840 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [16] 



SLIVERING KNIVES. 



Menhaden slivering knife. 



Steel blade, long and slender, single edge. Rough pine handle. 

 Length : blade, 10£ inches ; handle, 4J inches. Gloucester, 

 Mass., 1878. 32,666. U. S. Fish Commission. Used to cut off 

 the fleshy parts or slivers of menhaden to be salted for cod, 

 haddock, or mackerel bait. 



Menhaden slivering knife. 



Steel blade, long and slender, straight back, single edge with one 

 side beveled. Pine handle. Length : blade, 8J inches ; han- 

 dle, 6 inches. Beverly Mass., 1877. 29,407. Gift of G. P. Fos- 

 ter. This was the earliest style of knife used by Cape Ann fish- 

 ermen to prepare slivers of menhaden for cod, haddock, or 

 mackerel bait. 



Menhaden slivering knife. 



Steel blade, same width from hilt to point, straight back, single 

 edge. Pine handle, short and thick. Length : blade, 9 J inches; 

 handle, 4f inches. Nantucket, Mass., 1877. 29,405. Gift of 

 Samuel El well, jr. This is the pattern of knife used at Nan- 

 tucket to prepare slivers of menhaden for cod, haddock, or 

 mackerel bait. 



Menhaden slivering knife. 



Steel blade, long and slender, single edge. Pine handle. Length: 

 blade, 8£ inches; handle, 5f inches. Gloucester, Mass., 1877. 

 29,399. Alex. McCurdy, maker. Used to cut off the fleshy 

 parts or slivers of menhaden to be salted for cod, haddock, or 

 mackerel bait. 



Menhaden slivering knife. 



Steel blade, long and narrow, single edge. Pine handle. Length : 

 blade, 8£ inches ; handle, 5^ inches. Gloucester, Mass., 1876. 

 25,764. Gift of Samuel Elwell, jr. Used to cut off the fleshy 

 parts or slivers of menhaden to be salted for cod, haddock, or 

 mackerel bait. 



Haltbijt-bait slivering knife. 



Steel blade, single edge. Hard- wood handle. Length: blade, 12 

 inches; handle, 5 inches. Centennial collection, 1876. 26,144, 

 Made by John Russell Cutlery Company, Turner's Falls, Mass. 

 Used in Gloucester fisheries to slice off or "sliver" the fleshy 

 parts of haddock and other fish for halibut bait. Sometimes 

 used to flitch halibut. 



