Voyageurs, Coureurs des Bois, and the Indispensable Knife

 

The knife was the single most vital, universal tool of the 18th- and 19th-century frontier. For the Voyageur and the Coureur des Bois, it was more than a weapon; it was a primary piece of equipment for survival, trade, and daily life. While we cannot consult with the men of the past, we can draw a logical conclusion from historical necessity and period art: every frontiersman carried a sheath knife.

1. The Two Worlds of the Voyageur's Blade

The type of knife carried was determined by the man's job and how long he spent in the wilderness, categorizing the blades into two distinct groups:

Category	"Montreal Men" (The Navigators)	"North Men" (The Winterers)
Role	Paddled large brigades from Montreal to Grand Portage and back; did not hunt for subsistence.	Wintered deep in the interior; responsible for trading, survival, and hunting their own food.
Knife Style	Trade Knife (Sturdy, general purpose).	Hunting and Utility Knives (Variety of types for specialized tasks).
Typical Blade	Roughly 5-inch blade.	Wider variety, including large Butcher Knives, Skinning Knives, and small Patch Knives.
Primary Use	Cutting tobacco, preparing food, minor canoe repairs (like patching bark), and general camp chores (kindling).	Skinning game, butchering, fighting, and specialized tasks like cutting rifle patches.

Conclusion: The typical Montreal Man carried a robust, medium-sized Trade Knife—the equivalent of today's versatile camp knife. The North Man required a specialized arsenal for deep wilderness survival. [Image: A typical French Trade Knife from last half of the 18th century]

A typical French trade knife commonly carried by coureurs des bois

2. Styles of the Frontier Blade

The historical record confirms a vast diversity of blades available through the colonial trade networks. The names themselves tell a story of function:

• Utility & General Use: Butcher Knives, Camp Knives, Paring Knives, and the general purpose Trade Knife.
• Specialized Tasks: Skinning Knives (for furs) and Patch Knives (small knives used by riflemen to cut patches of fabric or leather wrapped around the ball in the muzzleloader).
• Cultural Adaptations: Crooked Knives (a distinctly Indigenous and Métis woodworking tool) and daggers.

This forged trade knife & Iroquois beaded sheath (above) can be worn either as a belt or a neck knife

3. Carrying the Knife: Belt vs. Neck

The sheath was as important as the blade, determining how readily the tool could be accessed.

• The Belt Knife: The standard mode for most Voyageurs (especially the Montreal men) was a simple leather sheath attached to the belt or the brightly colored ceinture fléchée (sash). This was the practical, European-derived method for easy access while standing or portaging.
• The Neck Knife: The Coureur des Bois, who often adopted the survival and aesthetic customs of their Native trading partners, were more likely to wear a knife in a sheath suspended from the neck. This style, known as the Neck Knife, was secure, easily concealed beneath outer garments, and rapidly accessible. [Image: Ah-yaw-ne-tak-oár-ron, a warrior wearing a neck knife by George Catlin]
• Concealment and Utility: Smaller knives, often Patch Knives, were sometimes fastened to the garter strap on leggings or attached to the strap of a shooting bag for discrete access or specific tasks.