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

[Modoc ED]

Thanks Ed, handsome knife I'm afraid it's late here, and I'll need to post a pic or two, so I'll get back to you tomorrow if that's ok

Jack Black - Here it is again in brighter light. The red shows up more in these pictures.




The red shows up a bit better here too.

 

[Jack Black]

Jack Black - Here it is again in brighter light. The red shows up more in these pictures.

View attachment 3051814
View attachment 3051816

The red shows up a bit better here too.

View attachment 3051825

Thank you for the extra pics Ed, it's a great-looking knife, of much better quality than most of the Sheffield knives produced during the period I think it was made. In fact I can remember being surprised by the quality, and not alone in that. Would I be right in thinking the blades are stainless? Thanks for including a photo of the box too, did you also get a wee slip of paper with a potted history of the Wostenholm company, and some advice on knife care perhaps?

First to say that, compared to American knives, tang stamps are not usually as useful as they might be in terms of dating Sheffield knives. Sheffield cutlers were conservative and tight-fisted, and tended to use the same tang-stamp design for decades, sometimes for generations. Factors like the changing of a Monarch, the birth of sons, a company becoming Limited, that we look for in terms of dating knives, are not always reflected in the tang stamp, certainly not immediately, and this is not helped by the fact that most firms used a range of outworkers, and subcontracted production, or part of the production, to other firms. Old blades would certainly never be thrown away, irrespective of their tang stamp, even if the firm had changed names, or even gone bust.

The Canoe is not a traditional Sheffield pattern, and rarely seen. Indeed, I can only think of them in relation to later-period Wostenholm production. The later 20th Century was not a good time for the Sheffield cutlers, with even the great firms greatly reduced in size. In 1971, Wostenholm were acquired by their long-term rival Joseph Rodgers, with the new company continuing to produce knives under both names, as well as Rodgers-Wostenholm. In 1975, they were bought by the Richards Group, and in 1977 by Imperial.

In 1978, a Gunboat Canoe was produced for the US National Knife Collectors Association, with the Rodgers-Wostenholm tang stamp, and a standard Canoe was included in the 'Schrade-Wostenholm' range of knives, launched in 1978. There is some controversy about these well-made knives, and some of them were simply assembled in Sheffield from US (Camillus) manufactured parts, or even imported wholesale. I had a brother-in-law who was one of Wostenholm's last apprentice cutlers, and he told me of the secrecy surrounding their 'production' at the Richards factory on Moore Street, Sheffield, where Rodgers-Wostenholm had moved.



Things get more murkier, because after 1982, when the Richards factory closed, the old names were acquired by a former accountant at Richards, by the name of Vic Rickless, who shamefully licensed the Wostenholm name to Jim Parker, who got knives, including a Gunboat Canoe, made in Japan, marked with the Wostenholm name. Your knife isn't one of these Ed, but I believe it was made during the period that Wostenholm were owned by Imperial. Unfortunately, my internet connection is barely functioning today, which is very frustrating, but I'll try to include some photos.



Here's another knife produced during the same period, with the classic IXL tang-stamp

 

[herder]

Jack Black - Here it is again in brighter light. The red shows up more in these pictures.

View attachment 3051814
View attachment 3051816

The red shows up a bit better here too.

View attachment 3051825

There is a very comprehensive article on the history of the Schrade/Wostenholm collaborative knives in the latest issue of "Knife Magazine" (Dec. 2025).
A canoe model was included in that article and was introduced in 1980.

 

[Modoc ED]

Thank you for the extra pics Ed, it's a great-looking knife, of much better quality than most of the Sheffield knives produced during the period I think it was made. In fact I can remember being surprised by the quality, and not alone in that. Would I be right in thinking the blades are stainless? Thanks for including a photo of the box too, did you also get a wee slip of paper with a potted history of the Wostenholm company, and some advice on knife care perhaps?

