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Thread: Historical reference regarding trap spring knives

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Default Historical reference regarding trap spring knives

    I've read a few articles about trap spring knives and have made a couple from old trap springs. I'm sure a local smith would have used what ever they had available to make a knife back in the day.
    The only reference to a trap spring knife that I can recall is in regards to the rat river trapper. The mounties had found a trap spring knife in with his gear. I think they threw it into the river along with some of his other gear, they kept some of his gear too. this took place if memory serves mid 1920s or so. Any thoughts on trap spring knives from a historical point of reference?
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?


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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Spring type traps of the kind we know and can make knives from were not common on the frontier until after 1800, so any use of the knife in a historical context would have to be after that time.

    Knives were so common as trade goods that forging them in the blacksmith shop would make them more expensive than a purchased blade which would have been available for a few cents at any store or trade post.

    A knife from a trap spring or file or other piece of machinery would have been mostly an emergency effort.

    Common butcher knives were shipped to the wilderness in boxes containing 100 dozen blades without handles. Often penny knives or simple spring-less knives like the Openil we know today, were sometimes given away during a trade session.

    Every nation had its favorite style simple folding knife and butcher blades that sold extremely cheap.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    thanks for the reply. I figured as much. Steel traps may have been in more of a demand than knives so a smith would probably repair the trap rather than cannibalize it. I think it was in the mid 1800s that newhouse started to mass produce the steel trap, may have been a bit later too.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    When I first read the title....I thought you were gonna say,..."Here are a few I had laying around ain't they cool.."
    LOL
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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    I have a couple and they are cool LOL
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    found another historical reference regarding a trapspring knife. I read a article about a old boy that hunted with Ben Lilly back when the old boy was a young man. anyhoo I quote " he could make a knife overnight, right there in camp. Made them out of a trap spring, tempered n a campfire. always sharpened on both sides". Ben Lilly was one heck of a houndsman
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Both sides?.....interesting.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
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    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    Didn't realized Ben was a knifemaker of sorts. Not sure why he would sharpen them on both sides. The article also talked about horns he made up to call his hounds.
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

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