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

Mike Robuck · Feb 28, 2010

And a pre-1890 lockback of Tony's (photos again by Kerry):

Yaro5 · Feb 28, 2010

Mike, some great posts.
The Wallace Bowie is a wonderful piece with a great story and the Gunsock Jack is a absolute corker! Thanks for the great pics.
The IXL Lockback is in really nice condition, the stag handles look great. Here is the same knife in more used condition. If you have a copy of the 1975 repro. of the IXL 1885 catalog you will find this knife on plate 17, knife 1531.

Joe

waynorth · Mar 1, 2010

The geometry of those lockbacks is just so incredible!!
The saber blade grinds, the matchstriker in the cut swedge, the subtle curve of the handles; it all works so well together.
Works of art, really . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mike Robuck · Mar 1, 2010

Everything Charlie said, plus I'd love to have one. Thanks for posting yours Joe. I don't have any catalogs yet but I've been looking around.

wagglebee · Mar 1, 2010

Joe, that's a gorgeous lockback.

Mike Robuck · Mar 11, 2010

Here's one from a little later:

smiling-knife · Mar 12, 2010

Those are beautiful lockback knives. This one is circa 1930s. It has synthetic scales.

wellington · Mar 12, 2010

I was off-line last week and missed seeing a few of the knives that have been posted,

I just love old Sheffield Bowies, and am so pleased Mike has posted some great pictures of Tony's Wallace Bowie, great provenance, wonderfully made, very attractive, guessing it has pressed NS lead filled fittings, etched blade and fairly early, superb ! :thumbup:. (thanks Mike Tony and Kerry).

A great Wostenholm gunstock jack, very smart heavy pruners and super lock back knife Mike

.

Super Wostenholm lockbacks Joe, Mike and Steve, interesting to compare all, thanks for posting.

I've one of those sports knives on that 30s brochure, really well made too, I'll post a pic or two tomorrow.

Mick

wellington · Mar 13, 2010

Here's a few pictures of a Wostenholm sportsman's knife, very similar to the one shown above in S-K's brochure (bottom left), marked GEORGE WOSTENHOLM, SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND 3 3/4" closed, C early 1930s ?. Made (and marked)for the US retailer ABERCROMBIE & FITCH Co. NEW YORK. USA.. Stainless blades, carbon springs, brass liners, stag scales, NS bolsters and shackle, lovely quality.

Here's a similar, slightly later made Wostenholm, all stainless, lower quality, C late 1930s ?

Mick.

KnifeHead · Mar 15, 2010

Tony picked up another I-XL lockback that appears to squeak by just under the 1930 wire...this one from a local gun and knife show. I believe this is hafted in that rough black stuff.

The weird shadows of the makers stamp "E" are on the blade(not a blurred image) and I am guessing it is from being "professionally cleaned" but I am quite possibly wrong.

wellington · Mar 15, 2010

Hi Kerry, I would have to agree, ^^ the Wostenholm's blade looks like may been used a little, then cleaned up on a wragg dolly ?, decent knife though, it could be post WW2, G Wostenholm produced these knives right up until the 1970s.

Thanks for showing..Mick

wellington · Mar 20, 2010

Here's an unused all-metal champagne knife, made and marked for the top end Glasgow retailer Mc QUEEN C 1920s 3 1/2" all carbon, "three thick", NS scales and shackle, milled inner brass liners, the large corkscrew bears on all three springs.

Pile side closed

Thanks for looking.

Mick

Yaro5 · Mar 20, 2010

Just catching up on some fine posts as I was away last week.
Mike, Steve and Kerry three nice IXL lockbacks. Kerry I would have to agree with Mike, your knife looks to date circa 1950s. Mick another three nice ones. I especially like the stag scales on the Abercrombie sportsmans.
Thanks for showing gents.
Joe

Mike Robuck · Apr 14, 2010

This is very cool. I looked through this thread I don't think it was posted here before. (Enjoyed seeing the knives again)

lambertiana · Apr 15, 2010

That's something you don't see every day. Is it for a folding dirk?

smiling-knife · Apr 15, 2010

That's a real beauty Mick. The condition is fantastic. Thanks for posting it. Could it be made earlier than the 1920s? The button hook and harness bolt seem to be consistent with a slightly earlier time... just speculating.

Mike Robuck · Apr 15, 2010

lambertiana said:
That's something you don't see every day. Is it for a folding dirk?

It sure looks like a dirk blade after going back and looking at some of the ones that have been posted in this thread. Maybe Tony knows for sure.

wellington · Apr 16, 2010

smiling-knife said:
That's a real beauty Mick. The condition is fantastic. Thanks for posting it. Could it be made earlier than the 1920s? The button hook and harness bolt seem to be consistent with a slightly earlier time... just speculating.

Thanks for the comments on the champagne knife S-K, it's a really decent thing, agree it could have been made slightly earlier. The pictures aren't great, the tin opener has a screw (factory) fitted, not a harness bolt.

Mike Robuck said:
It sure looks like a dirk blade after going back and looking at some of the ones that have been posted in this thread. Maybe Tony knows for sure.

Thanks for showing the diamond section blade forging Mike, agree looks very much like a dirk blade.

Mick

smiling-knife · Apr 17, 2010

ah... I understand now. Still very nice. Thanks Mick.

MattWRog · Apr 17, 2010

That is a very admirable knife, well everybodies are really. Those lockbacks are fantastic!

KnifeHead said:
Tony picked up another I-XL lockback that appears to squeak by just under the 1930 wire...this one from a local gun and knife show. I believe this is hafted in that rough black stuff. The weird shadows of the makers stamp "E" are on the blade(not a blurred image) and I am guessing it is from being "professionally cleaned" but I am quite possibly wrong.