Case half whittler

[knife-nut]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-CASE-10-dot ... dZViewItem I've collected knives 30 some years now, and always wondered why some people call some patterns a half whittler. To me it looks like a pen knife. Sure, if it had another blade in the bottom end it would be a whittler(with the right spring arrangement). But could'nt you call a lot of pen knives half whittlers. What makes a knife a half whittler? Dumb question I know, but thought maybe someone could enlighten me. Maybe it makes a knife sound more expensive.

[jonet143]

that pattern frame,08 is used for a whittler(three blade, main blade opposing two blades). so, i guess that's why. it is really a 2/3 whittler! with a pen blade, i would call it a pen knife. i think it's just a name to call those whittler patterns with only two blades. someone else might know the real poop.

[smiling-knife]

I don't like the term 'half' used in combination with any pattern name . IMO that is a pen knife. Just my 2p s-k

[msteele6]

I'm no expert, but I have noticed that on some knives that are called half whittlers there is a thick blade in one end (just like a regular whittler) and a thinner blade in the other end. Since the blades ride on the same spring, a spacer (I don't know the technical term) is placed beside the thinner blade to keep it from having "slop" and being tight in the frame. These are the knives that I would call a half whittler. They are made on regular whittler frames, it seems, and probably with regular whittler parts.

A regular pen knife has both blades on the same spring, however, since the baldes are the same thickness, no spacer is required.

In my mind, it is the spacer that makes the knife a "half whittler".

JMO.

[Hukk]

I believe a half whittler has a single backspring shared by 2 blades. A full whittler has 2 backsprings, one for a pen blade ond one for the coping blade (common configuration) and the master blade then rides on the center of these 2 springs. (3 blades)

[jonet143]

does anyone have a two blade or two spring or split or tapered backspring "half whittler"? levines calls the "whittler" a modern term. only reference to half whittlers i could find is a sales term.

anybody got an old cat. reference to a "whittler" pattern.

[lenny357]

Just sold one, single back spring pretty popular http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0267954846

[msteele6]

In Levines Guide, 2nd Edition, on page 214, Levine goes over his understanding of the term, it's in the Swell-Center Serpentine section. To make a long story short he says that Case specifically referred to the 6208 as a "half whittler".

[jonet143]

i think most will agree the 6208 is a pen knife by definition, not a "half whittler". the use of "half whittler" by case is a marketing tool imo.

anybody got an old cat. reference to a "whittler" pattern.
does anyone have a two blade or two spring or split or tapered backspring "half whittler"? levines calls the "whittler" a modern term. only reference to half whittlers i could find is a sales term.

anybody got an old cat. reference to a "whittler" pattern.

or "half whittler"

[Hukk]

I don't recall if I have any catalog info, I do have a Canal Street Cutlery Split Back Whittler (Saber master blade), a few Bulldog Warncliffe whittlers with 2 even backsprings and I have a gag gift knife an American Classic of Salt River Ky (really is a 140 mile river - I googled it) but really made in China that is a half Whittler with a Warncliffe and a small clip blade on a single backspring. 3 Backspring Whittler were made (don't remember who) and they are quite rare.

[jonet143]

here is a three spring case classic. not considered a true whittler. made with three springs was more economical to produce than a split spring or two spring whittler. as long as the knife has three blades, two springs or one split spring with a master on one end and twoi blades on the other end with the master between the two smaller blades at closed. some have a file blade but are not true whittlers. it seems as though the traditional patterns are being watered down to suit marketing. jmo