Wat kind of leather knife is this?

[DieselTech]

Guys & gals does this leather knife has a special name &/or model? 

I really think this style of leather knife would be beneficial to me & would like to acquire 1.

Or is this like a 1 off custom leather knife that's going to cost me a weeks worth of wages. Lol

Any & all help will be appreciated. 

Thanks.

[fredk]

Its a 'Birds Head' knife

[DieselTech]

33 minutes ago, fredk said:

Its a 'Birds Head' knife

Lmao I thought it looked like the bird off of Snoopy!!!

Any recommendations on what brand to buy or research? 

Thanks. I appreciate it.

[fredk]

What is your budget?

George Barnsley; £23 to £40

btw, some ppl call this a half round knife but that is a different shape

 

[zuludog]

It is a head knife, so called as the side view looks like a bird's head.

Watch YouTube videos by JH Leather, she uses one for most of her work

www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk usually have one, but don't appear to at the moment. In fact they seem to be reorganising their range of knives as it looks like they are selling off a lot of old stock at reduced prices

Osborne also offer a head knife, but you'll have to do your own Search

Generally, although these knives are not very cheap they are reasonably priced for the quality you get. They are an alternative to the more common round knife, which has two points, as they are usually cheaper, and the single point makes them easier to use.

Typical price for them is about £40, say $45 

 

Edited December 24, 2023 by zuludog

[zuludog]

I see you live in the USA, so I thought you might be interested in this. I think it's more expensive than those from Barnsley or Osborne, but I know that RMLS is a reputable supplier

Rocky Mountain - Half Round/Head Knife - Sharp! (rmleathersupply.com)

You might also consider a Japanese Leather Knife, I use one for straight cuts and skiving. They are easy to sharpen, and as with most leather tools prices range from cheap to expensive. If you're not familiar with it, Search YouTube

Edited December 24, 2023 by zuludog

[TomE]

My favorite head knife is a Dozier #9.  Just the right size for my hand and handy for skiving.  D2 steel holds an edge.  I'm not sure if Dozier is currently making leather knives.  I found a used #9.

[DieselTech]

4 hours ago, fredk said:

What is your budget?

George Barnsley; £23 to £40

btw, some ppl call this a half round knife but that is a different shape

 

 

42 minutes ago, zuludog said:

It is a head knife, so called as the side view looks like a bird's head.

Watch YouTube videos by JH Leather, she uses one for most of her work

www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk usually have one, but don't appear to at the moment. In fact they seem to be reorganising their range of knives as it looks like they are selling off a lot of old stock at reduced prices

Osborne also offer a head knife, but you'll have to do your own Search

Generally, although these knives are not very cheap they are reasonably priced for the quality you get. They are an alternative to the more common round knife, which has two points, as they are usually cheaper, and the single point makes them easier to use.

Typical price for them is about £40, say $45 

 

Thanks everyone, ya J.H. leather is where I robbed the picture from. With it being in the UK is why I never could find it for sale. 

I sure hope I can get 1. I ordered a knife just like the rocky mountain knife. But I really hope to get a Barnsley knife. 

[DieselTech]

29 minutes ago, TomE said:

My favorite head knife is a Dozier #9.  Just the right size for my hand and handy for skiving.  D2 steel holds an edge.  I'm not sure if Dozier is currently making leather knives.  I found a used #9.

Yeah TomE I know Dozier knives are Nice & I'll have to see if I can find 1 for sale. It's the closest thing I've seen to a Barnsley knife. 

I'm sure that's a $300 knife, but good knives, cost good money. 

Lol I might just buy a small head knife & cut 1 side of the head knife off. Or I could make 1 from scratch.

Thanks again. 

[TomE]

Rock Solid Knives might make a head knife for you. I hear good things about his knives. 

[zuludog]

Knife making looks like it is a popular hobby in the USA, and I also think there are a few knife makers on here. I'm sure that if you made a request on this forum or a knife making forum someone would make a head knife for you

I have a Barnsley head knife, it is made from sheet steel about 1,5 to 2,0 mm thick. Barnsley probably stamp out the shape but it shouldn't be too difficult for an experienced maker to cut it out. Then just make a long gently sloping bevel. The handle is simply turned with a brass tube ferrule. 

