Guardians of The Lambsfoot!

[Jack Black]

That would be most kind, sir. I for one admire Mr. Maleham's pluck in continuing to produce traditional utility patterns of knives in Sheffield using traditional methods. I also like that he produces several levels of materials and embellishment to suit users and collectors alike. It would be good to get a peek at the process!

Sadly, Wright's are perhaps the last of their kind in Sheffield. I guess, compared to the ordinary users who buy their knives, we collectors are insignificant in number. Most probably care mainly for the cost of the knife and the quality of the blade steel, but Wright's still seem to be able to produce a decent, good quality traditional knife at a very reasonable price, even for the connoisseur I hope the firm can survive for a long time. It would be a very sad day if traditional slipjoints were no longer made in Sheffield, and I believe Wright's are well worth supporting.

 

[Bartleby]

Sadly, Wright's are perhaps the last of their kind in Sheffield. I guess, compared to the ordinary users who buy their knives, we collectors are insignificant in number. Most probably care mainly for the cost of the knife and the quality of the blade steel, but Wright's still seem to be able to produce a decent, good quality traditional knife at a very reasonable price, even for the connoisseur I hope the firm can survive for a long time. It would be a very sad day if traditional slipjoints were no longer made in Sheffield, and I believe Wright's are well worth supporting. :thumbup:

Very true! I have arranged for a friend who lives down in Bucks to take a little weekend road trip to search and procure a Wright's Tackler and a two blade Lambfoot on my behalf. They are indeed the keepers of the flame, so I ought to support them, besides it would be silly to send someone on a such a journey without having two knives to show for it...

 

[Jack Black]

Very true! I have arranged for a friend who lives down in Bucks to take a little weekend road trip to search and procure a Wright's Tackler and a two blade Lambfoot on my behalf. They are indeed the keepers of the flame, so I ought to support them, besides it would be silly to send someone on a such a journey without having two knives to show for it...

Sound like a good friend, that's a fair trip I have only had one of the two-blade Wright's, and it was a gift for another forum member (his dad took such a liking to it, I sent him an ebony Lambsfoot). I hope your friend gets you a couple of nice ones, and that you're pleased with them

 

[Jack Black]

Took my Special Buffalo Arthur Wright Lambsfoot out for a hike on the West Yorkshire hills yesterday



I am not a member of Facebook, so can't get full access, but there is an Arthur Wright & Son Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/AWrightAndSonLTD/

Lots of interesting pics, including this one of a stag antler delivery!

 

[Bartleby]

Took my Special Buffalo Arthur Wright Lambsfoot out for a hike on the West Yorkshire hills yesterday :thumbup:



I am not a member of Facebook, so can't get full access, but there is an Arthur Wright & Son Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/AWrightAndSonLTD/

Lots of interesting pics, including this one of a stag antler delivery!

The stag they are using seems to be quite improved from that of a few years ago.

 

[Jack Black]

The stag they are using seems to be quite improved from that of a few years ago.

Yes, English stag isn't great on the whole, but I know that Wright's are now sourcing stag from a famous English herd, and they have also managed to acquire small amounts of pre-export ban Sambar. I was very pleased with the re-scale they did of this one



It originally looked like this

 

[Jack Black]

I was very pleased with the re-scale they did of this one :thumbup:

Actually, thinking back (it's a couple of years ago now), I think they actually made me another knife

 

[Bartleby]

Yes, English stag isn't great on the whole, but I know that Wright's are now sourcing stag from a famous English herd, and they have also managed to acquire small amounts of pre-export ban Sambar. I was very pleased with the re-scale they did of this one :thumbup:



It originally looked like this

I have one from several years ago with shed stag like the lower version. It put me off of them until now in terms of fit and appearance, but it worked fine.

 

[Jack Black]

I have one from several years ago with shed stag like the lower version. It put me off of them until now in terms of fit and appearance, but it worked fine.

Yes, mine worked fine, but I think using that stag was a huge mistake. The Sheffield cutlers have been really hit by the Indian export ban on Sambar, and have struggled to find a replacement. Trevor Ablett, for example, ended up using badly-jigged camel bone. Using relatively thick slabs, like on the lower Wright's knife, and then grinding it to shape, took away what little character it had (not much). It's good to see things have improved for Wright's at least (Stan Shaw has plenty of old Sambar stock, so wasn't ever affected). Have you thought about getting your knife recovered?

 

[Bartleby]

Yes, mine worked fine, but I think using that stag was a huge mistake. The Sheffield cutlers have been really hit by the Indian export ban on Sambar, and have struggled to find a replacement. Trevor Ablett, for example, ended up using badly-jigged camel bone. Using relatively thick slabs, like on the lower Wright's knife, and then grinding it to shape, took away what little character it had (not much). It's good to see things have improved for Wright's at least (Stan Shaw has plenty of old Sambar stock, so wasn't ever affected). Have you thought about getting your knife recovered?

