Guardians of The Lambsfoot!

[Pàdruig]

Well, I had a very exciting mail call yesterday and received a few knives but there was one in particular that had my interest more than the others. Unfortunately, it has been raining rather steady for several days now and my creek has risen close to 7 feet, putting it around 14ish feet (almost action stage for flooding). I am rather elevated compared to most folks so there isn't a lot of concern on my end but I am prepared to help others who might be less fortunate should the creek get much higher.

The rain is supposed to taper off today and I've already had enough of a break to hop outside to take some pictures. Please pardon the rather unsightly creek in the background. It is swollen, full of mud and all sorts of debris, and rather fast moving at this time.

Enough of that, let's reveal this beauty that ended up on my doorstep!


This knife easily is the most elegant and likely the most expensive slipjoint I own now. The Damascus, paired with exquisite file work and rather breathtaking Stag, make for an extraordinary knife and will be the prize of not only my lambsfoot collection but my slipjoint collection as a whole (have not tread the custom waters yet).

There is a fair amount of crud that still needs to be cleaned out of the pivot and there is quite a bit of compound in the lines and some of the grooves in the Stag but I couldn't wait to take the opportunity to snap some pictures. It truly is a fine example.

The Stag is not matched at all aside from the thickness but that is the sort of thing that I have come to expect from Sheffield and it holds no bother for me. It just means that I get to experience two knives instead of just one when it comes to aesthetics, right?

The mark side is dusky, dark, and somewhat mysterious. Not a ton of texture but all sorts of depth, I think it mates well with the coolness of the Damascus.

The pile side is rather exquisite. Sporting the gnarly texture I so very much appreciate in Stag, it has color, grooves for days, and lots of rich depth. Truly fine.

A pic of the file work.

Jack, this is an exceptional knife, I am so very pleased with it. Very nicely done on your part as well as Wrights. I hope this is a testament to great things to come from them, each knife I get has been better and better. This has been in the pocket today and I am eager to experience Damascus, I have never had such steel before.

 

[waverave]

Well, I had a very exciting mail call yesterday and received a few knives but there was one in particular that had my interest more than the others. Unfortunately, it has been raining rather steady for several days now and my creek has risen close to 7 feet, putting it around 14ish feet (almost action stage for flooding). I am rather elevated compared to most folks so there isn't a lot of concern on my end but I am prepared to help others who might be less fortunate should the creek get much higher.

The rain is supposed to taper off today and I've already had enough of a break to hop outside to take some pictures. Please pardon the rather unsightly creek in the background. It is swollen, full of mud and all sorts of debris, and rather fast moving at this time.

Enough of that, let's reveal this beauty that ended up on my doorstep!


This knife easily is the most elegant and likely the most expensive slipjoint I own now. The Damascus, paired with exquisite file work and rather breathtaking Stag, make for an extraordinary knife and will be the prize of not only my lambsfoot collection but my slipjoint collection as a whole (have not tread the custom waters yet).

There is a fair amount of crud that still needs to be cleaned out of the pivot and there is quite a bit of compound in the lines and some of the grooves in the Stag but I couldn't wait to take the opportunity to snap some pictures. It truly is a fine example.

The Stag is not matched at all aside from the thickness but that is the sort of thing that I have come to expect from Sheffield and it holds no bother for me. It just means that I get to experience two knives instead of just one when it comes to aesthetics, right?

The mark side is dusky, dark, and somewhat mysterious. Not a ton of texture but all sorts of depth, I think it mates well with the coolness of the Damascus.

The pile side is rather exquisite. Sporting the gnarly texture I so very much appreciate in Stag, it has color, grooves for days, and lots of rich depth. Truly fine.

A pic of the file work.

Jack, this is an exceptional knife, I am so very pleased with it. Very nicely done on your part as well as Wrights. I hope this is a testament to great things to come from them, each knife I get has been better and better. This has been in the pocket today and I am eager to experience Damascus, I have never had such steel before.

