The "Common Man's Bushcraft Knife"

Some time ago my wife found a good condition used CASE XX butcher knife at a garage sale for a dollar. These knives are a very old pattern that have been around for a couple of centuries. They were produced in huge numbers and sold to Indians and white men alike for use on the early American Frontier:

CASE XX butcher knife

 

Usually having a blade of 6" to 8" and anywhere from 3/32" to 1/8" thick, they are most often made of carbon steel and will take a razor sharp edge, making them a perfect blade for common woods tasks such as butchering deer, cutting rope, etc. Usually they have simple, durable wooden scales that are sturdily riveted onto the handle. They will handle all but the worst abuse a tool could be given.

These knives are not, nor were they ever, intended for heavy tasks such as "batoning wood", but they will shave tinder and make "fuzz sticks" easily enough. And I suppose one could make small cuts around a sapling to fell it "Beaver chew" style [something I have seen the noted Primitive skills instructor Cody Lundin do using only a 4" bladed Mora style neck knife].

Indeed, even the famed woods writer, George "Nessmuk" Sears used a modified butcher blade in conjunction with a small double-bit camp hatchet and a large pocketknife. The "Nessmuk Trio" gave him tools for accomplishing any camp task imaginable:

The Nessmuk "Holy Trinity"...Moose folder, Axe, Butcher

 

Over the years I've seen a lot of these butcher knives carried in sheaths at Mountain Man rondy's I've attended. Most Mountain Men re-enactors wear them in a Crow style sheath. These blades were sold and traded to the Indians for pelts by Fur Company's. Being inexpensive, they were often purchased by the trappers and other members of the Fur Trapping brigades during the American Fur Trade era of the 1820's. Butcher knives and sheaths are often seen in paintings made by Alfred Jacob Miller, a painter who chronicled the Mountain Men during the Fur Trade era. 

 

Mountain Man sketch by Alfred Jacob Miller

 

More recently, these knives have become quite popular with bushcrafting practitioners, and have earned the nickname, "Common Man's Bushcraft Knife." I'm not sure, but I think perhaps the term "Common Man" might be an invention of self-reliance and woods craft instructor Dave Canterbury. He certainly uses the term in many of his videos anyway, and even sells these knives and custom sheaths through his online store Self Reliance Outfitters [The Pathfinder School, LLC]. They can usually be found at department stores as well.

Just like MORA knives, these butcher blades offer good quality and utility for very little money, a valuable attribute for those who cannot afford a high dollar production or custom made knife.  A new, quality made butcher knife from ONTARIO [OLD HICKORY] brand rarely costs much more than $11.00 dollars or so from major retailers.

If these knives have a "downside", it is that they are not adequate for heavy tasks like batoning, and secondly, the steel is prone to rust without proper care. If the knife's blade is to be used in conjunction with meal preparation, it should not be treated with petroleum-based oils or greases; rather, use Olive oil, which is also a good treatment for preserving the wooden scales.

For this knife, I used scrap leather to form a simple pouch sheath, which would be attached to the belt by means of a frog. I bought a nice piece of scrap leather for $3.00 at the local leather shop, then cut it to a pattern I'd made out of cardboard. After gluing the sheath I used an ice pick to punch holes and then hand stitched it with a needle and polyester thread. All in all, I probably had about three hours work invested in the sheath. I also made a small sheath to hold my barrel-leg jackknife:

 Belt sheath with frog

 

After wearing this sheath for awhile, I decided that I didn't like it and re-modeled the sheath into a  Crow pattern sheath. Crow sheaths, named for the Indian tribe, are excellent because they can be carried in a variety of ways. I've included a photograph below. As you can see, the Crow sheath permits any number of carries...forward cant, reverse cant, strong side, support side, middle of back...strong side reverse carry in this instance. If you wear it on a belt over your clothing, you need not remove your belt to re-position it, but simply push it forwards or backwards, out of your way and however you wish to present the handle.

Crow sheath

 

One final point:  Be VERY careful not to perform a "quick draw" with any knife, lest you cut through the sheath and possibly your own flesh. Generally, you want to get a good grip on the handle and gently tug it, say about half way out of the sheath, to "loosen" the knife. Now you can safely draw the knife the remainder of the way without a sudden, "explosive" release when friction is overcome, and hence, a potential accident. A fast knife draw should only be performed in an emergent situation where speed is an absolute necessity, such as defense from a violent predator.

So in conclusion, if you want a good trail blade and are reluctant or without means to spend a lot of money, consider purchasing a butcher style knife. For less than the price of many other knives, you can easily outfit yourself with a fixed blade knife, a camp axe or hatchet, and a good quality folding pocketknife and enjoy all the benefits of "Nessmuk" Sears' "Holy Trinity" on your own trail adventures.



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