Whats an arkansas toothpick good for?

[Galloway]

While I know the term can be applied to bowies also, im refering to the long double edge daggers I see on antique auction sites. I also see many companies and custom makers offering a version of the same design. My question is what was role these blades were designed to fill exactley? From what I can guess it seems like it would work as a light chopping blade and protection from animals for those too poor to own a firearm perhaps. What say you?

[ChurchandSon]

I'd have to say scare factor, although Sam Elliot used one to shave a guy in the "Sacketts".....

Plus, Howdy, I'm Randy Church and apparently an idiot...I always read the leather forum totally oblivious to the fact there was a knife forum. I make mostly period style sharp things.......Randy

[Books OToole]

It's for killing folks.



Books

[WaddWatsonEllis]

They are also great for opening cans if you don't slice your hand up (don't ask me how I know *S*)

[St. George]

Pretty much nothing beyond killing.

There's no 'utility' value to one, like there is with a Bowie-styled clip point, or a spear point - the long taper doesn't lend itself to it.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[bowiemaker]

Both the toothpick and the Bowie knife were designed as fighting knives. They became popular as a backup at a time when people carried pretty unreliable singel-shot pistols.

[Mogorilla]

Pretty much what everyone else said.  Similar to medieval daggers good for the coupe de grac.  The finish.   Single shot flintlocks and percussion were great, but if you were facing more than one, you either had to carry a brace, or have a big knife.  Bigger the knife the further you could keep them away from you.  Also, I know from 1st hand, nothing more intimidating than facing a guy who pulls out a really big knife.  I am thinking those four guys might still be running.

[joec]

Pretty much what everyone else said.  Similar to medieval daggers good for the coupe de grac.  The finish.   Single shot flintlocks and percussion were great, but if you were facing more than one, you either had to carry a brace, or have a big knife.  Bigger the knife the further you could keep them away from you.  Also, I know from 1st hand, nothing more intimidating than facing a guy who pulls out a really big knife.  I am thinking those four guys might still be running.

You mean something like this perhaps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLS3RGesIFQ&feature=related

[Delmonico]

One could use one of them to stick the juglar vein in a pig that needed butchered.  Doubt anyone today would really want to get blood all over there fancy knife.

[maarty]

Doubt anyone today would really want to get blood all over there fancy knife.

That's what knives are for.

[GunClick Rick]

 

Grissle




OHHHHHHH~ i gotta pig at home in a pen and corn ta feed "eem" on,all i need now is a purty little gal to feed "eem" when i'm gone~~~

[Daniel Nighteyes]

As I understand it (leaving considerable wiggle-room,  dontcha know), the classic Arkansas Toothpick is quite similar to the Dirk that many European swordsmen carried along with their swords.  In a fight, it was the sword in the right hand & the dirk in the left hand.

The "real" Arkansas Toothpick is a stabbing/killing weapon -- a long, essentially triangular, double-edged blade with an incredibly wicked-looking point.

[ChuckBurrows]

The "real" Arkansas Toothpick is a stabbing/killing weapon -- a long, essentially triangular, double-edged blade with an incredibly wicked-looking point.

Well maybe yes but mostly no since it's a narrow definition of the type and one that was/is mostly one promulgated by a few 20th/21st Century authors (Raymond Thorp in particular), state historians, and knife collectors/makers. As noted by the OP, in period the term could just as often be applied to what is often considered today to be a Bowie - just a couple of period examples of non-dagger blade toothpicks


For those interested in further research on the subject, Norm Flayderman's book, The Bowie Knife (IMO a great book for the price) has an excellent and well documented chapter on tooth picks: Arkansas, Texas, and more..........down south we also called them pig stickers...........

As for what it was good for - as noted above mostly it was a fighting/backup weapon no matter what style/shape of blade during the period of single shot firearms and cap lock revolvers when reloads weren't really quick, but a knife was always primed and ready for use.........