question re slipjoints

[Jmora]

why do so many traditional american slipjoint patterns have practically the same blade twice? this seems redudant to me. I'm thinking for example of a 4 bladed congress - which seems often to have two big blades exactly the same and two small blades exactly the same. Another example would be the muskrat.

[dks]

From what I understand the idea was/is to:

1. Have one blade for food and one for dirty jobs.

2. So that when one blade goes dull you can continue your work with the other one, without having to stop and sharpen immediately.

3. Possibly, to only use one and have the other as backup like the secondary blade on swiss army knives.

more educated people will be here shortly.... 

[Jmora]

I guess that must be the only answer. I'd be interested to know how the market for these patterns were driven. I read on BF that Lincoln had a 6 bladed congress in his pocket at the time of his assassination. Perhaps in those days blades were more called upon for work and it really was useful to have two of the same blades at hand - for whittling, cutting tobacco or whatever.

[2xTap]

Of the slipjoint patterns out there, and there are many in numerous variations, actually few come with dual similar blades. Some Congress patterns are redundant, as are some Muskrat patterns. Alot of it has to do with what dks has already mentioned. But as a whole few actually come this way.

2xTap

[AimlessWanderer]

I'm struggling to come up with anything other than what's already been mentioned. As regards spare blades - these patterns span back to before todays discussions about how different steels fare in edge retention. I'd imagine way back when, spare blades would pretty much have been a necessity for many folk. I'm with 2xtap on the configurations too. Most of the slippies that've crossed my path have had dissimilar blades, even on 4 blade congress knives. I can only think of a muskrat from everything I've owned which has had identical blades - and I reckon a spare is a smart move on delicate blades like those.

I tend to go with single blade slippies these days anyway - usually lambsfoot or clip. Occasionally I'll pocket a two bladed barlow or penknife, but rarely go for a stockman, whittler or congress, and never sticking to which blades are designed for which task ... I just use what'll do the job, and 9/10 that's any of them 

[dks]

I think we need some pictures....
I had a quick look through some of my pictures so here are two with two similar blades:
(I also realised that I have way more knives than I think I have...)

[dks]

  Or, if you want variety in your blades you can get one of these....
Personally I have to push myself to use more than a single blade of a knife, and consider the 6 blade ones a curio, rather than a usefull knife.
gor their thicknes you may as well carry a more usefull Swiss Army knife. 

[Jmora]

I dig that 5 blade one, pretty absurd combination, but looks impressive.

[Potassium Hydroxide]

What are each of the blade shapes meant for?

[Mike]

That's why I prefer the stockman pattern. It has three different blade patterns .... Clip,Spey and Sheepsfoot.



Mike

[dks]

What are each of the blade shapes meant for?

Have a look here for some general information:
http://www.knivestown.com/ktown/blade_shapes.asp
http://www.the-knife-connection.com/knife-blade-types.html

Really, different people will use the same blade for different uses.