[DieselTech]

49 minutes ago, TomE said:

Rock Solid Knives might make a head knife for you. I hear good things about his knives. 

 

40 minutes ago, zuludog said:

Knife making looks like it is a popular hobby in the USA, and I also think there are a few knife makers on here. I'm sure that if you made a request on this forum or a knife making forum someone would make a head knife for you

I have a Barnsley head knife, it is made from sheet steel about 1,5 to 2,0 mm thick. Barnsley probably stamp out the shape but it shouldn't be too difficult for an experienced maker to cut it out. Then just make a long gently sloping bevel. The handle is simply turned with a brass tube ferrule. 

Yeah I know I could make this style of knife, I do dabble in making knives. Lol but sometimes you would just rather buy a knife from someone else. 

I found a few custom makers of that style of knife, I see that they call this style of knife a pattern knife. It just looks handy. 

I think I'll look around & see what else I can find, before I have a custom knife made. Cause I know a handmade 1 off custom knife will be $300+ dollars

Chartermade Knives makes a similar knife, that I keep going back & looking at. 

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help. 

Edited December 24, 2023 by DieselTech
Misspelling

[bruce johnson]

4 hours ago, TomE said:

My favorite head knife is a Dozier #9.  Just the right size for my hand and handy for skiving.  D2 steel holds an edge.  I'm not sure if Dozier is currently making leather knives.  I found a used #9.

When I talked to him a couple months ago he wasn't. What ever is on the website is probably going to be it. I got one from him the first morning of the Sheridan show several years ago and It has been worth every penny and more.  

[jcuk]

It is also known as a single Head knife. Here is a oldish post on here of some one selling the Vergez Blanchard one, not sure if he still has any, maybe D M he may still have some left.

https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/96247-exclusive-vergez-blanchard-single-head-knives/

Hope this helps

JCUK

[DieselTech]

6 hours ago, jcuk said:

It is also known as a single Head knife. Here is a oldish post on here of some one selling the Vergez Blanchard one, not sure if he still has any, maybe D M he may still have some left.

https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/96247-exclusive-vergez-blanchard-single-head-knives/

Hope this helps

JCUK

Thanks I appreciate the link. I'll see if they got any left. 

[Klara]

Vergez Blanchard still make them, and Deco Cuir is selling other brands for less money: https://www.decocuir.com/collections/couteau-a-pied-cornette (I believe there is an English version of the site, but living in France I can't find it).

The cheaper ones on top can also be found as putty knifes in glazers' supply stores.

[DieselTech]

5 hours ago, Klara said:

Vergez Blanchard still make them, and Deco Cuir is selling other brands for less money: https://www.decocuir.com/collections/couteau-a-pied-cornette (I believe there is an English version of the site, but living in France I can't find it).

The cheaper ones on top can also be found as putty knifes in glazers' supply stores.

Thanks Klara. I'm thinking about having this guy make me a single/half head knife. They sure are pretty in Damascus. 

[bruce johnson]

28 minutes ago, DieselTech said:

Thanks Klara. I'm thinking about having this guy make me a single/half head knife. They sure are pretty in Damascus. 

Super nice guy and he makes good knives. He's been at the last few leather shows and would be a good choice. 

[Klara]

As far as I know, Damascus is the better choice for swords, where you have a long narrow blade that needs elasticity. For kitchen knives it's unnecessary,  and for a round or head knife even more so. So you'd be paying extra just for looks...

[SUP]

@Klara Damascus knives stay very sharp for longer too. I had heard that and when I came across one in a flea market, I bought it -  a chef's knife (at least, I think it is) that  I got for a song - I thought that it would probably be fake but it is not. I had it sharpened when I bought it and those characteristic, wavy lines stay all through; that does not happen with fakes.  I use it for everything (other than leatherwork) and it is still as sharp as ever. I got it a while ago and by this time, most knives usually show some amount of dulling with household use where I always forget to strop it. That in itself I think, would be a good reason to buy a Damascus knife for leather cutting but I guess a Damascus round knife will be prohibitively expensive. 

However, most of the Damascus knives we see around are not made in the traditional way, it appears. I looked up the processes and many say they stack and weld different metals but not much folding and stretching is done during forging, so the characteristic pattern is not created. That is why many of them etch the pattern and mention this as well.

