What is the origin

[kootenay joe]

Quote: "nice little case lee, if it had both blades and one end would it be a peanut?"
To explain, the Case 'half whittler' is really a swell center serpentine pen knife.
A 'peanut' is also "serpentine" but the style & placement of the curves (= serpentine, curvy like a snake) is different.
A Peanut is a serpentine jack, about 2 3/4' with 1 or 2 blade(s) at the small end. A Dog Leg jack has the same serpentine shape but is larger, 3 3/8" or larger. There is also a 3" size, a small Dog Leg is my name for this size.
Does this help ? Looking at pictures is better.
kj

[Dinadan]

of the term "half-whittler"? I was all set to go on a rant here, but decided to be nice.

You sure kicked off an interesting discussion, Cal. I have wondered about the half-whittler term a few times but since I have no information to actually answer you question I did not comment in the early stages of the thread. Thank you Steve for the information that you posted.

I can see why a company that makes a three blade, two spring whittler might choose to use the term for the same knife with only two blades and one spring. It only has half the springs. But two-thirds-whittler would be just as accurate, since it still has two of three blades. And best of all would be three-fifths-whittler. After all, if the real whittler has a total of five springs and blades, and one blade and one spring are left off, that leaves three-fifths.

There does seem to be a feeling by some that when a pattern is altered then it is gone. Think of a stockman - has anyone ever left off one blade of a stockman and called the knife a half-stockman?

I kind of agree with the idea that the pattern is the pattern, and when it is altered then it is gone. That might be because of Plato and his ideas about the immutable forms - I am a Platonist, at least to a degree.

[1967redrider]

I guess if you cut a Camillus 72 in half it would be a half whittler.

I'm going to get in trouble for that one.

[LongBlade]

There does seem to be a feeling by some that when a pattern is altered then it is gone. Think of a stockman - has anyone ever left off one blade of a stockman and called the knife a half-stockman?

You know Mel I originally noted the same about a blade missing on a stockman and calling it a half-stockman - but I deleted it - it would be a serpentine pen anyway. Guess we were thinking along the same lines

I agree that when a pattern is altered it is something else — but terminology for knife patterns can be very confusing as there is not a “bible” of such that everybody refers to for the definitive answer - though some may use Levine’s guide to me that is based alot on his opinion and view - and as noted I also think there are clear mistakes and alot of conjecture... it is an interesting topic but sometimes I think we make more out of it than necessary... one thing I think most agree on are the larger family classifications such as Jack vs Pen vs Fixed Blade etc... the issues become more apparent for the names of sub-classification patterns under the larger umbrellas... just my opinion and we all have one as they say

[Dinadan]

I agree that when a pattern is altered it is something else — but terminology for knife patterns can be very confusing as there is not a “bible” of such that everybody refers to for the definitive answer - though some may use Levine’s guide to me that is based alot on his opinion and view - and as noted I also think there are clear mistakes and alot of conjecture... it is an interesting topic but sometimes I think we make more out of it than necessary... one thing I think most agree on are the larger family classifications such as Jack vs Pen vs Fixed Blade etc... the issues become more apparent for the names of sub-classification patterns under the larger umbrellas... just my opinion and we all have one as they say

Lee - I think the lack clarity when it comes to a lot of things about knives leads to some of the most interesting discussions. I thoroughly enjoy the threads where we try to define whittler, for example. Maybe I will go over to that thread and restart it next! Things like defining whittler, or differentiating sheepsfoot versus wharncliffe versus lambsfoot blades are fun even if there is no real answer. And there are always new members coming onto the forum, so there will always be someone to restart the discussion.

[LongBlade]

I see your point Mel - they can be interesting discussions and fun to hear the opinions as long as one realizes that we will not arrive at definitive definitions for the world of knives (but maybe I am wrong )... the discussions on AAPK are always civil and respectful which is a nice aspect of this forum ....

PS - I forgot to add the difference between wharncliffe vs sheep foot vs lamb foot is actually different and there is an answer - in the Lamb Foot thread Dimitri posted a very good diagram that really shows the difference between those blades as they were originally designed ... in that case the blades made by some manufacturers clouded the difference during the 1900s ....

[kootenay joe]

A Premium Stockman ( ~ 4") with only the master blade or with the secondary beside it make for a One Blade and Two Blade Serpentine Premium Jack.
kj

[knifeaholic]

If you think that the term "half whittler" is annoying...(and I agree it IS annoying)...then how about the term "half hawkbill"? Even more annoying when shortened to "half hawk".

It is an annoying term from early knife collecting that (thankfully) never got any traction so it seems to have died out.

What does it refer to? What BRL would call a "regular" jack or sometimes the "curved jack" (think loom fixer) pattern.

Evidently based on the visual cue that a regular jack (like a Case 31 or 99) or a curved jack (Case 17) is about "half" as wide as the typical "hawkbill" (like the Case 011) in terms of the handle shape.

[LongBlade]

A half hawk I think I had heard it once but like half whittler stuck it in a part of my brain to be forgotten ... like a half canoe which is another I heard once ...

The problem in my opinion is that when someone is new to knives and hears these terms the continued use of them propagates... as an example and I’ll be honest - when I first started I didn’t know better when I heard half whittler until I read from those who know better there is no such creature...

[Reverand]

I have a single-blade “quarter-whittler” if anyone is interested!

[btrwtr]

Please lest not forget the half congress.

I try to keep half knives out of my vocabulary and collection.

[jerryd6818]

Steve, "Half-Hawk" is still being used in some quarters in reference to a 'Loom Fixer'.

[tongueriver]

And what is half of one of these?

[orvet]

Not sure what you would call that...
But if you put wheels under it, it would be a wheel-burro.

[tongueriver]

Not sure what you would call that...
But if you put wheels under it, it would be a wheel-burro.

lol. I was thinking of an adjective, Dale.

[gsmith7158]

Cal I'm guessing you were looking for Half a_ _ in that situation.

[cody6268]

So, what the heck is a half hawk? Rough Rider calls their Loom Fixer a Half Hawk, and I have heard the Case 62031LHR called a "Mini Hawkbill" by those who carried them in the mines (Pittston issued that knife to miners in the 1980s), while I personally use the term "Linesman's Utility Knife". On another note, I really need to sharpen that 62031 LHR of my Granddad's and use it some.

[knife7knut]

So since we're speculating here;what would you call a 6 blade congress or an 8 or 10 blade? A,"congress and a half? Double Congress? Congress two point five?" Inquiring minds want to know! What about a five blade jack that isn't a sowbelly? Jack plus one? Super Whittler? The mind boggles!