"Old Knives"

[Campbellclanman]

Beautiful example Charlie, They just did it good didn't they! Gorgeous Bone, you can look at this all day.

 

[lithicus]

@lithiim not sure you want to try my idea because I'm fairly certain there's alot more knowledgeable then me in this thread,but I had an old hunting knife I found that had a blade in really rough shape,at first I used polishing sandpaper and didn't do to much except showcase how rough it was,so then used it to shave or whittle thousands of pieces trying to make sure the blade rubbed against the wood which gave it alot better look,i then rubbed it over and over against rough moose hide and then some more whittling and bit more over the moose hide,after that i let a patina begin,it was very much appealing to my eyes,but than again it was headed for the waste bin,now my buddies son has it or had it.

I've always done natural patinas. But for the last few days I've been forcing one with an apple and I did do one round of boiling vinegar. It's coming along and the patina is doing a decent job of hiding some of these Dremel marks. But I do need it to be quite dark.

I'll probably do as you say and just start to use it hard. I think it will look less abused and more used over time. I can always remove steel at a later date if I really feel the need to. Can't add that steel back on though

 

[eisman]

Picked up this little lobster, with it's case, at a flea market in Berlin.

 

[tongueriver]

Not my knife; for some reason I had this pic in my files. I wish I could hold this knife.

 

[Pennlu]

Case Bradford 1915-1919

 

[lithicus]

View attachment 2922113Case Bradford 1915-1919

I want to see more Wow!! Looking real nice!

 

[lithicus]

I normally kind of despise forced patina. Never even tried it before. But after being heavily cleaned with a Dremel, this knife needed some makeup And if patina can kind of hide this knife's abuse, I'd rather that than taking off steel.

Over the course of a few days, I've stuck each blade into an apple multiple times and did one round of hot vinegar in between. This is the result. I think that maybe this knife would've looked something like this originally had it not been cleaned. They did also take a Dremel to the back springs. So, I may do a mustard patina there.

Blades still look super full. Swedges are still present. This is one fine pocket knife! I need to put a fresh edge on it and put it to work

 

[lambertiana]

Picked up this little lobster, with it's case, at a flea market in Berlin.

Nice! What does the tang stamp say?

View attachment 2922113Case Bradford 1915-1919

If those are the original blades (not tang welded), whoever polished them did a decent job because the transitions at the swedge and tang are not overly rounded and the finish is flat instead of wavy, like you see in a lot of "pristine" knives that have had the snot buffed out of them.

 

[waynorth]

Picked up this little lobster, with it's case, at a flea market in Berlin.

Very nice! Tang marked??
Looks like a Bruckmann???!!

 

[r8shell]

Picked up this little lobster, with it's case, at a flea market in Berlin.

Nice!

I normally kind of despise forced patina. Never even tried it before. But after being heavily cleaned with a Dremel, this knife needed some makeup And if patina can kind of hide this knife's abuse, I'd rather that than taking off steel.

Over the course of a few days, I've stuck each blade into an apple multiple times and did one round of hot vinegar in between. This is the result. I think that maybe this knife would've looked something like this originally had it not been cleaned. They did also take a Dremel to the back springs. So, I may do a mustard patina there.

Blades still look super full. Swedges are still present. This is one fine pocket knife! I need to put a fresh edge on it and put it to work

Looks good to me!

 

[Campbellclanman]

I normally kind of despise forced patina. Never even tried it before. But after being heavily cleaned with a Dremel, this knife needed some makeup And if patina can kind of hide this knife's abuse, I'd rather that than taking off steel.

Over the course of a few days, I've stuck each blade into an apple multiple times and did one round of hot vinegar in between. This is the result. I think that maybe this knife would've looked something like this originally had it not been cleaned. They did also take a Dremel to the back springs. So, I may do a mustard patina there.

Blades still look super full. Swedges are still present. This is one fine pocket knife! I need to put a fresh edge on it and put it to work

Its a good cover up, I would use 0000 Grade Steel Wool with mineral oil and give those blades a run over- 0000 grade wont remove too much forced patina, then wipe down and then use it as a Steak Knife, I have a 235120 Linerlock GEC as my Steak knife religiously and the Blade is such a very very dark patina for this use- almost a black blade, that way you will gain a nice honest patina that started off with a little help in the very beginning.

Man I love those knives

 

[Campbellclanman]

Nice! What does the tang stamp say?




