Guardians of The Lambsfoot!

[Jack Black]

Heading down to my local flea-market early in the morning, then I have to go over to York on a couple of errands. Going to be carrying my Guardians Lambsfoot

 

[rockman0]

Great pics of my old knife Jack! Thanks for taking the time and posting the pics. The close up shots are exceptional! I'm glad it got to make the trip home and you had time to enjoy it

I'm thinking about sharpening and using the one I just got, the blades are well used so I assume it doesn't have much collectible value. The covers are cracked at the pins and separating from the frame. The lambsfoot has a small amount of blade play but still snappy in all three positions. The clip has no blade play and slightly less snap when moving into the open position.

 

[Cutfinger]

rockman0 yeah! Sharpen 'er up and put it in yer pocket
I'm astounded that you found another. Good job man

Michael

 

[rockman0]

Cutfinger Thanks Michael, Just blind luck! I was out of town and offline at the time. A friend of mine who has seen pictures of the first one sent me a text with a link to this auction, i was very surprised to see another one! I logged in from my phone and made an offer and you know the rest of the story

 

[Old Engineer]

I have not been fortunate enough to find a 2 bladed one like your's with a Lambfoot but I have sharpened and do use my Sheepsfoot . It is built like a tank and is a great working knife and I would expect that yours would be too . It is really great to get to see some additional fine pictures of your TEW'S . I really like all of mine and on days when I will be working outside I will usually have my 2 Old TEW'S in my pockets with the Lambfoot in the RFP where it is usually the first to be drawn . IMHO I think you should use it and find out how good it is . Congrats again Rob on a great find .

Harry

 

[flatblackcapo]

Jack Black thanks for all the info and great pic's of Rob's TEW !
rockman0 Thanks for sharing both of those amazing knives. Even if it makes me lust after a almost unobtainable knife, haha.
I say, sharpen that 2nd one up and use the heck out of it! It might even be the perfect candidate to send to one of our great mod'ers to get some new covers.

 

[flatblackcapo]

Stella the eyeless wonder dog with my rosewood lambsfoot. The knife is superior, but Stella is really struggling these days and will seldom eat even the finest delicacies.

- GT

Gary, I have a dog food cook book if you want to try some of those recipes.

 

[rockman0]

I have not been fortunate enough to find a 2 bladed one like your's with a Lambfoot but I have sharpened and do use my Sheepsfoot . It is built like a tank and is a great working knife and I would expect that yours would be too . It is really great to get to see some additional fine pictures of your TEW'S . I really like all of mine and on days when I will be working outside I will usually have my 2 Old TEW'S in my pockets with the Lambfoot in the RFP where it is usually the first to be drawn . IMHO I think you should use it and find out how good it is . Congrats again Rob on a great find .

Thanks Harry, I haven't found a nice single blade with bone covers. The bone on yours is just beautiful ! Consider yourself lucky my friend. They are well built working knives and ill sharpen mine and report back with how well i like using it.

Harry

 

[rockman0]

flatblackcapo That's the plan, sharpen and use is in the near future. I'll see how the original covers hold up, if they start to deteriorate I'll have one of our resident knife mods put some nice bone covers on. Thanks for your comments

 

[5K Qs]

Awww...
Have you tried cheese on toast?

Gary, I have a dog food cook book if you want to try some of those recipes.

Thanks for the suggestions, r8shell and flatblackcapo , but Stella has had all kinds of allergies most of her life, so my wife is very particular about what Stella can try.

I may have to write my senator.

- GT

 

[lambertiana]

I took a few pics of Rob's TEW 'Stock Knife' on my kitchen table today. I recall there was some debate elsewhere about whether the covers were wood or horn - they're horn. @herder very kindly posted a TEW catalogue cut from 1928, showing a similar knife.

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William John Baker imported a lot of TEW knives of this style to Australia in the early 20th century. Australian 'Bunny Knives' often had Barlow bolsters, and Baker imported many TEW patterns with two full-size blades, which may have been specifically commissioned for the Australian market. The combination of Clip and Lambsfoot blades was probably well-suited to the American market. Inevitably though, as with many folders with full-size blades, ergonomics have to be sacrificed. In this case, when using the Lambsfoot blade, the tall-bladed Sheffield clip prevents the knife being comfortable in-hand. Interestingly, the clip has an identical footprint to that of blades being produced by the remaining Sheffield cutlers today. Lambsfoot blades are certainly unusual in a Barlow frame, but not unknown. Clearly, this is a working knife, and would no doubt have been something of a prize, but the blades of Rob's knife show few signs of actual use. Apart from the shrinking of the horn, and a little rust, it is in good condition for its age. Thanks to Rob for very kindly sending me the knife to take a look at I'll hope to get some more pics of it before sending it back home

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That's a pattern that I would love to see in current production. Lambsfoot and clip in one frame.

 

[flatblackcapo]

flatblackcapo That's the plan, sharpen and use is in the near future. I'll see how the original covers hold up, if they start to deteriorate I'll have one of our resident knife mods put some nice bone covers on. Thanks for your comments

I look forward to seeing it posted from time to time.

Thanks for the suggestions, r8shell and flatblackcapo , but Stella has had all kinds of allergies most of her life, so my wife is very particular about what Stella can try.

I may have to write my senator.

