Crooked knife
Encyclopedia
The crooked knife sometimes referred to as a "curved knife", "carving knife" or in the Algonquian
language the "mocotaugan" is a utilitarian knife
used for carving. The "crooked knife" is a common knife found amongst the native Americans
of the Eastern Woodlands as well as non-native woodsmen. The crooked in "crooked knife" refers to its unusual shape with the handle set at an oblique angle
to the blade. The blade can be straight or curved, long or short and can be made of a steel forged specifically for the knife, or from reused hardened steel
from another source. The shape of the blade, whether curved or straight is, a function of the carving purpose of the user, Straight for whittling
wood, making splint
s for baskets and incising, curved for hollowing out bowls and masks and ladles, as well as myriad other usages.
and inlaid and are fashioned into high works of art.
The shape of a crooked knife was apparently inspired by the incisor
s of a beaver, which in earlier times were mounted in a handle and used for the same purposes.
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
language the "mocotaugan" is a utilitarian knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
used for carving. The "crooked knife" is a common knife found amongst the native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
of the Eastern Woodlands as well as non-native woodsmen. The crooked in "crooked knife" refers to its unusual shape with the handle set at an oblique angle
Oblique Angle
Oblique angle can refer to:*An angle which is not a multiple of 90°*Another word for "Dutch angle" in cinematography...
to the blade. The blade can be straight or curved, long or short and can be made of a steel forged specifically for the knife, or from reused hardened steel
Hardened steel
The term hardened steel is often used for a medium or high carbon steel that has been given the heat treatments of quenching followed by tempering. The quenching results in the formation of metastable martensite, the fraction of which is reduced to the desired amount during tempering. This is the...
from another source. The shape of the blade, whether curved or straight is, a function of the carving purpose of the user, Straight for whittling
Whittling
Whittling is the art of carving shapes typically out of raw wood or bone with a knife.Whittling is typically performed with a light, small-bladed knife, usually a pocket knife. Specialised whittling knives are available as well...
wood, making splint
Splint
Splint may refer to:* Splint , a medical device for the immobilization of limbs or spine* Splint , a device for checking computer programs...
s for baskets and incising, curved for hollowing out bowls and masks and ladles, as well as myriad other usages.
Usage
The crooked knife is drawn toward the body, with the thumb ergonomically placed along the flattened bottom of the handle, the hand clenched with the palm up. Drawing the blade toward the user the knife allows great range of movement and precision.Description
The handles of the knives are typically made of wood but can also be fashioned of antler, or another hardened material. The handles often became highly embellished and take the form of humans or animals, or are incisedIncised
Incised means cut, particularly with a "V" shape. It is a term found in a number of disciplines.-Geology: In geomorphology, the term Incised refers to when a river has cut downward through its riverbed. The river may have been incising through sediment or bedrock. The river begins at one elevation...
and inlaid and are fashioned into high works of art.
The shape of a crooked knife was apparently inspired by the incisor
Incisor
Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and mandible below.-Function:...
s of a beaver, which in earlier times were mounted in a handle and used for the same purposes.