"Made in Sheffield" 1830-1930, A golden age ?

herder said:
Thanks Will, it's odd pattern that I would call a sleeve board serpentine jack with blades at either end. And I'm a sucker for pinched bolsters.

Stag is my favorite handle material not just because of its beauty, but also because it is found in endless types and colors.
That is a fantastic example shown from the "Sheffield Exhibition Knives" book which also shows how small and fine natural stag can look.
The words "pressed stag" have been repeatedly used and is simply not true. Stag is bone which is in all practically, not pressable.
Could someone soften bone enough to press? Possibly, but certainly not economically or reasonably to use for knife handles.
Horn is made of keratin which is similar to human hair and fingernails, and is softer and able to be pressed into patterns.
Enclosed are some quotes from two of the most respected knife collectors on the AAPK forum, and one from one of the most respected fellows on this forum.

"As easy as it is to dye and jig bone why would anyone want to go to all the trouble, expense and time it would take to try to press bone? Could you possibly press bone isn't the point, the point is why would anyone even try? Pressing horn was done to get horn to look like something other than horn, typically bone or stag. Would you go to all the trouble of trying to press bone to make it look like pressed horn? I don't think so. The idea itself is unreasonable."

If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.

Wayne



Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 6:37 pm. Pressed bone or horn,or worn stag (?).Only American-made knife I've ever seen or had in pressed bone if it is, J.O'.

"No such thing as pressed bone, pressed horn yes"

AAPK Janitor
369



"I'm convinced it's Stag, Lyle. I don't think bone can get "fluid" (with heat or chemicals) enough to reshape - it's too tough and firm. Horn can be pressed with heat, but the fibers are even larger than Stag, and we'd see them!!"
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I have great respect for you Neal also for Wayne , Dimitri and John. I call it pressed stag because the respected authoritarians before us did so, and two you know and respect still do. I have no proof of anything, just lingering inadequate and unanswered questions . I've long since known it's not horn, that's evident.
There have never been an answer as to why this handle material was never used on a knife made on American soil. This question bothers me. The time frame of it ; ONLY late 1800's and very early 1900's. Thinking the deer went extinct is less logical by far than pressing bone. I'm not advocating that's what it is , just stating a fact. Let me reiterate, I don't believe it's natural stag, it may be, but if it is it's weird . I plan on having it forensically analyzed to quell all suspicions.
The most questionable observation is I've never seen any natural stag handled knife age like pressed stag. It loses coloration and wears thin. This is German pressed stag. I've seen a noticeable difference between Sheffield and German pressed stag, but NO American. Weird.


Pressed stag Forensic from Herb on AAPK a.jpeg

Pressed stag Forensic from Herb on AAPK.jpeg
 
Gents, these Knives are something I could look at all day, I am in complete agreement that the Old English Stag does tend to have the ability to buckle one's knees!
 
wlfryjr said:
I have great respect for you Neal also for Wayne , Dimitri and John. I call it pressed stag because the respected authoritarians before us did so, and two you know and respect still do. I have no proof of anything, just lingering inadequate and unanswered questions . I've long since known it's not horn, that's evident.
There have never been an answer as to why this handle material was never used on a knife made on American soil. This question bothers me. The time frame of it ; ONLY late 1800's and very early 1900's. Thinking the deer went extinct is less logical by far than pressing bone. I'm not advocating that's what it is , just stating a fact. Let me reiterate, I don't believe it's natural stag, it may be, but if it is it's weird . I plan on having it forensically analyzed to quell all suspicions.
The most questionable observation is I've never seen any natural stag handled knife age like pressed stag. It loses coloration and wears thin. This is German pressed stag. I've seen a noticeable difference between Sheffield and German pressed stag, but NO American. Weird.


View attachment 2804509

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Lyle, as you may know, I have written several books on knives and well over 50 articles for Knife Magazine. I don’t state this to boast, rather to suggest that I strive for proper evidence and facts as anyone should. And the facts simply don’t support your idea of “pressed stag” which is actually bone. Pressed horn has existed for a millennia with a great amount of evidence supporting it. But there is basically nothing claiming that pressed stag (bone) was ever done in a practical form. The reason I cited those other respected collectors was to show that this is not just my opinion.

I really don’t care what you call it on your own, but when you continue to use that term in public as if it was fact does the collecting community a disservice, especially for new collectors. A while back, Phil Collins (of the rock group “Genesis”) donated a large collection of Bowie knives to the Alamo museum. Mark, the publisher of Knife Magazine, knew that many of those knives were not authentic, but said nothing as long as they were in a private collection. But once they became part of a museum display for the public to see, Mark took it upon himself to contact the museum to try and set the record straight on what was real and what was not.

