Bernie Garland Nessmuk for sale on ebay
- Thread starter Spikey DaPikey
- Start date
Shambling Shaman
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
"Nessmuk" was the pen-name of a chap called George Washington Spears.
He was an american outdoors writer and traveller in the 1800s:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nessmuk
He designed a type of knife which has a very distinctive shape - many people have now made their own versions of the "Nessmuk" knife, but they all share similar characteristics.
Lots more details here:
http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/racquette/nessmukbydale.html
Nessmuk was the pen name of a woodsman called George W Sears.
On page 9 of Nessmuks "Woodcraft and Camping", just after the section where he describes having his double bit axe made for an exorbitant fee, you can find an interesting paragraph about his knife design...
On page 9 of Nessmuks "Woodcraft and Camping", just after the section where he describes having his double bit axe made for an exorbitant fee, you can find an interesting paragraph about his knife design...
Why that shape of knife though? It dont look very practical. Im sure that its a damn good design and it does have its uses and the man himself knew what he was upto, it just looks unusual compared to the bushcraft knives we use today.
I made a few Nessmuks using that picture in his book as a starting point:
It's a really nice knife to make and use.
It's a really nice knife to make and use.
Very nice, JoJo!!
I like the little knife in the lower pic, in particular.
While I have never used a Nessmuck patter, looks can be decieving.
Consider the "Canadian" belt knife patter. Looks kind of odd to me, but anyone I know who actually owns one seems to love it.
I like the little knife in the lower pic, in particular.
While I have never used a Nessmuck patter, looks can be decieving.
Consider the "Canadian" belt knife patter. Looks kind of odd to me, but anyone I know who actually owns one seems to love it.
The reason its that shape is for skinning out,some animals give there jackets easy,some like muntjac don't,thats why the rounded shape, so you gain more meat and the hide stays intact.
Bernie
The reason its that shape is for skinning out,some animals give there jackets easy,some like muntjac don't,thats why the rounded shape, so you gain more meat and the hide stays intact.
Bernie
You learn something new everyday
I've just never seen that type of knife before, the name i've seen mentioned but never really thought about what it was. Now you explain it makes more sense!
Thinking about it im sure i've seen knives in the butchers that are the same sort of design.
Andy >>>>>------------------------------<>
You learn something new everyday
I've just never seen that type of knife before, the name i've seen mentioned but never really thought about what it was. Now you explain it makes more sense!
Thinking about it im sure i've seen knives in the butchers that are the same sort of design.
Andy >>>>>------------------------------<>
You have, that's basically exactlty what it is. Nessmuk didn't invent the pattern, he just liked it and helped to popularise it, in much the same way that James Bowie gave his name to a knife pattern that had been around for much longer than he had.
Take, for example, the Green River type trade knife....
These types of knives were a common trade item, made by in their bazillion by blacksmiths all over, Nessmuk's illustration is just a variant on a very well worn theme. The knife in the illustration is probably just one he picked up in a trade store somewhere and liked.