 

[OLd_gUY]

Rosie came along for the range trip. It was a good day at the range, but, I need to learn more about long range shooting. Specifically, how to better use my scope. The reticle on mine is Leupold's Tactical Milling Reticle and the adjustments are MOA(minute of angle),very confusing for me. Just means that I have to go more often

FWIW - I'm sure you are aware of this but when I used to shoot, I found that if I breathed rhythmically and squeezed the trigger between breaths (before exhaling) that my accuracy improved. Not trying to be a butt-head, just trying to help.
OG

 

[Half/Stop]

Looks good Ron, hope you get your Special Delivery soon my friend

Thank you Jack! The package has finally made it to Tennessee. I don’t understand why it traveled from East to Middle Tennessee as it will have to come back East to get to me. I never understand the routes these packages take but I’m confident I’ll see it in a day or two. I hope!

 

[Prester John]

Well, I had a very exciting mail call yesterday and received a few knives but there was one in particular that had my interest more than the others. Unfortunately, it has been raining rather steady for several days now and my creek has risen close to 7 feet, putting it around 14ish feet (almost action stage for flooding). I am rather elevated compared to most folks so there isn't a lot of concern on my end but I am prepared to help others who might be less fortunate should the creek get much higher.

The rain is supposed to taper off today and I've already had enough of a break to hop outside to take some pictures. Please pardon the rather unsightly creek in the background. It is swollen, full of mud and all sorts of debris, and rather fast moving at this time.

Enough of that, let's reveal this beauty that ended up on my doorstep!


This knife easily is the most elegant and likely the most expensive slipjoint I own now. The Damascus, paired with exquisite file work and rather breathtaking Stag, make for an extraordinary knife and will be the prize of not only my lambsfoot collection but my slipjoint collection as a whole (have not tread the custom waters yet).

There is a fair amount of crud that still needs to be cleaned out of the pivot and there is quite a bit of compound in the lines and some of the grooves in the Stag but I couldn't wait to take the opportunity to snap some pictures. It truly is a fine example.

The Stag is not matched at all aside from the thickness but that is the sort of thing that I have come to expect from Sheffield and it holds no bother for me. It just means that I get to experience two knives instead of just one when it comes to aesthetics, right?

The mark side is dusky, dark, and somewhat mysterious. Not a ton of texture but all sorts of depth, I think it mates well with the coolness of the Damascus.

The pile side is rather exquisite. Sporting the gnarly texture I so very much appreciate in Stag, it has color, grooves for days, and lots of rich depth. Truly fine.

A pic of the file work.

Jack, this is an exceptional knife, I am so very pleased with it. Very nicely done on your part as well as Wrights. I hope this is a testament to great things to come from them, each knife I get has been better and better. This has been in the pocket today and I am eager to experience Damascus, I have never had such steel before.

Extraordinary knife, Dylan. The barehead stag is my favourite of the four styles made.

 

[willisoften]

Nice knife Under-blading is very traditional on Sheffield knives (and not just Sheffield knives). It has been discussed among the knife-makers here on BF in the past, on The Porch, and, possibly, in this thread. I had a long discussion with Stan Shaw about it at the behest of @JDWARE , who under-blades his own folders (eg https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/guardians-of-the-lambsfoot.1406735/page-40#post-17117571). It is done to prevent over-blading, where the blade rises up due to wear. In the past the design of knives was very much influenced by how they would wear with extended use <SNIP>

That very interesting, I used to work in software engineering - its a feature not a bug! I've never heard of "underblading" but it makes a certain to amount of sense to the relatively poor pre-war agrarian market, make it work well for a lifetime. (I still don't like it! but I can accept it). Minor faults - blades not centered perfectly, small gaps, even small discrepancies between bolsters sizes, little grinder marks and rough rivets these don't never bother me but any discrepancy or fault around the spring or blade annoys me. One complaint always surprises me "It didn't come sharp out of the box" when I was an apprentice cabinet maker- nothing was ever ready to use, except maybe scissors. Nobody expected to buy a sharp knife, chisel or plane.

 

[Pt-Luso]

Simply gorgeous pin stripe.

Many thanks Dwigh...

 

[Pt-Luso]

Another beauty, Jose!

Many thanks Mark...

 

[Jack Black]

Well, I had a very exciting mail call yesterday and received a few knives but there was one in particular that had my interest more than the others. Unfortunately, it has been raining rather steady for several days now and my creek has risen close to 7 feet, putting it around 14ish feet (almost action stage for flooding). I am rather elevated compared to most folks so there isn't a lot of concern on my end but I am prepared to help others who might be less fortunate should the creek get much higher.

