Buffalo Hide Picker Knife

smiling-knife

smiling-knife

Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
2,697
Hi everyone. Bought this one last weekend. It was made by J. Howarth. The blade is a little short for the handle. Maybe a reshaped or a well-worn sheepsfoot or wharncliffe blade. I have a few leads but nothing conclusive :confused: If you have any information, please let me know. Thanks in advance.
Jan-31007.jpg
.
Jan-31006.jpg
 
:confused: This is a good one for Bernie Levine's forum, s-k!! You should definitely post it there.
Remember to ask specific questions, so he doesn't give you a hard time:p !!:D
 
that knife has some real nice jigging on those bone handles there s-k,

Rusty1
 
Goins lists Howarth 1920-Present. The blade doesn't really look like it belongs with the handle - either it is significantly altered, or not original. The appearance of the pivot pin makes me think it is a replacement. To me, it looks like a relatively unaltered Wharncliff blade that has been put into a new handle.
 
I agree with you about the pin, lambertiana. It's at least been re-pinned. That's a knife I'd like to hold in my grubby paws and look closely at!
What do you see when you look at the backspring, with the blade open, s-k?? Good fit? Matching patina?
 
Looks like German origins with those steel pins, maybe it was re-worked there at some point. Or maybe I'm completely off course:confused:

Eric
 
Just my .02 the pin bothers me, although I have seen some knives with that type of pin sinkage that were 100% AOK. The placement of the etch on the blade makes me think it used to be a sheepsfoot blade? Either way it's a nice knife, still walk and talk S-K?
 
I was wondering who would buy that. :)


I agree that the blade may have been re-worked, but it could still have an interesting history.

BRL may come up with some history of who it was made for. Presumably you have already searched Kelly's etc. for traces of the company named on the blade. Are there any records in old Howarth catalogues?

this could produce some nice history.
 
Hi guys. Thanks very much for the replies everyone. I also have this J Howarth bought almost a year ago. Different seller/context etc. It has similar brass bolsters and steel pin. About the same size but the handle is slightly different in shape. I will try to get close-up photos on later today. MM the snap open is good but it is weak on closing...needs to be pushed all the way. Hi Casares, yes it was I...just for the mystery really. I have a few leads that I am looking into. Been too busy this week so my research is not thorough yet. No results from the Kelly search.
Jan-31021.jpg
 
OK I've spent the last 3 hour investigating this little mystery and not done any work. Here is what I have so far.

I found the following information related to the history of the textile industry in the communities of Charlestown, Todmorden and Eastwood located in Yorkshire just inside the border with Lancashire. This seems to be the picker making capital of the UK.

Pickers were used to weave cloth by moving the shuttle from one side of the loom to the other. Pickers were made from water buffalo hide due to its toughness. Hide pickers were used up to the 1950s when they were replaced with more durable synthetic materials.

Generations of the Holt family were in the picker making business from the 1840s to 1920s. In 1895 they built the Perseverance Works which was also known as Holt’s mill. All aspects of the picker making process, including the tanning of the hides took place there. Apparently, the picker works emitted a terrible smell.

The knife may be related to some aspect of the picker making process or perhaps it was a promotional item advertising the product.

clip_image001.jpg


I found a few references to the British Picker Company. There is a Company currently with that name in Todmorden, but it was incorporated in 1970. There must have been an earlier one involved in the production of hide pickers. I’m working on that aspect.
 
waynorth said:
I agree with you about the pin, lambertiana. It's at least been re-pinned. That's a knife I'd like to hold in my grubby paws and look closely at!
What do you see when you look at the backspring, with the blade open, s-k?? Good fit? Matching patina?
Click to expand...

Here we go. The fit between the back of the tang and the spring isn't great on either. Looks even worse with the close-up detail. The patina looks relatively consistent. The pins look ok to me from my novice perspective. I appreciate your feedback. Thanks in advance.
Jan-31006-1.jpg

Jan-31008.jpg

Jan-31009.jpg
 
Not the greatest fit. The elevation looks ok, but the thickness is off. In my opinion, it looks like a replacement blade, from the pictures. That tang/spring area can often yield the best clues as to originality. The knives that display steel pins in non-ferrous bolsters are almost always German, in my experience.
Are those pictures from a scanner, s-k? Very good detail!
 
I admire tenacity!! Interesting story unfolding; I'd love to see what a picker looks like!
 
Thanks for the analysis waynorth. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained. Only out a few pounds and it is interesting. Still learned alot about buffalo pickers. No my scanner is not very good for photos. These are from my camera. It has an close-up setting. I haven't been able to find a photo of a buffalo hide picker yet.
 
Yes Rusty. Section 3.9.3 sounds like the description of the pickers I was reading about. Thanks alot
 
WN is right, the thickness of the blade is off (being a replacement blade would explain why it snaps open but not closed too). The fit from handle to bolster worries me too. I doubt a knife of that age would of had such a poor fit and that adhesive left showing like that. Still an interesting knife to EDC if nothing else.
 
Thanks for your input MM. Looks like the evidence is mounting. It does not look that bad at real size. I think you're right...I may just use it around the house.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top