[Michael Pikula]

I have been doing some research and looking at period art trying to figure out how the by-knives and pricks were incorporated into scabbards. Got a few hopefully quick questions.

Was the by-knife set above or below the pricker?
If there were two by-knives, was the pricker above, in the middle, or below the two knives?

Does this orientation even matter or perhaps personal preference?

If there were two by-knives would they be the same, or would you expect to see a different size or blade shape between the two?

It seems like most of the by-knives/prickers are located fairly high up the scabbard which would make them easily accessible, although there is at least one picture where it is located further down the scabbard. Is there any indication, first hand or research, that suggests if the scabbards where made so that the messer would have to be drawn to remove and use the by-knife? Most of the grips on by-knives seem to be at least halfway covered in their sheaths so I don't think one would have to worry about them falling out.

If needed I can attach pictures or links to what I have been looking at but they are posted so many times that I don't know if yet another posting is warranted.

[Peter Johnsson]

Often, but not always, the by knives are placed so that you need to shift the big blade to remove the smaller knives (as the nagel interferes with the drawing of the by knives).
The garniture of smaller blades is as a rule arranged side by side with the awl/pricker/steel placed among them/along side. It is like a small bouqet of flowers :-)

[Michael Pikula]

Excellent, Thanks Peter.

Would it be more common to see both the by-knives the same size or should there be some variation?

[Christopher Gregg]

Michael, in the early 18th century French forager's hanger I owned a few years back, the two bye-knives were slightly different - one had a clip pointed blade, while the other had a slightly longer, more slender leaf shaped blade. The pricker was seated between them, in a slightly outside and just a bit below pocket. The knives' pocket was a bit more "incorporated" affair with the main scabbard. The entire thing was cored with extremely thin wood, covered in leather, with a locke and chape of thin brass. The hanger had to be slightly drawn from the scabbard, so its shell guard uncovered the pommels of the bye-knives, allowing them or the pricker to be removed. The whole affair was very light - probably no more than a pound, perhaps a bit less, and right at 24 inches long. The bye-knives and pricker were all around 6 inches or so. Hope this offers further useful insight!

[Johan S. Moen]

[Michael Pikula]

I've been searching and looking at various by-knives, and most of them seem fairly similar in their shape. The length and width of the blade is the main changing factor that I have run across. Would one that is long and skinny, and another that is shorter and wider seem like an appropriate pair to find grouped together?

I haven't been able to find a clip point by-knife, I found several that are larger then what I would expect to see on a messer scabbard. If it is any help I am looking at around mid 1400 for a time frame.

[R D Moore]

I scanned a couple of images of what I think could be considered some blades that would fall under the classification of "clip point". They're from "Knives and Scabbards" written by J. Cowgill, M. De Neergaard, and N. Griffiths, published by Boydell Press and reproduced here with permission.