If those are the original blades (not tang welded), whoever polished them did a decent job because the transitions at the swedge and tang are not overly rounded and the finish is flat instead of wavy, like you see in a lot of "pristine" knives that have had the snot buffed out of them.

I think that knife is stunning, but... it would look better with its age on the blade and Bolsters.
I would rather own it than not though that's for sure, but would work on introducing an honest earned patina back onto the blades etc by using it with food for some time.
Like you say the amount of old polished knives you see being displayed now is a worry, I hope this trend doesn't re-educate the newer blood of knife collectors into thinking that this is the norm, I have s

 

[lithicus]

Its a good cover up, I would use 0000 Grade Steel Wool with mineral oil and give those blades a run over- 0000 grade wont remove too much forced patina, then wipe down and then use it as a Steak Knife, I have a 235120 Linerlock GEC as my Steak knife religiously and the Blade is such a very very dark patina for this use- almost a black blade, that way you will gain a nice honest patina that started off with a little help in the very beginning.

Man I love those knives

Thank you and that is all sound advice! I did take some 0000 steel wool to the blades after the boiled vinegar. But, it wouldn't hurt to do it again and keep working toward a darker patina!

And it is a great knife. I own quite a few schrade's as they got me into collecting. But this is only my second schrade cut co. And this is much nicer than my first!

 

[BakeryWizard]

Ive never heard of Southington cut co. I suspect some of you folks probably have, it certainly shows all signs of being a high quality pen knife. I paid a few dollars for it at a flea market, so im certainly happy with my find.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Great old Southington BakeryWizard

I posted these in the Golden Age Sheffield Thread, but these definitely belong in here...

A smaller C. Johnson & Co, Sheffield, Eng. with very nice coloured jigged Bone, when you get this Bone into strong natural light- boom! lots of "activity" going on in there with a gorgeous change in colouring.
Both the blades are nice and full, in fact for a old knife this knife here is in lovely condition.......

 

[galvanic1882]

Really like Sheffield knives. Thanks for posting these guys

 

[Campbellclanman]

Now this one, I absolutely have fallen for, it may pass over some and not be their thing, and that's the great thing about this hobby (or for most obsession) that we have made part of our life.

This stamp is not one that you see often, LEPPINGTON, SHEFFIELD,ENG. and in the center their trade-mark CUTLASS.
Gorgeous Stag is a good start , and when handling this knife and seeing just how thin the Stag gets in places where it would be perhaps? 1mm.

Sheffield lads were THE Kings in hafting Stag beautifully.
Castrator Blade is where you see this blade shape often described by the Cutler manufacturers but not always, interestingly I have a poster above my desk in my office and I got it framed, and this poster is of 10 very old RUSSELL Barlows, the bottom one I remember Charlie posting about with it being a curved Barlow, well the blade on that knife is a near mirror image.
I have an extremely soft spot for Sheffield knives, and this knife is the reason, Stag wonderfully hafted, Iron pins hammered perfectly, down to the scores they placed on top of the stag by the liners for that extra grip.

Just everything about this knife - to me - hits the spot, I hope you get it like I do
Firm yet smooth walk and talk, main blade near full, pen used lovingly yet still retains much life.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Really like Sheffield knives. Thanks for posting these guys

nothing like your amazing Knives Mike, but thank you matey

 

[Campbellclanman]

Again, posted in the Golden age Thread, this beast fell upon my lap, well... you'd definitely feel it if it did

Mid to (more likely) later 1800's, GEORGE WOSTENHOLM, SHEFFIELD, now if you are anything like me I love looking at the older fonts of the earlier tang stamps and really appreciate being able to view, the older I*XL stamped on the blade.
Iron Pins, Integral bolster / Liners with big Rats Tail Bolsters.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Picked up this wee thing, now I own two more of these in their original tough cardboard like sheaths- similar to a Cut Throat - these though are almost coffin shaped to allow for the tapered shape you can see in this handle.
I remember quite some time ago posting them, and Jack came in and helped me out with what they were made for, they are not the ink eraser, this is a blade.

Lovely wood, cool little blade and tang stamped: J Rodgers and Sons, Norfolk St, Sheffield. with the Maltese crosses on the pile side of the tang.The blade even has a swedge.
Somehow I remember Jack mentioning these were like a post office type of knife???

Anyway, I saw this in a second hand store for $4.80, I nearly didn't buy it because I have the other two- with their original "sheaths".
6 & 1/2 inches long in total, blade is a peek under 2 inches.