A “whittler,” in collector terms, is not necessarily a knife for whittling, but a technical term for a specific style of knife construction. “Whittler” is considered a pattern, but a whittler can be made on any handle die. They can be pen knives, cattle knives, stockmen, lobsters, or other styles, but they always have three blades (four in the case of a lobster whittler.) To some collectors, a whittler must have three cutting blades (no nail files or the like). But here’s one universal truth: the large blade on one end always falls between the two blades on the opposite end when closed.
(TOP VIEW) ALL whittlers have a master blade that falls between the two secondary blades when closed. No exceptions! NONE!! The two secondary blades will usually be about the same length.The exact criteria for whittlers does vary somewhat, adding to the confusion. A typical whittler is a knife with two springs and three blades, and very specific construction details. At the two-blade end, each blade works against a single spring. At the other end there is only one blade but it works against both springs at the same time.
(BOTTOM VIEW) This view of a whittler’s backsprings shows the center liner that separates the two smaller blades at one end, and tapers down to nothing so both springs can apply tension to the master blade. It has become popular to use the modern (and misleading) term “split backspring whittler” for this, but a better term would be “tapered liner” or “tapered divider” whittler. The reason why “split backspring whittler” is a poor term for this is because a few early 19th century English whittlers actually used a single hand forged backspring that was split halfway up so as to operate all three blades. See: Split-spring (Whittler)
(BOTTOM VIEW) This type of whittler uses a small spacer that separates the two smaller blades but does NOT separate the backsprings, allowing them to run parallel the length of the knife. The spacer is called a “catch bit,” so “catch bit whittler” would be a good name for this type.
(BOTTOM VIEW) Here’s where things get fuzzy. Technically, a knife with three blades and three backsprings cannot be a whittler because it violates the basic principle of the master blade riding simultaneously on two backsprings. However, because collectors like whittlers and want as many as they can get, the “three backspring whittler” has become a ‘thing.’ These do, at least, fulfill the criteria of the master blade falling between the smaller two blades, but they use a separate “cap-end” (single-ended) backspring for each blade. These were often made in larger patterns and as such are very collectible.Some feel that the three backspring version isn’t truly a whittler, while others expand the concept one step further to include three backspring whittlers with blades on both ends of the outer springs – a five bladed whittler of sorts. (The mere suggestion of which probably sends strict purists into cardiac arrest!) But when you get right down to it, the names aren’t all that important – all knives with this basic construction are very collectible.
Above is the only way you can have a whittler with four blades — by constructing the knife as a whittler on ‘top’ but with the two springs working against both the master blade on top and the manicure blade on ‘bottom’, the two secondary blades are each worked against a single spring.ANY other combination of springs and blades is not a whittler — above, we’ve stretched the definition as far as it can logically go.See: Split-Spring Whittler; Whittler, Lobster; Whittler, Three-Backspring; Whittler, Five-Blade; Whittler, Catch Bit; Whittler, Tapered Divider
Whittler (all)