Good money after bad. It has other issues, send me a VM and I will elaborate. I don't think that it is a representative example of Wright's current production, but does show where they were in 2014. Like I say, it works and with a handmade item one should expect some character. This one has quite a lot of character.

 

[Jack Black]

Good money after bad. It has other issues, send me a VM and I will elaborate. I don't think that it is a representative example of Wright's current production, but does show where they were in 2014. Like I say, it works and with a handmade item one should expect some character. This one has quite a lot of character.

Will do. I'm glad to see Wright's have improved their QC over the past couple of years. I think ALL the remaining Sheffield manufacturers were guilty of concentrating more on trying to keep their costs and prices low, after years of competing with cheap far-East imports. While most of their customers still probably just want a good quality inexpensive knife, QC is clearly a bigger issue with the higher-end knives, and I hope they've now realised that they can sell to knife collectors, as well as farmers and gardeners. They nearly lost me a few years ago too, and I'm so glad things have changed. I really hope they continue with that I may be wrong, but I've always argued that if the Sheffield cutlers had tried to compete (with far-East imports) in terms of quality, rather than cost (which they just couldn't match), they might not have nearly all gone to the wall.

 

[Bartleby]

Will do. I'm glad to see Wright's have improved their QC over the past couple of years. I think ALL the remaining Sheffield manufacturers were guilty of concentrating more on trying to keep their costs and prices low, after years of competing with cheap far-East imports. While most of their customers still probably just want a good quality inexpensive knife, QC is clearly a bigger issue with the higher-end knives, and I hope they've now realised that they can sell to knife collectors, as well as farmers and gardeners. They nearly lost me a few years ago too, and I'm so glad things have changed. I really hope they continue with that I may be wrong, but I've always argued that if the Sheffield cutlers had tried to compete (with far-East imports) in terms of quality, rather than cost (which they just couldn't match), they might not have nearly all gone to the wall.

Well said, this is also exactly why I don't want to publically discuss a single poor example of the production from several years ago as a representative example of their work as this would be quite misleading.

 

[Jack Black]

Well said, this is also exactly why I don't want to publically discuss a single poor example of the production from several years ago as a representative example of their work as this would be quite misleading.

I think that's very commendable Some of the things I like about Wright's is that they continue to use carbon steel in a market dominated by stainless. and that they're a genuine firm, who don't pretend they date back centuries, simply because they bought up the marks of older Sheffield cutlery firms. Not only are they the last Sheffield firm to be using carbon steel, they're the first Sheffield cutlery firm in a very long time who have set on apprentices, and I'm sure they'll get a proper apprenticeship too.

 

[Bartleby]

Jack,
Could not locate VM link on your page.

 

[Bartleby]

I think that's very commendable Some of the things I like about Wright's is that they continue to use carbon steel in a market dominated by stainless. and that they're a genuine firm, who don't pretend they date back centuries, simply because they bought up the marks of older Sheffield cutlery firms. Not only are they the last Sheffield firm to be using carbon steel, they're the first Sheffield cutlery firm in a very long time who have set on apprentices, and I'm sure they'll get a proper apprenticeship too. :thumbup:

Agreed. It is good to see a firm that has taken the time to nourish the apprentice system, a continuation of the living tradition of skill that has long characterized the industry in Sheffield.

 

[waynorth]

Wright's attitude to knife making is refreshing to hear! It is very much like GEC's attitude - Make good and beautiful knives, train and employ a bunch of hometown people, and the market (you and me!) will sort things out!!
I will buy a Wright knife this week, in celebration, and to support a good attitude!!

 

[Jack Black]

Jack,
Could not locate VM link on your page.

It's up at the top next to 'My Activity', but click on 'View Conversation' next to my VM

 

[Jack Black]

Wright's attitude to knife making is refreshing to hear! It is very much like GEC's attitude - Make good and beautiful knives, train and employ a bunch of hometown people, and the market (you and me!) will sort things out!!
I will buy a Wright knife this week, in celebration, and to support a good attitude!!

Good for you Charlie I still think we collectors are a small part of Wright's market, most of their customers probably just want a functional knife at an inexpensive price, but most of them aren't too shabby are they (The knives, not the customers!)? The way the £ (Sterling) is now, I'd be snapping them up!

Wright's have been lucky enough to find skilled Sheffield cutlers looking for work, but nobody would have guessed 10 years ago that a Sheffield cutlery firm would have been able to take on new apprentices (there are 2 or 3 I think). I knew one of the last apprentices to be employed by Joseph Rodgers, and I don't think he was even able to complete his apprenticeship because of the firm going under

 

[Bartleby]

It's up at the top next to 'My Activity', but click on 'View Conversation' next to my VM :thumbup:

Some strange glitch. Neither link is visible on my end. I checked some other members and they have both buttons on my end. Not to worry, you were able to view the point I was making.

 

[Jack Black]

Some strange glitch. Neither link is visible on my end. I checked some other members and they have both buttons on my end. Not to worry, you were able to view the point I was making.

Weird But yes I was