The original way, makes those patterns naturally which is why they are irregular and such knife makers cannot guarantee a specific pattern.

That stretching and folding makes the metal strong and flexible which will be useful in swords but not in chef's knives or even, indeed, round knives. But the multiple types of metal probably contributes to the hardness and enduring sharpness of the edges. So even adopting only part of the process, these knife makers probably provide good knives, for their specific uses, at a more reasonable price. Win-win all around, I should think. @DieselTechif you do get a damascus round knife from crosswindsforge.com, could you put it up here? Would love to know how it works out.

I would love some input from people who make knives and are in the know about all these techniques. I might be wrong because the places I looked at might not give the correct information either. 

Maybe I should not hijack this thread and start a new one instead.

I'm sorry @DieselTech.

 

Edited January 2 by SUP

[DieselTech]

36 minutes ago, SUP said:

@Klara Damascus knives stay very sharp for longer too. I had heard that and when I came across one in a flea market, I bought it -  a chef's knife (at least, I think it is) that  I got for a song - I thought that it would probably be fake but it is not. I had it sharpened when I bought it and those characteristic, wavy lines stay all through; that does not happen with fakes.  I use it for everything (other than leatherwork) and it is still as sharp as ever. I got it a while ago and by this time, most knives usually show some amount of dulling with household use where I always forget to strop it. That in itself I think, would be a good reason to buy a Damascus knife for leather cutting but I guess a Damascus round knife will be prohibitively expensive. 

However, most of the Damascus knives we see around are not made in the traditional way, it appears. I looked up the processes and many say they stack and weld different metals but not much folding and stretching is done during forging, so the characteristic pattern is not created. That is why many of them etch the pattern and mention this as well.

The original way, makes those patterns naturally which is why they are irregular and such knife makers cannot guarantee a specific pattern.

That stretching and folding makes the metal strong and flexible which will be useful in swords but not in chef's knives or even, indeed, round knives. But the multiple types of metal probably contributes to the hardness and enduring sharpness of the edges. So even adopting only part of the process, these knife makers probably provide good knives, for their specific uses, at a more reasonable price. Win-win all around, I should think. @DieselTechif you do get a damascus round knife from crosswindsforge.com, could you put it up here? Would love to know how it works out.

I would love some input from people who make knives and are in the know about all these techniques. I might be wrong because the places I looked at might not give the correct information either. 

Maybe I should not hijack this thread and start a new one instead.

I'm sorry @DieselTech.

 

Lol no worries here! I like all input regardless of what it might be about. 

Yeah there is just something about Damascus, that is almost mesmerizing. 

I'll keep you all posted if I decide I can afford the Damascus half round knife. 

[chuck123wapati]

2 hours ago, SUP said:

@Klara Damascus knives stay very sharp for longer too. I had heard that and when I came across one in a flea market, I bought it -  a chef's knife (at least, I think it is) that  I got for a song - I thought that it would probably be fake but it is not. I had it sharpened when I bought it and those characteristic, wavy lines stay all through; that does not happen with fakes.  I use it for everything (other than leatherwork) and it is still as sharp as ever. I got it a while ago and by this time, most knives usually show some amount of dulling with household use where I always forget to strop it. That in itself I think, would be a good reason to buy a Damascus knife for leather cutting but I guess a Damascus round knife will be prohibitively expensive. 

However, most of the Damascus knives we see around are not made in the traditional way, it appears. I looked up the processes and many say they stack and weld different metals but not much folding and stretching is done during forging, so the characteristic pattern is not created. That is why many of them etch the pattern and mention this as well.

The original way, makes those patterns naturally which is why they are irregular and such knife makers cannot guarantee a specific pattern.

That stretching and folding makes the metal strong and flexible which will be useful in swords but not in chef's knives or even, indeed, round knives. But the multiple types of metal probably contributes to the hardness and enduring sharpness of the edges. So even adopting only part of the process, these knife makers probably provide good knives, for their specific uses, at a more reasonable price. Win-win all around, I should think. @DieselTechif you do get a damascus round knife from crosswindsforge.com, could you put it up here? Would love to know how it works out.

