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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on September 12, 2016 at 10:45

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on September 13, 2016 at 12:32

Jon-Rarely do I get totally stumped, but this may be one of those times.(sigh). I can't find any information on the maker nor have I found another knife with the same blade profile anywhere. I might add I have spent several hours looking every which way I can think of, including trademarks etc. Do you have any additional info to share?? Any additional stamps or markings or where or how you acquired it?? It is  truly unique knife !!

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Permalink Reply by Jon Sibaila on September 13, 2016 at 14:26

John, Thank you for your time and effort.  I acquired the knife from a New England boat-wright.  He was from Maine, lived in Sausalito for a time, went back to Maine and decided to sell his houseboat.  The knife was in the surplus items he left in the storage area on his boat.  There is no additional marks on the knife, and the only addition is it's scabbard.  It's typical of a sailors knife; it fits completely into it, handle and all.  He ran a boat-yard in Maine for years and built many wooden boats.  He is a true craftsman in wood.

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on September 13, 2016 at 17:55

My question is, are the areas in the blade broken, or is that the original profile?

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Permalink Reply by Jon Sibaila on September 13, 2016 at 18:36

Good question JJ.  I looked at it with my loupe and there are no grind marks and any sign of abrasions.  The blade is tapered, thicker at the top, tapered down to the edge, like a straight razor.  I'm a jeweler, and from what I know about working metal, this blade is original, it's never been modified.  The "mini" serrations makes a lot of sense if you are trying to cut a line, because it 'bites' the line.  Almost all modern sailing knifes are serrated.

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on September 13, 2016 at 19:53

Jon, I'm actually asking about the 2 large voids in the blade. Outside of these, it looks like a hawser knife.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on September 13, 2016 at 20:19

I lookes chipped out to me , the blade is sharpened on both sides of the chipped section. 
J.J. Smith III said:

Jon, I'm actually asking about the 2 large voids in the blade. Outside of these, it looks like a hawser knife.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Sibaila on September 14, 2016 at 9:10

Hello Michael and J.J. Right you are, the design of the knife is a hawser or rigging knife.  The sheepfoot tip and flat bottom are specific to the design (it's an interesting yarn why the sheepfoot tip)  What's missing from the my knife's case (or scabbard) is the 'spike', the marlin spike used in various rigging operations.  For the average sailor these two items, the knife and spike are kept together in the same scabbard.  As I was reminded by an oid salt, there is one specific case and position where a spike is not needed.  If you crewing on a racing boat, and you are manning the 'foredeck', you have not time for rigging and you would want a blade whose sole purpose was to cut lines under tension (various jibs and the infamous spinnaker). My question with the knife; was it designed or modified for the crewperson working the foredeck on a race boat.  And who would spend the money is build or modify a perfectly good rigging blade, to one with just a single purpose.  With it's age (this is a guess), the only racing where money was not an object was 12 meter boat racing (America's Cup).  Do I have blade from 12 meter America Cup boat?  Pretty heady stuff for sailors.  Stay tuned I have one more lead to follow up.  

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on September 14, 2016 at 19:18

Jon,

I will give you another lead to follow up if you like.  Steve P at Colonial Knife is a avid sailor out and around Rhode island.  I do think this has been modified for a specific sailing purpose.  He may be able to tell us if he has seen on modified like this previously and why!

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on September 14, 2016 at 23:41

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