Queen Muskrat Blade Design?

Dan97526 · Post by **Dan97526** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:38 am

I've been considering a Queen Muskrat. I looked over the pictures of the "Carved Stag Bone" and the "Honey Amber Carved Stag Bone" knives, and judging from the pictures the blade shape is significantly different.

Here's a side-by-side pic (stolen from Bill Horn, modified by myself):

Can anyone tell me for certain if the blades are of a different profile? It appears to me to be a significant difference, but I suppose it could just be a trick of the light.

This may seem much ado about nothing, but I'm looking for a field knife that I can replace with the exact same thing (with respect to blades - handle material is unimportant) if it gets lost, broken, or used to death. The Carved Stag bone is discontinued, replaced by the Amber Bone. Unfortunately the blade on the CSB is the one I would prefer. It reminds me of the very full clip blade on the old Schrade Muskrats.

I've found it aggravates me to no end to need to replace something only to find out that it has been modified or discontinued. A bit OCD, I 'spose, but there it is. I'll refrain from another "Schrade-is-gone-and-I-can't-get-Improved-Muskrats-anymore" lament.

It's a good thing that I wasn't yet thought of when Winchester changed the Model 70.

So does anyone know the story here?

Dan

Dan97526 · Post by **Dan97526** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:45 am

I have the Camillus-made Moore Maker Muskrat,

and while a well-built, nicely finished, aesthetically-pleasing knife, the "low profile" blade style typified by this knife is exactly what I wish to get away from.

Dan97526 · Post by **Dan97526** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 7:02 pm

I decided to call Queen this morning. They said that the blade pattern had not changed. I went ahead with the Amber Bone knife. We'll see.

muskrat man · Post by **muskrat man** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 7:19 pm

I prefer the slimmer blades myself, but those pics do look like two different type blades, one has a longer clip then the other
looks like it to me

Dan97526 · Post by **Dan97526** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:12 am

muskrat man wrote:I prefer the slimmer blades myself

For looks, use, or both?

knifeaholic · Post by **knifeaholic** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:49 am

The confusion may be due to the fact the the two blades on a Queen muskrat are not identical to each other. On the front blade, the "shoulder" where the downsweep of the clip starts, is lower than on the rear blade. So the front blade has a longer "narroe" portion and the pull is above the shoulder, out after the start of the narrow sweep. On the rear blade, the pull below the shoulder. The blades are similar, but not identical.

muskrat man · Post by **muskrat man** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:55 am

Dan97526 wrote:
muskrat man wrote:I prefer the slimmer blades myself
For looks, use, or both?

use

knife7knut · Post by **knife7knut** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:27 am

If I remember correctly,in one of Levine's Guides,the blade on the right was referred to as a,"California Clip" blade.

Dan97526 · Post by **Dan97526** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 8:38 am

knifeaholic wrote:The confusion may be due to the fact the the two blades on a Queen muskrat are not identical to each other.

That would explain it. I'll post pics and a report when I get the knife.

I've heard of the 'California Clip' and the 'Turkish Clip.' Don't know what distinguishes them, though.