I would love some input from people who make knives and are in the know about all these techniques. I might be wrong because the places I looked at might not give the correct information either. 

Maybe I should not hijack this thread and start a new one instead.

I'm sorry @DieselTech.

 

i make a few knives and your right about most of it. Damascus knives stay sharp longer but require much more work when they get dull. the reason for this is that they temper it to be very hard steel. There are dozens of new age ways to make Damascus but not many compare to the original technique. The process originally came about to make not so good steel into really good steel that was both flexible and strong. We don't have to do that now we have good steel and other ways to do that.

For a round knife it isn't needed at all but it does look cool, it wont make your work better but you can lay it next to your projects in photos for interest and folks will think your an expert or somethin.

What you want in a good round knife IMO is a straight grind blade in 1095, d2 or something tempered easy to sharpen but still hold a good edge. Its not so much the steel type but the temper and grind that makes a good knife. Last variable of all is some folks like a hard blade that wears a long time some folks like an easy to sharpen blade so you will get different answers.

[Mablung]

I've got some great fixed blade knives in pattern-welded Damascus. If I could get a round knife from the manufacturer, I totally would. It's well stretched and folded together, based on the manufacturer's literature and videos, and with a little elbow grease to get the bevel set, it sharpens to a mirror polish like a dream. Holds the edge well, too. You know, I might ask them if they could make one to the pattern of my Al Stohlman knife; it'd be way better than the poorly-heat-treated D2 that knife uses...or I could make one out of a billet of their steel, since the company sells billets...hmmmmmm...

Edited January 3 by Mablung

[dikman]

Strictly speaking it's not "Damascus", the correct term is pattern-welded blades. These were developed in several countries and as Chuck said were originally intended to make high-quality steel go further by mixing with poorer quality iron. This was the reasoning behind Viking swordmaking. It can be argued that the zenith of this process was reached by the Japanese with their forging skills. They combined softer steel to give flexibility and a shock-absorption backing to their extremely hard cutting edges. 

The original "Damascus" blades were actually made from Wootz steel, a crucible steel that was made by melting the iron in sealed crucibles containing wood/ leather etc, which provided the carbon to create steel. This process provided a more homogenous uniform structure to the steel but could still provide a pattern when etched. This Wootz steel was made primarily in India and imported by various places, including Damascus, to make blades. One or two modern knifemakers have experimented with making Wootz steel but it's far easier to forge pattern-welded blades from modern metals.

[Mablung]

Ironically, then, "Damascus" steel isn't truly "Damascus," either, insomuch as it didn't originate in Damascus. It does share the same pattern, though, and it sounds like all forms of "Damascus" steel share the feature of pattern-welding techniques being the basis of their manufacture, and the pattern comes out through acid etching (which also occurs through patina of high-carbon steels developed through use). Personally, I've always found the insisted distinction between "pattern-welded" and "Damascus" silly for that reason. I think it's a distinction without a real, meaningful difference. I get that someone may point to the great flex of "true Damascus" as opposed to "pattern-welded". The same response applies, however, because the degree of flex is a function less of pattern-welding/Damascus manufacture in and of themselves but of using specific kinds of pattern-welding techniques and combinations of steels and other materials to highlight certain characteristics. All steel flexes to some degree. Sword blades need to more than others, and the necessary flex can be achieved using steels not made according to the Damascus method. The importance is less the Damascus method and more the materials. The Damascus method did so more cheaply, yes, I understand that, so it had some advantages that made it desirable, and the patterns look sexy.

But it's still pattern-welded, just by different means than people use today to create patterned mixtures of steels with certain characteristics. So, I don't like the distinction because it seems to me emphasize differences that are not innate to the materials or the process of combining metals to make the patterns and produce the desired properties. Viewed in that light, "Damascus" and "pattern-welded" mean the same thing.

Okay, rant over. To those who still maintain there's a meaningful distinction, feel more than free to make the distinction. I can be a pedant with the best of them (or, depending on one's perspective, worst), so I have great respect for all pedants. I just think this distinction is overly and needlessly pedantic. Please, for the love of all things good, do not let this turn into the M&G debacle. I just wanted to vent my annoyance at what I think is a needless but harmless distinction that doesn't make real sense (to me) to insist upon.