All About Pocket Knives

Posted: **Sat Jan 25, 2025 1:14 pm**

Wondering if anyone knows the function of this bulged edge Russell? The blade is 4" +. Single edged on the bulge side. Thanks. J.O'.

Posted: **Sat Jan 25, 2025 2:49 pm**

It looks like a spud , used to open bark for inserting a bud in grafting ?

Just guessing.

Posted: **Sat Jan 25, 2025 3:07 pm**

Thanks. It does resemble that. Awfully big, maybe for small tree scions ??

Posted: **Sat Jan 25, 2025 4:01 pm**

Very strange that the edge is on the bulge side. Is the bulge edged or blunt? If blunt I'd imagine the knife would be used for cutting something with the edge facing up where you don't want to damage what's beneath it.

Eric

Posted: **Sat Jan 25, 2025 6:41 pm**

JO', why not contact Russell and ask them? They are still in business and the knife doesn't appear very old. I bet they tell you exactly what it's purpose is. Lyle, that is one cool knife!!

Posted: **Sat Jan 25, 2025 9:07 pm**

Gunsil wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 6:41 pm JO', why not contact Russell and ask them? They are still in business and the knife doesn't appear very old. I bet they tell you exactly what it's purpose is. Lyle, that is one cool knife!!

Yeah Eric , I wondered if it was dull too.

Thanks Gene, you've got the best idea.
I had looked for that version of Wostenholm since seeing this catalog page here 12 years ago.

Posted: **Sat Jan 25, 2025 10:50 pm**

(Removed the incorrect usage)

Posted: **Sat Jan 25, 2025 10:58 pm**

https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/entities/pub ... 42c8203422

No it's not a spud, but is it horticultural ?

Topping corn is a pollination control .

Posted: **Sun Jan 26, 2025 2:20 pm**

Mason wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 10:50 pm Used for cutting corn off the cob.

Awesome! Thanks for clearing it up Mason!!

Eric

Posted: **Sun Jan 26, 2025 2:55 pm**

wlf wrote: ↑Sat Jan 25, 2025 10:58 pm https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/entities/pub ... 42c8203422

No it's not a spud, but is it horticultural ?

Topping corn is a pollination control .

Yes.

Posted: **Sun Jan 26, 2025 3:09 pm**

“Topping” means removing the tassels from the tops of a corn plant. Today machines can do it but they miss a lot of tassels so the remainder have to be removed by hand. See here for a better explanation, and why it’s done. https://farmergrows.com/why-do-they-cut ... rn-stalks/

Ken

Oops. I see Lyle already posted a link to an explanation.

Posted: **Sun Jan 26, 2025 4:25 pm**

Thanks all. It slipped my mind to call Russell. A very nice lady helped me with the tobacco knife. At $.35 a piece they might not be that recent.
The bulge is very sharp. J.O'.

Posted: **Sun Jan 26, 2025 6:52 pm**

The tobacco knife conversation was about two months ago. Sorry if that was not clear. Anyway, the woman was very helpful. O'.

Posted: **Sun Jan 26, 2025 7:49 pm**

That's a very cool knife JO.

Posted: **Mon Jan 27, 2025 4:51 am**

You're welcome to it Lyle. I paid $1.50 just to save it from a non-collector fate and for conversation purposes. O'.

Posted: **Mon Jan 27, 2025 7:50 pm**

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 3:09 pm “Topping” means removing the tassels from the tops of a corn plant. Today machines can do it but they miss a lot of tassels so the remainder have to be removed by hand. See here for a better explanation, and why it’s done. https://farmergrows.com/why-do-they-cut ... rn-stalks/

Ken

Oops. I see Lyle already posted a link to an explanation.
Really Ken...topping corn means to cut the stalk just above the year with the intent that nutrients that would normally go to the upper stalk would now go to the year.

Posted: **Thu Jan 30, 2025 5:28 pm**

winst wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 7:50 pm
Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 3:09 pm “Topping” means removing the tassels from the tops of a corn plant. Today machines can do it but they miss a lot of tassels so the remainder have to be removed by hand. See here for a better explanation, and why it’s done. https://farmergrows.com/why-do-they-cut ... rn-stalks/

Ken

Oops. I see Lyle already posted a link to an explanation.
Really Ken...topping corn means to cut the stalk just above the ear with the intent that nutrients that would normally go to the upper stalk would now go to the ear.

Posted: **Thu Jan 30, 2025 5:30 pm**

winst wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2025 7:50 pm
Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 3:09 pm “Topping” means removing the tassels from the tops of a corn plant. Today machines can do it but they miss a lot of tassels so the remainder have to be removed by hand. See here for a better explanation, and why it’s done. https://farmergrows.com/why-do-they-cut ... rn-stalks/

Ken

Oops. I see Lyle already posted a link to an explanation.

Posted: **Thu Jan 30, 2025 5:36 pm**

"ear" my bad..I suppose at 82 "years" the years and ears both become somewhat of a problem.

Posted: **Thu Jan 30, 2025 6:14 pm**

I don’t doubt your explanation is true, after pollination of the ears. It’s just one of the several reasons for “topping” corn. Prior to pollination the plants can be de-tassled, thereby controlling pollination including creation of hybrid varieties, and other reasons as described in the referenced article. As Lyle said, it's a method of pollination control.

Ken

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