The rain is supposed to taper off today and I've already had enough of a break to hop outside to take some pictures. Please pardon the rather unsightly creek in the background. It is swollen, full of mud and all sorts of debris, and rather fast moving at this time.

Enough of that, let's reveal this beauty that ended up on my doorstep!


This knife easily is the most elegant and likely the most expensive slipjoint I own now. The Damascus, paired with exquisite file work and rather breathtaking Stag, make for an extraordinary knife and will be the prize of not only my lambsfoot collection but my slipjoint collection as a whole (have not tread the custom waters yet).

There is a fair amount of crud that still needs to be cleaned out of the pivot and there is quite a bit of compound in the lines and some of the grooves in the Stag but I couldn't wait to take the opportunity to snap some pictures. It truly is a fine example.

The Stag is not matched at all aside from the thickness but that is the sort of thing that I have come to expect from Sheffield and it holds no bother for me. It just means that I get to experience two knives instead of just one when it comes to aesthetics, right?

The mark side is dusky, dark, and somewhat mysterious. Not a ton of texture but all sorts of depth, I think it mates well with the coolness of the Damascus.

The pile side is rather exquisite. Sporting the gnarly texture I so very much appreciate in Stag, it has color, grooves for days, and lots of rich depth. Truly fine.

A pic of the file work.

Jack, this is an exceptional knife, I am so very pleased with it. Very nicely done on your part as well as Wrights. I hope this is a testament to great things to come from them, each knife I get has been better and better. This has been in the pocket today and I am eager to experience Damascus, I have never had such steel before.

Those photos are absolutely fantastic my friend, I am glad that the knife reached you OK, and that you are so pleased with it. At the price they were, I couldn't believe Wright's couldn't even clean the muck out of the thread line, but it kind of made me laugh while I was shaking my head It is my first Damascus pocket-knife too Dylan, I have always balked at the price in the past, or not seen one I really liked, but the opportunity to have a Damascus Lambsfoot, one hand-made in Sheffield, was too much to resist - a world first Hope your neighbours stay dry Dylan

Thank you Jack! The package has finally made it to Tennessee. I don’t understand why it traveled from East to Middle Tennessee as it will have to come back East to get to me. I never understand the routes these packages take but I’m confident I’ll see it in a day or two. I hope!

Your packages do seem to go by a particularly circuitous route Ron!

Extraordinary knife, Dylan. The barehead stag is my favourite of the four styles made.

That pattern was originally supposed to have a standard length bolster. The previous vintage Sambar Wright's acquired wasn't large enough to fit a Swayback, but it would just fit a Candle-end. However, their current stock is smaller. They rang me to let me know and said they could do it with an extended bolster, so I asked them to add a thread. Seems to have worked out OK

 

[Jack Black]

That very interesting, I used to work in software engineering - its a feature not a bug! I've never heard of "underblading" but it makes a certain to amount of sense to the relatively poor pre-war agrarian market, make it work well for a lifetime. (I still don't like it! but I can accept it). Minor faults - blades not centered perfectly, small gaps, even small discrepancies between bolsters sizes, little grinder marks and rough rivets these don't never bother me but any discrepancy or fault around the spring or blade annoys me. One complaint always surprises me "It didn't come sharp out of the box" when I was an apprentice cabinet maker- nothing was ever ready to use, except maybe scissors. Nobody expected to buy a sharp knife, chisel or plane.

Discussions on the issue between some of the custom makers can be found fairly easily by using the search function. Sheffield knives have always been made like this, with the blade fractionally lower than the spine. Sometimes you might come across a very worn knife, which becomes over-bladed, but generally the practice prevents it. I dare say, if I asked Wright's to make 50 knives with parallel springs and spines, they'd think it odd, but they could certainly do it. With the annual Guardians knives, I ask for a higher quality product than their standard range, and they charge accordingly. Because its a sizeable order the increase isn't so much, it may even work out as no more than the standard range. For the price of their ordinary knives though, I'm happy just to get a handmade knife with a decent carbon steel blade, and a good solid lock-up, at the prices they charge, I think that's more than fair

 

[Prester John]

That pattern was originally supposed to have a standard length bolster. The previous vintage Sambar Wright's acquired wasn't large enough to fit a Swayback, but it would just fit a Candle-end. However, their current stock is smaller. They rang me to let me know and said they could do it with an extended bolster, so I asked them to add a thread. Seems to have worked out OK

Well, it looks great, and the bolster seems a lot shorter than a Barlow's.

