Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Completed, English Scalping Knife Replica 1750-1790


DRoberts

Recommended Posts

This style of knife at the time was generally referred to as a trade knife or simply a common knife. It would be very normal to see this size and shape knife used in the kitchen, garden, general house work, or any workshop. Many of theses knives were traded to Native Americans for other goods. Certainly this style of knife would be used in fighting.

But this general product was not produced in France and England for the purpose of scalping.

It was produced as a general tool, this item only became a weapon when people desired to use it personally as such.

Let me say it again, this style of knife was mass produced in France and England as a general tool.

This knife style was not designed as a fighting weapon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

Nice knife and sheath, as mentioned above these were not sold as "scalping knives" though they may have been used as such. As a war veteran and of native descent i am not very happy with the  description as a "scalping knife" so you may want to consider that in the future.

 

History though is not the place for political correctness. While true that it was documented in Europe and ancient Greece over 2000 years ago and then later became a practice encouraged by Colonists in the New World, there is evidence of it being practiced by Native tribes as far back as 1325 during the Crow Creek Masacre where over 90 percent of the 500 bodies found were scalped. The point is that later, while not sold or made by their makers for the specific purpose, many Colonists refered to certain blades that way and designated for that practice either for trade amongst Natives or for their own purposes. It could be called a trade knife or even more simply a knife, but historical preservation is also about coloquialisms of the day amongst the common people. We can't cover up history and pretend it didn't happen by putting fresh labels on things - only acknowledge, remember and preserve - hoping that we don't repeat it. The practice itself is horrid, but it's been practiced on both sides of the pond prior to mixing influences and therefore it should be just considered another example of human cruelty that had no geographic boundaries or origination from a distinct culture. If it's meant to be a historical piece it should be labeled what was the common nonemclature of the time period it is meant to represent. I'm not saying it is right or proper, but the person who carried the original piece in the late 1700's wasn't probably right and proper either. Just my two bits.

 

-J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice scalping knife.  I recently reread Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian and then I came across another book, Notes on Blood Meridian which names the sources McCarty used in writing Blood Meridian.  It turns out that Blood Meridian was based on actual events that were contained in books published at the time.  I started hunting down those books and found that many of them were available for free or almost free on the Barnes and Noble Nook.  Over the past few weeks I have been reading those original accounts.  It is amazing how much cruelty there was on both sides.  I also never knew there were professional scalping expeditions and many of the key players went on to be well accepted in society and there is even a pass named after one of them near where I live. 

 

It is great to see a re-creation of a scalping knife here and to read the comments on the historical accuracy.  Thanks to all involved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...