- Joined
- Aug 4, 2013
- Messages
- 3,989
I like to collect all sorts of do-dads to add into a hobby that I call my 'Interesting Objects Collection'. Since many of the items I acquire are found by carefully perusing the local flea market, and also by an even more careful scouting out of the world famous ebay site, I usually wind up scoring on some pretty nifty things, and on the cheap!
Well, that's all good and dandy, but sometimes I want to include an item that's simply not in the bargain arena. I mean, sure, I can still price compare and buy from the best priced source, but it's still not going to be had on the cheap.
My latest acquisition fits right into that category. I have been desiring one of these for quite a few years now. Well, I finally bit the bullet and ordered one, my receiving it today.
It's a Bowie pattern knife manufactured in England by the Egginton Group's 'Sheffield Collectable Knives' company. You see, years ago the Egginton firm, (themselves known for their knife sharpening steels), purchased a few of the famous English knife brands of companies that had gone defunct. They could have done what many firms do when they buy famous historical name brands, and that is to have them made overseas, (usually China).
Well, not this company, they chose to set up a small production area in Sheffield England, (where the original Wostenholm/IXL brand and company were originally located), and hired some of the remaining talent found in that area to make these knives for them. My understanding is that they do these Bowie Knives, (and some of their other limited knives), in house, while farming out some of their less expensive knives to other Sheffield makers.
Anyhow, these craftsmen/craftswomen making their Bowie Knives are using mostly very traditional methods, (AKA, "Old School"). In other words, these folks very much get their hands dirty putting in an honest days work to earn their pay.
This particular model is called the 'Home of the Brave' bowie knife, and that's because of the American patriotic markings on it's blade. The markings are historically correct, often used by the Wostenholm company on it's IXL marked bowie knives for export to the USA during the mid to late 1800's. It's been estimated that Sheffield England cutlery firms may have made up to 90 percent of all the Bowie style knives sold in America during the Bowie Knife's heyday. Of those Sheffield makers, the Wostenholm IXL brand had one of the most popular followings in America for their quality made Bowie knife offerings.
This Sheffield Bowie knife, although made in today's age, does a respectable job at paying homage to the great Bowie Knives of America's past. The Bowie Knife was "America's thing" in history, but it was the Sheffield England cutlery companies that were THE major players in producing and supplying these famous implements to Americans.
This knife has a E9 carbon steel blade, (which is roughly a 1055 carbon steel equivalent), that is sharpened along the main cutting edge and it's top swedge. The handle scales are made of buffalo horn.
The mahogany finished presentation box, (also made in England), is lined with a burgundy felt interior.
Yup, it was a wee bit more money than I'm used to paying, but sometimes it just is what it is!
The following is a video they share of some of the work involved making these knives at their shop.
These may be glimpses of the last of these operations in Sheffield, as the extinction of this craft continues in so many locations...
This other video of theirs shows them involved in drop forging some of their products. By the size of the pieces shown in this video, I would guess it's their 10" blade Bowie knife blades that they are doing it on, but I really can't tell that definitively. The size of the forgings surely excludes them from being for their pocket knife blades!
Because these big bowie type knives are not priced cheaply, and are not really too well known in many knife circles, they likely are low in overall production numbers. Although they may occasionally make a few more here and there to sell to dealers for retail sale, (and that may actually have been the case with my own specimen that I got from a Stateside knife dealer that happens to carry their knives), but for the most part, they are made as orders are placed for them. Therefore, it can take several weeks to have one be made and delivered, (as one would expect with almost anything that needs to be made after an order is put in). They seem to have a very small workforce and workshop producing these Bowie knives.
Well, that's all good and dandy, but sometimes I want to include an item that's simply not in the bargain arena. I mean, sure, I can still price compare and buy from the best priced source, but it's still not going to be had on the cheap.
My latest acquisition fits right into that category. I have been desiring one of these for quite a few years now. Well, I finally bit the bullet and ordered one, my receiving it today.
It's a Bowie pattern knife manufactured in England by the Egginton Group's 'Sheffield Collectable Knives' company. You see, years ago the Egginton firm, (themselves known for their knife sharpening steels), purchased a few of the famous English knife brands of companies that had gone defunct. They could have done what many firms do when they buy famous historical name brands, and that is to have them made overseas, (usually China).
Well, not this company, they chose to set up a small production area in Sheffield England, (where the original Wostenholm/IXL brand and company were originally located), and hired some of the remaining talent found in that area to make these knives for them. My understanding is that they do these Bowie Knives, (and some of their other limited knives), in house, while farming out some of their less expensive knives to other Sheffield makers.
Anyhow, these craftsmen/craftswomen making their Bowie Knives are using mostly very traditional methods, (AKA, "Old School"). In other words, these folks very much get their hands dirty putting in an honest days work to earn their pay.
This particular model is called the 'Home of the Brave' bowie knife, and that's because of the American patriotic markings on it's blade. The markings are historically correct, often used by the Wostenholm company on it's IXL marked bowie knives for export to the USA during the mid to late 1800's. It's been estimated that Sheffield England cutlery firms may have made up to 90 percent of all the Bowie style knives sold in America during the Bowie Knife's heyday. Of those Sheffield makers, the Wostenholm IXL brand had one of the most popular followings in America for their quality made Bowie knife offerings.
This Sheffield Bowie knife, although made in today's age, does a respectable job at paying homage to the great Bowie Knives of America's past. The Bowie Knife was "America's thing" in history, but it was the Sheffield England cutlery companies that were THE major players in producing and supplying these famous implements to Americans.
This knife has a E9 carbon steel blade, (which is roughly a 1055 carbon steel equivalent), that is sharpened along the main cutting edge and it's top swedge. The handle scales are made of buffalo horn.
The mahogany finished presentation box, (also made in England), is lined with a burgundy felt interior.
Yup, it was a wee bit more money than I'm used to paying, but sometimes it just is what it is!
The following is a video they share of some of the work involved making these knives at their shop.
These may be glimpses of the last of these operations in Sheffield, as the extinction of this craft continues in so many locations...
This other video of theirs shows them involved in drop forging some of their products. By the size of the pieces shown in this video, I would guess it's their 10" blade Bowie knife blades that they are doing it on, but I really can't tell that definitively. The size of the forgings surely excludes them from being for their pocket knife blades!
Because these big bowie type knives are not priced cheaply, and are not really too well known in many knife circles, they likely are low in overall production numbers. Although they may occasionally make a few more here and there to sell to dealers for retail sale, (and that may actually have been the case with my own specimen that I got from a Stateside knife dealer that happens to carry their knives), but for the most part, they are made as orders are placed for them. Therefore, it can take several weeks to have one be made and delivered, (as one would expect with almost anything that needs to be made after an order is put in). They seem to have a very small workforce and workshop producing these Bowie knives.
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