All About Pocket Knives

Is the only difference in a serpentine jack and a dogleg jack bolster size?

They are both sized between the peanut and the small trapper, built on a "S-curve" frame and both have clip point(primary) and pen(secondary) blades.
The serpentine is equal end, and the dogleg is "fat bottomed".

Is that correct? Or am I just overthinking this?

It's all about the handle shape. On a dogleg jack the butt end of the handle curves down. On a serpentine jack it curves up (like a trapper).

Eric

Thank you for the reply. I thought I knew doglegs, but I was operating with faulty info. Turns out all my "doglegs" are actually serpentines.

Unless it's a Ruslock.

1967redrider wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 9:07 pm Unless it's a Ruslock.

But the Russlock is bigger than a serpentine

Gtrclktr-351 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 31, 2024 12:21 am

1967redrider wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 9:07 pm Unless it's a Ruslock.

But the Russlock is bigger than a serpentine

For some reason, Case does their doglegs (and Russlocks) upside-down.

It seems some of my confusion comes from knife manufacturers. For example, Old Timer refers to the both the 72OT and the 72OTB as "doglegs" but the rear bolsters turn up. And I read somewhere, on the good old interwebs where everything is the truth, that the S-frame equal end is the Serpentine and the S-frame, "fat bottom" is the Dogleg. Then I get told that the orientation of the rear bolster is the deciding factor. I think I'll go just continue to refer to the pattern as the "Dogleg/Serpentine.

You have discovered that there are very few absolutes in the knife collecting world. About the time you think you have learned something, along comes an exception.

Ken

Different manufacturers use pattern names differently. I just learned Schrade and a few other manufacturers named their reverse peanuts Dog Legs. I own knives Queen named Reverse Peanuts and never heard them called dog legs. As previously mentioned, Chinese Old Timers that, except for squared right ends, are pretty peanuty with up turned left ends are named Dog Leg Jacks. I'm curious if that started with later U.S. made Schrades. I do not think Case named any of their patterns dog legs. The only Case patter that the research section here calls a dog leg is the _240 that has an upturned left bolster. While discussing various stuff with collectors I think it's best to use the model names and descriptive terms manufacturers used during the time period when the stuff was being made.

So this is a dog head Cattaraugus 22549.

Jacknifeben wrote: ↑Sat Aug 03, 2024 6:32 pm So this is a dog head Cattaraugus 22549.

It sure is pretty what ever it is!

Jacknifeben wrote: ↑Sat Aug 03, 2024 6:32 pm So this is a dog head Cattaraugus 22549.

doglegg wrote: ↑Sat Aug 03, 2024 8:24 pmIt sure is pretty what ever it is!

Ditto

ea42 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 30, 2024 8:27 pm It's all about the handle shape. On a dogleg jack the butt end of the handle curves down. On a serpentine jack it curves up (like a trapper).

Eric

Would this bare headed Remington be considered a dog leg .the butt end of the handle does curve down .or do all doglegged knifes have to have a bolster ?