DCHP-1

snow-knife

n. a knife about 15 inches long having a broad, straight blade and used primarily for cutting snow blocks for igloos (def. 1a).
See also: igloo (def. 1a) pana snow-dag
- 1850 (1852) My supporters . . . consisted of old Abbott, armed with a snow-knife, and some men who ran, because they saw o thers doing so.
- 1930 The pieces [of snow] are made to have a slight inclination inwards and are fitted close together by the skilful use of the snow knife.
- 1958 Using a "panar" or snow-knife, he quickly cut snow blocks from the hard-packed cover of sea-ice.
- 1966 They had no snow knife to build a shelter, no food, and one pair of mitts between them.