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leghog

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Aug 10, 2013
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Who can tell me ANYTHING about Davenport Cutlery Company or point me in the right direction particularly regarding the WW2 military issue knives? Thanks much.
 
I know there is a Davenport, Iowa, one of the Quad Cities, or Quint Cities, if you prefer. (The "Quint Cities" name never caught on, even though a 5th city was added to the Quad Cities, in the 1970's if I remember right.), but I don't know if there was ever a cutlery importer of that name there. The Rock Island Arsenal (in Rock Island, IL) is across the river. Maybe their Arms Museum Curator would be worth contacting?
All of my kin from that area who might know have been "planted" for at least three or more decades now.
 
Do you have a photo of a knife or tang stamp Leghog?

There was a Davenport (Sheffield) Ltd during WW2.
 
British Army Knife

15249202837631970313082.jpg


By the way, the UK military clasp knives are very impressive. Built like a tank. I know I'd be a huge collector if I were in the UK. Wish they were more readily available here. It was your thread about them that made me interested.

I'm now seeking one WW2 or earlier with a marlin spike (referred to as 3 piece?).
 
leghog said:
British Army Knife

15249202837631970313082.jpg


By the way, the UK military clasp knives are very impressive. Built like a tank. I know I'd be a huge collector if I were in the UK. Wish they were more readily available here. It was your thread about them that made me interested.

I'm now seeking one WW2 or earlier with a marlin spike (referred to as 3 piece?).
Click to expand...

Thanks for the pic. Davenport (Sheffield) Ltd, was formerly James Turner & Davenport, and dated back to around 1920. The original owners were James Turner and James Davenport, but Davenport (Sheffield) Ltd from 1925. According to Tweedale, the same Davenport may have operated James Davenport & Co during WW2. Davenport (Sheffield) Ltd was liquidated in 1967.

They're solid aren't they?! :) Unfortunately, a lot of them had a hard life, both during WW2, and later, as tool-box knives. Prices have also increased in recent years. Glad you were able to find one. The '3-Piece' is the standard pattern, and the most common :thumbsup:

The Belgian and Italian knives, of the same pattern, made after the war, are worth seeking out as users, and are often in better condition, and less expensive. Also, look out for the knives made in the US for the Canadian forces :thumbsup:
 
Thanks much!

I feared what I read about the pulls being horrendous. Can't say that about mine. Pulls seem perfect to me.

I wish we'd find the screw driver on all manner of commercial jack knives regardless of size. Very innovative and I imagine very useful too.
 
afishhunter said:
I know there is a Davenport, Iowa, one of the Quad Cities, or Quint Cities, if you prefer. (The "Quint Cities" name never caught on, even though a 5th city was added to the Quad Cities, in the 1970's if I remember right.), but I don't know if there was ever a cutlery importer of that name there. The Rock Island Arsenal (in Rock Island, IL) is across the river. Maybe their Arms Museum Curator would be worth contacting?
All of my kin from that area who might know have been "planted" for at least three or more decades now.
Click to expand...

Actually, there is an ongoing debate over whether Bettendorf or East Moline is the fourth city. One school is rooted in considerations of symmetry, the other in claims of historical precedence. For years when I was young, it was the Tri-Cities of Davenport, Rock Island and Moline.
 
leghog said:
Thanks much!

I feared what I read about the pulls being horrendous. Can't say that about mine. Pulls seem perfect to me.

I wish we'd find the screw driver on all manner of commercial jack knives regardless of size. Very innovative and I imagine very useful too.
Click to expand...

A pleasure :) I agree with you about the pulls. The idea of extending the web to form a screwdriver is a very old one, and used on other traditional Sheffield patterns. It makes for a strong tool :thumbsup:
 
Henry Beige said:
Actually, there is an ongoing debate over whether Bettendorf or East Moline is the fourth city. One school is rooted in considerations of symmetry, the other in claims of historical precedence. For years when I was young, it was the Tri-Cities of Davenport, Rock Island and Moline.
Click to expand...
Growing up in Clinton, Iowa (roughly 50 miles north of Davenport) Bettendorf was "always" considered one of the Quad Cities after Alcoa Aluminum and Caterpillar both opened plants in Bettendorf in the 50's or 60's.
I don't remember the city just south of Moline that got added for number five. I know there is (or was) a major auto salvage yard there. I bought a few parts for the '69 Pontiac GTO clone I had when going to Scott Community College (Auto Body class) in 1975.
 
Cedar Rapids Kernels, Quad Cities River Bandits, Burlington Bees, Waterloo Diamonds, Clinton, was it the Lumber Kings? Class A ball in the ‘90s.

Clinton has a nice little ball park.
 
Hello Blade Forum Members,
This is my first visit to forum, i have a small collection of military clasp knives and recently added another which i could not quiet identify because of very faint marks.
The marks i could see on the can opener were 1945 ^ below that ? C.C and below that SHEFFIELD. After lots of searching on the net for something with similar marks i could not find anything. After another look under a bright light with a magnifying glass I decided that the ? may be a D and done a search on D.C.C. Sheffield 1945 and was directed to this forum and was able to find that i might have a knife made by the Davenport (Sheffield) Company in 1945, so thank you to the forum members for their information.
The knife has the blade, opener and screwdriver only, not the spike model.
I have a couple of photo's but do not know how to add them.
Cheers.
 
afishhunter said:
Growing up in Clinton, Iowa (roughly 50 miles north of Davenport) Bettendorf was "always" considered one of the Quad Cities after Alcoa Aluminum and Caterpillar both opened plants in Bettendorf in the 50's or 60's.
I don't remember the city just south of Moline that got added for number five. I know there is (or was) a major auto salvage yard there. I bought a few parts for the '69 Pontiac GTO clone I had when going to Scott Community College (Auto Body class) in 1975.
Click to expand...

I worked at the ADM plant in Clinton, Iowa in 1987. It was a short stint for some contract work with another company. Worked in the "Oil House" and man, it was HOT in there!
 
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