Setting the record straight on “pressed stag” is certainly a small thing compared to the Bowie knives at the Alamo museum, but something that should be corrected none the less. It might be hard for you to accept that stag came in such a vast assortment of shapes and textures, but I can assure you that what you think of as “pressed stag” is just a fine composition of genuine stag. Certainly there were deer from well over 100 years ago that don’t exist today with antlers that are also not currently found. And obviously, deer from different parts of the world had different types of antlers. Scientific analysis of what you think is “pressed stag” will only confirm that it is real stag, not that it was “pressed”. Or maybe by analyzing what you think is “pressed stag” will actually turn out to be “pressed horn”.
 
herder said:
Lyle, as you may know, I have written several books on knives and well over 50 articles for Knife Magazine. I don’t state this to boast, rather to suggest that I strive for proper evidence and facts as anyone should. And the facts simply don’t support your idea of “pressed stag” which is actually bone. Pressed horn has existed for a millennia with a great amount of evidence supporting it. But there is basically nothing claiming that pressed stag (bone) was ever done in a practical form. The reason I cited those other respected collectors was to show that this is not just my opinion.

I really don’t care what you call it on your own, but when you continue to use that term in public as if it was fact does the collecting community a disservice, especially for new collectors. A while back, Phil Collins (of the rock group “Genesis”) donated a large collection of Bowie knives to the Alamo museum. Mark, the publisher of Knife Magazine, knew that many of those knives were not authentic, but said nothing as long as they were in a private collection. But once they became part of a museum display for the public to see, Mark took it upon himself to contact the museum to try and set the record straight on what was real and what was not.

Setting the record straight on “pressed stag” is certainly a small thing compared to the Bowie knives at the Alamo museum, but something that should be corrected none the less. It might be hard for you to accept that stag came in such a vast assortment of shapes and textures, but I can assure you that what you think of as “pressed stag” is just a fine composition of genuine stag. Certainly there were deer from well over 100 years ago that don’t exist today with antlers that are also not currently found. And obviously, deer from different parts of the world had different types of antlers. Scientific analysis of what you think is “pressed stag” will only confirm that it is real stag, not that it was “pressed”. Or maybe by analyzing what you think is “pressed stag” will actually turn out to be “pressed horn”
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I love the truth , as everyone should.
You never answered any of my questions with " proper evidence and facts", although you require them , even stating a false fact concerning what I've said.
Apparently you never read my post and furthermore I don't believe you can find anywhere I've said this handle material is pressed bone. If so , I'll say I was wrong in saying that.

Love the Wostenholm Neal, they are some of my favorites. What time frame?
 
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wlfryjr said:
I love the truth , as everyone should.
You never answered any of my questions with " proper evidence and facts", although you require them , even stating a false fact concerning what I've said.
Apparently you never read my post and furthermore I don't believe you can find anywhere I've said this handle material is pressed bone. If so , I'll say I was wrong in saying that.

Love the Wostenholm Neal, they are some of my favorites. What time frame?
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Thanks, but apparently you didn't read my post either as the date for the Wostenholm cattle knife was stated.
 
herder said:
Here is a Wostenholm four-blade cattle knife from around the WWI era.

View attachment 2805069
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Always impressive to see just how 'straight out' these blades present on quality knives of the era. Even on a rounded Equal-End pattern there is little cant, I suspect there is excellent W&T too on this excellent blade assortment.

Thanks, Will
 
Will Power said:
Always impressive to see just how 'straight out' these blades present on quality knives of the era. Even on a rounded Equal-End pattern there is little cant, I suspect there is excellent W&T too on this excellent blade assortment.

Thanks, Will
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Good observation Will. It's always annoyed me to see a canted blade that shouldn't have been finished that way.
 
herder said:
That's a fine looking old Butler Lambfoot model.
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Thanks !

Here's another


20240316-074850.jpg
 
glennbad said:
Here's a recent pickup. J Nowill & Sons. What is a Tacklers Knife? Is it fishing related, or football/rugby, LOL?



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Nice pickup Glen 👍


They were used in the textile factories by loom mechanics known as "Tacklers"


B

Thread 'Sheffield made Tackler knives'

I am considering ordering a Wright's Tackler, I would like to compare it to some of the versions made by earlier Sheffield firms. Please post some photos of Tackler pattern knives, if you have them. Also, how is Wright's QC currently? I know from reading earlier posts here that they were pretty hit or miss a few years back, I am hoping they have improved since then. Thanks!
 
Joseph Rodgers & Sons Sheffield, England. 2 7/8in Boys knife c.1891-99.

The difference in cover colors is interesting. I wonder if the show side has seen more sun, or if they were married like this.

20250513-083341.jpg
 

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