- GT

I really hope that Stella gets her appetite back.
Great looking stag Senator, btw.

 

[Jack Black]

Great pics of my old knife Jack! Thanks for taking the time and posting the pics. The close up shots are exceptional! I'm glad it got to make the trip home and you had time to enjoy it

I'm thinking about sharpening and using the one I just got, the blades are well used so I assume it doesn't have much collectible value. The covers are cracked at the pins and separating from the frame. The lambsfoot has a small amount of blade play but still snappy in all three positions. The clip has no blade play and slightly less snap when moving into the open position.

Thank you for the kind words Rob, and for loaning me your knife of course. Those pics were taken on my kitchen table, so I'll try and get a few more before sending it back For us Guardians, these are fascinating knives, but I'm not sure about their general value. They're clearly working knives, with technical flaws such as the off-centre blades, and rough and ready joints. Since you have a prime example of this unusual pattern, I don't think anything would be lost by you sharpening up your second acquisition, and putting it to use, even getting it 'Glenbladded', I'm sure he'd tidy it up sympathetically Your second knife has clearly seen a good bit of use, so it's good to know that it held up OK

It'd be very interesting to know if this knife was only made for the Australian market, perhaps being actually commissioned by J.N.Baker, or if some were also sold in the US (though we've not hitherto seen any evidence of Lambsfoot knives in America). I've only seen 2 or 3 old TEW catalogues, but have not seen that pattern included, or indeed a number of the other patterns which appear in the Baker catalogues

Jack Black thanks for all the info and great pic's of Rob's TEW !
rockman0 Thanks for sharing both of those amazing knives. Even if it makes me lust after a almost unobtainable knife, haha.
I say, sharpen that 2nd one up and use the heck out of it! It might even be the perfect candidate to send to one of our great mod'ers to get some new covers.

Thanks pal, I'll try to post some more pics before Rob's knife goes back to him Cool pic of your Guardians Lambsfoot

Gary, I have a dog food cook book if you want to try some of those recipes.

Very adventurous, but I'm not sure I'd fancy those myself

flatblackcapo That's the plan, sharpen and use is in the near future. I'll see how the original covers hold up, if they start to deteriorate I'll have one of our resident knife mods put some nice bone covers on. Thanks for your comments

You might well find the covers don't get any worse Rob, but unfortunately they tend to catch all sorts of clutter, as I dare say you've already noticed You've got two very special knives there anyway my friend, thank you for being so generous in sharing them

I may have to write my senator.

- GT

Good-looking knife GT

After a busy week, I'm treating myself to a Two Lambsfoot Day!

 

[rockman0]

Jack you may recall when I got the first one I posted it and mentioned my intentions of having one of our knife mods spruce it up with nice new jigged bone covers. I had no idea it was a rare knife and I'm thankful for you, Charlie and several other guys educating me and convincing me not to alter it. I'm glad I found this well used example and I'm sure I'll send it off for new covers, I love the old patina so that stays. I don't see the high riding clip as a problem for me, I use a fixed blade for chores that require more than a few minutes of cutting.

Hope everyone has a good weekend !

 

[Jack Black]

Jack you may recall when I got the first one I posted it and mentioned my intentions of having one of our knife mods spruce it up with nice new jigged bone covers. I had no idea it was a rare knife and I'm thankful for you, Charlie and several other guys educating me and convincing me not to alter it. I'm glad I found this well used example and I'm sure I'll send it off for new covers, I love the old patina so that stays. I don't see the high riding clip as a problem for me, I use a fixed blade for chores that require more than a few minutes of cutting.

Hope everyone has a good weekend !

Yes I do now Rob Your first was a great find, but even better to find a second. I am grateful that you showed the pattern here, and for generously giving me the opportunity to have a look at the first one you acquired. They are certainly special knives

You too my friend, I'm hoping to get out for a bit of a hike tomorrow

 

[Half/Stop]

I’m Totin my large Rosewood today! Y’all have a great weekend!

 

[r8shell]

So...last week I posted a picture of a knife that was sold as a "lambfoot" that was really a wharncliffe.
Here's a picture of a "wharncliffe" blade that seems to have the full length taper of a Lambfoot. (also a bit of blade cant) What do y'all think?

 

[bonzodog]

Got this one ready for Saturday carry.

 

[Jack Black]

I’m Totin my large Rosewood today! Y’all have a great weekend!

Looking good Rod, I'm going to have to pick one of those up myself sometime

So...last week I posted a picture of a knife that was sold as a "lambfoot" that was really a wharncliffe.
Here's a picture of a "wharncliffe" blade that seems to have the full length taper of a Lambfoot. (also a bit of blade cant) What do y'all think?
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I think @pertinux posted about that "Lambcliffe" some years ago Fascinating pattern, is it a popular Case model? Well photographed Rachel

View attachment 873606 Got this one ready for Saturday carry.

I'm sure you'll be going somewhere interesting together

 

[r8shell]

I think @pertinux posted about that "Lambcliffe" some years ago Fascinating pattern, is it a popular Case model? Well photographed Rachel

It's a pretty popular model, the Mini-Trapper, a little less common with a wharncliffe blade. I just hadn't noticed the taper before. Or maybe I did, and forgot, but noticed it again while taking some pictures. Anyway, I'm not usually a big fan of trapper patterns, but this one appealed to me. Now I know why.