Is it still a trapper if it only has one blade?

[Meridian_Mike]

I just bought this Queen. I am trying to figure out the style first off.
4 1/4" long with one blade.

Does it still qualify as a trapper?
Sorta looks like one but only has one blade.

I looked in a 1952 Queen catalog and I see a similar knife called a "switch".... (Not an auto opener)....
Also, the ones I see in the 1952 catalog don't have the easy open notch in the handles.

Anyway.... sorta looks like a 1964 to 1970s---ish tang stamp.

So, y'all kinda help me out with this guy... if y'all don't mind.

So there you are.....
Jigged delrin? Jigged bone... (maybe)???
I don't know...

Mike

[Mumbleypeg]

No spey - no trapper! Got to have a blade for skinning to be a trapper. The spey blade on a trapper pattern is designed to cut through the animal's skin (pelt) without puncturing the carcass.

I'd call yours an easy open toothpick. Nice find!

Ken

[Meridian_Mike]

I wanted to lean toward calling it a tooth pick BUT... what about the rounded end opposite the blade hinge?

I thought tooth picks had a slender, tapered end hence the name (????) but I'm confused....

[Meridian_Mike]

Maybe it's an over-sized peanut????
LOL....

[Mumbleypeg]

You're probably right about it not being a toothpick. I tend to think of the long slender clip master with one blade as a toothpick. On second thought I'd call yours an easy-open farmer's jack.

Some call the Case 048 a barehead trapper, so they might call yours a trapper I suppose (yours has cap bolster though) but for reasons stated previously I wouldn't call either of them a trapper. I try to remember a knife's functional purpose - what was it designed for doing originally? But the names given by collectors don't always do that.

Ken

[Meridian_Mike]

Yep, you are right Ken.... The blade might qualify it as a tooth pick. I guess you could pick your teeth with that blade.....LOL.

I recon I'm just fishing... I figured somebody might just jump up and say.."oh, that is a ___ and the pattern number is___ "
But, then again, you are also right about collectors names....

Anyway, I thought it was a cool knife.... and I like it.

[jerryd6818]

No spey - no trapper! Got to have a blade for skinning to be a trapper. The spey blade on a trapper pattern is designed to cut through the animal's skin (pelt) without puncturing the carcass.

I'd call yours an easy open toothpick. Nice find!

Ken

Oh really. You should call Case and tell them what a horrible mistake they're making.

[Meridian_Mike]

Uh oh... I don't want to get any fur standing up on anyone's backs now.....

I saw a similar knife in the AAPK store that was called a Trapper so that is the original reason I ask the question....

Y'all play nice now.....

[Jeffinn]

That’s a really nice knife! Nice find!
Jeff

[Meridian_Mike]

That’s a really nice knife! Nice find!
Jeff

Thanks Jeff!

[Mumbleypeg]

Oh really. You should call Case and tell them what a horrible mistake they're making.

If I thought it would do any good, I would. Don't get me started on the names the marketing folks at Case, GEC and others come up with.

But in a way I can't blame them. Most of their current-day customers are clueless regarding the intended functions of the various blade and pattern shapes/designs. But I shouldn't complain, as long as they're buying knives and keeping those companies in business.

But if they'd like to hire me as a consultant I'm game! Would you like to be my agent? I'll give you a 25% cut!

Ken

[jerryd6818]

My head is in my anal orifice today. I forgot to add the "poking" emoji. Jeez. Some days.

[ea42]

That's simply a serpentine jack knife, definitely not a toothpick.

Eric

[Mumbleypeg]

My head is in my anal orifice today. I forgot to add the "poking" emoji. Jeez. Some days.

Not to worry Jerry, I knew what you intended. If that doesn't scare you though, it should!

Ken

[Meridian_Mike]

A'ight.... I dub thee...

Slim, Serpentine, Easy Open, Jack knife.

Ya' recon?

[jerryd6818]

But, but, I thought a Jack Knife has two blades.

[Doc B]

A'ight.... I dub thee...

Slim, Serpentine, Easy Open, Jack knife.

Ya' recon?

Slim, Serpentine, Easy Open, Jack knife...that you can pick your teeth with.

[Meridian_Mike]

Well..... I ain't got a clue.....

How about a Crooked Jack???? (Yep, still a Jack but....)

Is that pronounced crook-t or crook-id??

[Colonel26]

I slays thought the 048 pattern CASE was dubbed a farmer’s trapper to distinguish it from a regular trapper.

[Gunsil]

An old name for the long slim single blade knives of this pattern was "farmer's jack".

[Mumbleypeg]

An old name for the long slim single blade knives of this pattern was "farmer's jack".

Ken

[Meridian_Mike]

SO.....

Maybe it's a ...
Slim, Crooked, Serpentine, Easy Open, Farmers Jack, Half Trapper knife.

OR___ SCSEOFJHT for short.
Whew....

It's from the Twilight Zone.

[Mumbleypeg]

Half trapper? That oughta catch on.

Ken

[treefarmer]

Ken, that might be correct. Don't we have half Congress knives?
Treefarmer

[Gunsil]

Half congress is a modern misnomer. Congress knife refers to a handle pattern, not how many blades a knife has. There are two blade congress jacks (both blades in one end), three blade congress whittlers, two blade congress pens and the four and six blade regular congress knives. Half whittler is another common misnomer likely brought about by Case in recent history. Neither half whittle or half congress is used in old knife catalogs to the best of my knowledge. If one calls a regular congress a knife with four blades and a half congress the same pattern with two blades does one then call one with six blades, a congress and a half?