranger. Keith.
|
|
|
Post by hawkeyes on Apr 25, 2021 5:01:29 GMT -7
Very nice, like the profile. Any more information on the original? Not much I am afraid. The context of the conversation with Ken was 3 pin boucherons, and the original was one of the examples he let me see. I will see if Ken knows any more provenance when I email him next, but I will say that he seems to have an enviable collection of originals: dare I say perhaps the best in existence outside Parks Canada (most of which will never see the light of day as far as the public is concerned)? No worries, that profile is very interesting and I'd reckon very useful for many poking tasks. Hands down the sheepsfoot is my personal favorite design given it's excellent quality as a game knife. I'm curious to the origin of this particular design. By the way those scales have got a monumental amount of character, very neat!
|
|
|
Post by paranger on Apr 25, 2021 5:29:41 GMT -7
Not much I am afraid. The context of the conversation with Ken was 3 pin boucherons, and the original was one of the examples he let me see. I will see if Ken knows any more provenance when I email him next, but I will say that he seems to have an enviable collection of originals: dare I say perhaps the best in existence outside Parks Canada (most of which will never see the light of day as far as the public is concerned)? No worries, that profile is very interesting and I'd reckon very useful for many poking tasks. Hands down the sheepsfoot is my personal favorite design given it's excellent quality as a game knife. I'm curious to the origin of this particular design. By the way those scales have got a monumental amount of character, very neat! Thanks. Yes, the type C profile with the 4 degree clip point seems to be the least reproduced boucheron type by knifemakers today, but that doesn't by any means imply it was the least common in the 18th c., IMO. There just isn't a large enough sample size of surviving originals of any type to do a meaningful statistical analysis. As I confessed to Ken, this one ended up at more like 5.5 degrees than the nominal 4, but as Ken pointed out, he merely got the 4 degree number from averaging protractor measurements on several originals. I also left those knarly horn scales more rough than I might previously have been inclined to do, as I have learned from seeing more originals that the tendancy of modern knifemakers seems to be to over-refine and finish these knives relative to the originals.
|
|