Barrel Knife find

[Macaroon]

I was lucky enough to find a Swedish Barrel knife the other day on a flea market stall for the princely sum of £1 ! I've always wanted one of these and was extremely pleased to have got this; it's mostly in very decent nick, with a bit of fettling it all fits together very firmly and will make a very nice little tool.

The fly in the ointment is the broken tipped and ground-away blade, as will be seen in the phoaties below, but I was thinking it wouldn't be the end of the world to find and adapt a donor
blade and fit it. After a week of searching, though, I think it might need a blade making for it. The trouble is that for a 70 mm-ish blade the "tang" part is quite long in comparison to the rest in order to take the locating pin, and I haven't found anything yet that I can adapt. I've also been thinking that while I have it at this stage I'd really like to have it with a lamb's foot
blade and that makes finding a donor even more difficult........So perhaps I need to make one for it or rather have one made as my workshop currently consists of several thousand feet of timber under a tarpaulin in the garden.

I just thought I'd show it here and see if the hive mind throws up any suggestions or ideas I haven't thought of, or if one of the makers here might see a way forward.

 

[British Red]

Good find and I'm sure a competent blade maker could sort a replacement without much trouble

 

[Mesquite]

+ 1 on what Hugh said for the blade and what a great bargain for a barrel knife

 

[Stew]

Oh wow, £1? What a find!

As the chaps have said, I think the best plan is to have a new blade made. It would be great to get it back into a usable condition.

 

[Goatboy]

Lucky beggar Macaroon,
Brilliant find at anytime but to get it for that price was fantastic. Worthwhile getting it refurbished.
You must be a happy chap.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Nice find Mac.

 

[jimbo75]

Mines in a similar state... I'm holding out for a replacement blade. Someone needs to make these!

 

[Macaroon]

I've had a chat via pm this afternoon with Mark, Hillbill of this parish, and he's going to have a look see what he can do a little later in the year; he's playing catch-up at the moment with loads of other work, but it'll be a nice little something to lift the spirits during the short dark days that will soon be upon us............

I'll surely post an update on this, I'm so very pleased to have found it

 

[Stevie777]

It,s scrap. send it to me pronto..

 

[Macaroon]

It,s scrap. send it to me pronto..

Yeah, you're right..................PM your adress and I'll get it off first class to you.

 

[Ferret75]

I've had a chat via pm this afternoon with Mark, Hillbill of this parish, and he's going to have a look see what he can do a little later in the year; he's playing catch-up at the moment with loads of other work, but it'll be a nice little something to lift the spirits during the short dark days that will soon be upon us............

I'll surely post an update on this, I'm so very pleased to have found it

Hi Macaroon, not sure if its any help, Hillbill is extremely skilled, but should you and Hillbill want a genuine pattern to work to then let me know, I'll happily post mine out to you.

They are fantastic knives, like several people have said, its time someone made them in the UK.

Kind regards. Ferret.

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[Wayland]

Or make it into a very fine whittling knife.

 

[HillBill]

Thats a very kind offer. Thanks.
I think Mac is considering a lambs foot blade profile atm.

Hi Macaroon, not sure if its any help, Hillbill is extremely skilled, but should you and Hillbill want a genuine pattern to work to then let me know, I'll happily post mine out to you.

They are fantastic knives, like several people have said, its time someone made them in the UK.

Kind regards. Ferret.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[mrcharly]

Fantastic knife.
Someday, someday, when I have a workbench set up, I want to make one of these, maybe use an opinel blade.

 

[Macaroon]

Or make it into a very fine whittling knife.

That would be my preferred option and was, in fact, my first thought; but on mine the locating pin and it's corresponding locating holes have become very sloppy through use. The locating holes are let into the brass sides,
and would be prone to wear from the too-thin steel pin with any use so while this is being remedied I might just as well go the whole hog, so to speak, with a new blade.

@ Ferret75; That really is a kind offer and I'm very grateful for it. As Mark says, I'm thinking of a lamb's foot shape for the blade but nothing is set in stone; I'll discuss things with Mark when he's seen the knife and then decide how to proceed........Is your blade 75mm tip-to-tang?

 

[Jared]

Wouldn't a full tang paring knife provide a suitable blade?

Something like an Old Hickory or Opinel paring knife, though they have blade lengths that would require shortening.

 

[Ferret75]

That would be my preferred option and was, in fact, my first thought; but on mine the locating pin and it's corresponding locating holes have become very sloppy through use. The locating holes are let into the brass sides,
and would be prone to wear from the too-thin steel pin with any use so while this is being remedied I might just as well go the whole hog, so to speak, with a new blade.

@ Ferret75; That really is a kind offer and I'm very grateful for it. As Mark says, I'm thinking of a lamb's foot shape for the blade but nothing is set in stone; I'll discuss things with Mark when he's seen the knife and then decide how to proceed........Is your blade 75mm tip-to-tang?

Hi Mac, done a quick drawing if it helps you. Bear in mind my blade has some wear at the tip.

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[Ferret75]

Hi Mac, done a quick drawing if it helps you. Bear in mind my blade has some wear at the tip.

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May be of interest to some:

http://thebladeblog-ulf.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/johan-engstrom-eskilstuna-barrel-knives.html



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[Macaroon]

Thanks very much for doing that, Ferret Mine is a smaller knife than yours, but it's great to have a reference to the original blade shape. My blade would be a maximum 75mm from the end of the tang to the tip, a lovely
handy pocket-sized tool and light enough to hang as a necker when not wearing much clothing in the warmer weather (if we ever get any).

 

[Ferret75]

No problem Mac, look forward to seeing the rebuild! Enjoy your knife!


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