{"id":8127,"date":"2022-06-11T08:03:43","date_gmt":"2022-06-11T06:03:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/?p=8127"},"modified":"2022-06-11T08:03:45","modified_gmt":"2022-06-11T06:03:45","slug":"scutching-knife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/scutching-knife\/","title":{"rendered":"Scutching knife"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are so many beautiful antique scutching knives out there. In flea markets, yard sales and museums. Ornamented to fit a specific hand, often as a wedding or engagement gift. Clearly used by a skilled hand. A right hands. As a leftie I realized that I will never find an antique scutching knife for a leftie. But I worked myself around that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a simple search for sk\u00e4ktkniv<\/em> or sk\u00e4ktetr\u00e4<\/em> in the Swedish Digital museum<\/a> you will find lots if beautiful old scutching knives. Here is one example with a sweet and plain design. And, as usual, made for a right-handed person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Scutching knife from the Swedish Digital Museum<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While I have seen some neutral scutching knives (I actually have two neutral scutching knives<\/a>, from the 1980’s), I have never seen one made specifically for a left-handed person. We are only about ten per cent of the population and in many cultures left-handedness has been frowned upon and even forbidden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new scutching knife<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I follow a very talented wood worker on Instagram, Frej Lonnfors<\/a>. He makes the most beautiful carving work. Last year he posted pictures of flax processing tools \u2013 exquisite hand distaffs, wheel distaffs and distaff pins. One day he posted a picture of a magnificent scutching knife. That’s when I realized that I could get my ornamented scutching knife. Not antique, but made to fit my hand, my left hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n
Fancy (left) side ornamented, working (right) side plain and with the maker’s mark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I contacted Frej and he was happy to do it. This was in late October. He had several orders to complete and I wasn’t in any hurry to process my flax that time of year, so he put my request on hold until he had caught up with his work. Just this week I got my treasure in the mail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As I talked to Frej about the design my first and foremost wish was for it to be comfortable to work with and fit my hand. I wanted a subtle ornamentation and sent him a few images from the Digital museum to use as inspiration together with his own artistic expression. I also said I would like to feel the traces from the tools in my hand as I used the scutching knife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n
Look at those carvings! And the sweet traces of the tools.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I think he captured my requests exquisitely. I love the tool traces inside the handle. The ornamentation is just perfectly subtle and I can see and feel the traces of the band knife and axe on the blade. Frej worked in birch wood, which is one of my favourites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Test scutching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This week Dan, our daughter and I have been busy planning and organizing the reception for our son’s graduation from upper-secondary school, so there has been no time for anything else, let alone processing flax (I’m so tired I could sleep for a week). But I did carve out (pun very much intended) fifteen minutes to test drive my sweet new scutching knife on my very modest 2020 flax harvest that I broke six months ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n
A scutching knife in action! This is my homegrown flax from the 2020 harvest.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The scutching knife worked perfectly. It is lovely to hold both when it comes to ergonomics and the sensation of the wood in my hand. I love the notion of a scutching knife made just for me as I work with the flax I have grown right here in the flower bed outside our house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Processes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As I work in the scutching part of the flax preparation process I think of the process of making the scutching knife. The designing, planning, rough carving, shaping, fine carving and finishing. I have no idea what the parts of the process are called, let alone what they are, but my point is that there is a specific process in the maker’s mind and hands. I have no part in this process, but it is still there when I use the scutching knife. Like a sweet whisper from a craft cousin, holding my hand as I scutch away with a singing heart. I can’t wait to prepare the rest of my 2020 and 2021 flax. Meanwhile, my 2022 flax is growing in the allotment beds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The 2022 flax is cozily growing in the allotment bed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thank you Frej for my wonderful scutching knife. I am sure we will be very happy together for many flax harvests to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy spinning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can find me in several social media:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n