 

[Pt-Luso]

Beautiful photo Jose, I love the contrasting grain

Many thanks Jack, I really like her too...

 

[Pt-Luso]

Again in stag!!!

 

[Jack Black]

Well, it looks great, and the bolster seems a lot shorter than a Barlow's.

Thanks Vince, it is, though it's the same size as Wright's use on their 'Barlow' It's twice the width of their standard nickel silver bolster, but to make it a genuine Barlow bolster it'd have to be a third of the size of the frame

Again in stag!!!

You take a good picture Jose

 

[Fodderwing]

Gorgeous pic Dwight, hope the weather picks up

Thanks Jack. My Damascus candle-end lambs foot arrived today. If ever I had a love-at-first-sight experience with a knife it was when I unwrapped this one. Sometimes everything comes together just right. This knife is an absolute dream come true. I will let the knife speak for itself when the pics are posted. She needs a good cleaning first and the conditions for photographing are not good right now anyway. Thank you Jack Black for a very very special lambsfoot.

waverave - Darren I must say your snakewood is stunning as are your pics of it.

Pàdruig - Dylan your candle-end is spectacular and it sounds like you are as pleased with it as i am with mine. Fortune has smiled on us my friend.

Looking forward to more of these jewels as they are posted.

 

[Prester John]

Thanks Jack. My Damascus candle-end lambs foot arrived today. If ever I had a love-at-first-sight experience with a knife it was when I unwrapped this one. Sometimes everything comes together just right. This knife is an absolute dream come true. I will let the knife speak for itself when the pics are posted. She needs a good cleaning first and the conditions for photographing are not good right now anyway. Thank you Jack Black for a very very special lambsfoot.

waverave - Darren I must say your snakewood is stunning as are your pics of it.

Pàdruig - Dylan your candle-end is spectacular and it sounds like you are as pleased with it as i am with mine. Fortune has smiled on us my friend.

Looking forward to more of these jewels as they are posted.


View attachment 1107449

Congratulations, Dwight! You picked a good one. Can't wait for the pics!

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks Jack. My Damascus candle-end lambs foot arrived today. If ever I had a love-at-first-sight experience with a knife it was when I unwrapped this one. Sometimes everything comes together just right. This knife is an absolute dream come true. I will let the knife speak for itself when the pics are posted. She needs a good cleaning first and the conditions for photographing are not good right now anyway. Thank you Jack Black for a very very special lambsfoot.

waverave - Darren I must say your snakewood is stunning as are your pics of it.

Pàdruig - Dylan your candle-end is spectacular and it sounds like you are as pleased with it as i am with mine. Fortune has smiled on us my friend.

Looking forward to more of these jewels as they are posted.


View attachment 1107449

Great news Dwight, I'm glad you love it, I thought you would I'm sure your photographs will be out of this world I am rather embarrassed about having only taken a few myself (I blame Pearl ), I must try and put that right

 

[willisoften]

Sorry Mark, I missed your post until Will quoted it Nice shot of your '19 there



They're built like that deliberately, but I guess not everyone appreciates them like that (if you do a search on the subject of 'underblading' you'll come across various discussions, though some folks confuse under-blading with blade-cant). Do you mind me asking how much (approximately) you paid for the knife?

I bought it recently last 7-10 days approx £32 inc VAT + postage, not cheap but not expensive either. A little underpriced compared to some things I've splashed on.

The underblading is the only issue I have with this knife other wise its Mary Poppins.

 

[OLd_gUY]

Never thought I'd like anything as much as my 2019 but this is sure growing on me
Got her cleaned up, next is putting an edge on her - as soon as I get the guts

 

[dc50]

Never thought I'd like anything as much as my 2019 but I this is sure growing on me
Got her cleaned up, next is putting an edge on her - as soon as I get the guts
View attachment 1107469

I'm happy for you OG! it's always nice to receive something cool, it breaks up the monotony of our everyday lives.