Spectacular Knife

Often called a buffalo knife or chief’s knife, this artifact was described as “extremely heavy… a sort of butcher’s cleaver with a point instead of squared-off end.”

Written by Beverley Tallon & Ryan Kessler

 — Posted December 1, 2012
Museum of the Fur Trade, Chadron, Nebraska

This Hudson’s Bay Company trade item was popular with hunters of western Canada during the last half of the nineteenth century.

Often called a buffalo knife or chief’s knife, it was described as “extremely heavy… a sort of butcher’s cleaver with a point instead of squared-off end.”

This well-designed specimen, made by Jukes Coulson, Stokes & Co. Ltd. of London, England, was found to be equally versatile as a light hatchet, cleaver, skinning knife, or deadly weapon.

This article originally appeared in the December 2012-January 2013 issue of Canada’s History magazine.

This article is also offered in French. 

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