Needham / Hill Street / Sheffield

VCM3

VCM3

Dealer / Materials Provider
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Oct 26, 2005
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Here's what I know about this one.
I bought it off the big auction site 'cause it just looked neat. Hammered pins ,forged nail nicks,I think ? It is a tank of a solid work horse knife. 3.5" closed. Nail nicks are oddly placed on the main blade. Both blades stamped Needham over Hill Street over Sheffield

Here it is
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Scales are synthetic of some sort ?
How old ?
Are the liners steel ? or nickel ?


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Is the small one a blade or a tool implement?
If it's a tool, the nail nick on the main blade doesn't look so weird (I've seen it before on European army knives).
Is the main blade a sheepsfoot?

Fausto
:cool:
 
quattromori said:
Is the small one a blade or a tool implement?
If it's a tool, the nail nick on the main blade doesn't look so weird (I've seen it before on European army knives).
Is the main blade a sheepsfoot?

Fausto
:cool:
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Fausto this is Delta Bravo Zulu Baby,meaning double bladed Zulu :)
 
Ooops! As I was typing, you were already posting pictures :p
Anyway, its familiar bond to British army knives seems quite evident to me, so I guess that's where the nail nick thing comes from.
Disclaimer: I'm expressing an opinion based on pure personal theories :rolleyes: hopefully some of our Sheffield experts will help us shed some light :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
I think that looks smashing! :thumbup:

Steel liners, post WW2, 50's or 60's at a guess.
 
Is it possible that the indent in the bail is or was a broad arrow mark? I would imagine that the knife was meant for internal British use. According to Levines that isn't a normal Needhams mark for any of the Needhams, maybe Goins could shed some light.

Neat knife

Regards

Robin
 
Don't know anything about the knife except I think it's pretty cool looking. Nice shape for sure. I'll be curious to see more info on it.
 
Pipeman said:
Is it possible that the indent in the bail is or was a broad arrow mark?
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I don't think so Robin, my guess is that the indent is on both sides of the bail, and is a design hangover from the more stylish copper bails used on earlier British Army clasp knives, with which this knife bears some similarities :)
 
The handle looks like bakelite, but how to find out for sure? I have no idea.

I have a single Needham knife in my collection, this small pearl handled pen knife. The quality is quite good as far as fit-and-finish and action.

Needhamsmallsenator.jpg
 
It looks like the knife was taken apart and new liners were made. The liners stick out from the handles and don't match the shape of the handles. Just my thoughts.
 
Markesharp said:
It looks like the knife was taken apart and new liners were made. The liners stick out from the handles and don't match the shape of the handles. Just my thoughts.
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The scales shrunk
 
Pipeman said:
Why do you say that? Many production knives of this type look the same as this example.

Regards

Robin
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From experience. I have re-built many folding knives and though I am not a full time knife maker, I have hafted and peened many pins. I could be wrong and I mean no offense nor do I pretend to know it all. :)

I would like someone like Tony Bose to give an opinion.

Regards Mark
 
Vince, based mostly on writings in Tweedale's I would offer you the following:

The name Needham was quite common in the Sheffield cutlery trade and based on the Hill St. address I would think it to be William Needham. They moved to Hill St. around 1939 and the others do not appear to have operated at that address. They are also listed as having made Sportsman's knives which means they could have easily made your sort of knife. Due to the lack of 'England' appearing on any of your tang stamps (virtually all knives intended for commercial purposes after 1890 were so marked) I would conclude it to be a contract knife for some governmental agency with no intention to ever be exported.

All this in my very humble opinion. Possibly Mick or S-K will see this and chime in.

Nice knife BTW!
 
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ptradeco said:
Vince, based mostly on writings in Tweedale's I would offer you the following:

The name Needham was quite common in the Sheffield cutlery trade and based on the Hill St. address I would think it to be William Needham. They moved to Hill St. around 1939 and the others do not appear to have operated at that address. They are also listed as having made Sportsman's knives which means they could have easily made your sort of knife. Due to the lack of 'England' appearing on any of your tang stamps (virtually all knives intended for commercial purposes after 1890 were so marked) I would conclude it to be a contract knife for some governmental agency with no intention to ever be exported.

All this in my very humble opinion. Possibly Mick or S-K will see this and chime in.

Nice knife BTW!
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Thanks Brad & I got a kick on your address because we wondered if there even is a Hill St. LOL
 
Thanks for all the help on this. I forgot to say,both blades have cam tangs (no half stops,rounded tang).

So if it is 1950's more or less,do you feel I am correct,or incorrect,in thinking the nail nicks were forged in ?
 
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