First to say that, compared to American knives, tang stamps are not usually as useful as they might be in terms of dating Sheffield knives. Sheffield cutlers were conservative and tight-fisted, and tended to use the same tang-stamp design for decades, sometimes for generations. Factors like the changing of a Monarch, the birth of sons, a company becoming Limited, that we look for in terms of dating knives, are not always reflected in the tang stamp, certainly not immediately, and this is not helped by the fact that most firms used a range of outworkers, and subcontracted production, or part of the production, to other firms. Old blades would certainly never be thrown away, irrespective of their tang stamp, even if the firm had changed names, or even gone bust.

The Canoe is not a traditional Sheffield pattern, and rarely seen. Indeed, I can only think of them in relation to later-period Wostenholm production. The later 20th Century was not a good time for the Sheffield cutlers, with even the great firms greatly reduced in size. In 1971, Wostenholm were acquired by their long-term rival Joseph Rodgers, with the new company continuing to produce knives under both names, as well as Rodgers-Wostenholm. In 1975, they were bought by the Richards Group, and in 1977 by Imperial.

In 1978, a Gunboat Canoe was produced for the US National Knife Collectors Association, with the Rodgers-Wostenholm tang stamp, and a standard Canoe was included in the 'Schrade-Wostenholm' range of knives, launched in 1978. There is some controversy about these well-made knives, and some of them were simply assembled in Sheffield from US (Camillus) manufactured parts, or even imported wholesale. I had a brother-in-law who was one of Wostenholm's last apprentice cutlers, and he told me of the secrecy surrounding their 'production' at the Richards factory on Moore Street, Sheffield, where Rodgers-Wostenholm had moved.

View attachment 3052042

Things get more murkier, because after 1982, when the Richards factory closed, the old names were acquired by a former accountant at Richards, by the name of Vic Rickless, who shamefully licensed the Wostenholm name to Jim Parker, who got knives, including a Gunboat Canoe, made in Japan, marked with the Wostenholm name. Your knife isn't one of these Ed, but I believe it was made during the period that Wostenholm were owned by Imperial. Unfortunately, my internet connection is barely functioning today, which is very frustrating, but I'll try to include some photos.

View attachment 3052044

Here's another knife produced during the same period, with the classic IXL tang-stamp

View attachment 3052046

Thank you both for the information given by y'all . I haven't received my latest issue of Knife Magazine yet but am looking forward to it. I did do some research in LVG4 last night.

The blades in this knife are Carbon. Here is a picture of the only insert in the box. I have another one of these coming with box and perhaps it will have more info in it.



The seller gave me a time frame of 1970s to 1980s. From what I've found so far, I pretty much go along with that. The seller bought five of these - as New Old Stock. I don't know if that's the way to say it but they are all new - never used, carried, or sharpened, original factory blade finish and factory edges. With original box/packaging including the blank outer sleeve.

I realize my time frame is not that of this thread title but didn't catch it until I posted. Hope y'all will forgive an old man.

 

[Jack Black]

Thank you both for the information given by y'all . I haven't received my latest issue of Knife Magazine yet but am looking forward to it. I did do some research in LVG4 last night.

The blades in this knife are Carbon. Here is a picture of the only insert in the box. I have another one of these coming with box and perhaps it will have more info in it.

View attachment 3052234

The seller gave me a time frame of 1970s to 1980s. From what I've found so far, I pretty much go along with that. The seller bought five of these - as New Old in Stock. I don't know if that's the way to say it but they are all new - never used, carried, or sharpened, original factory blade finish and factory edges. With original box/packaging including the blank outer sleeve.

I realize my time frame is not that of this thread title but didn't catch it until I posted. Hope y'all will forgive an old man.

I reckon you can narrow it down to 1978-82 (probably 81) Ed They are very well-made, and an interesting talking point for sure. I carried one of the big locking Clips in stag, regularly, for many years, and my dad had the smaller clip