"Old Knives"

[supratentorial]

Henry Sears & Son 1865, c1878-1959
3 5/8", 3 back spring, half stops on all 3 blades
listed as "Eureka" under the topic "Cattle Knives" in LGIV p287
ad reprint on p170 of Tracy Tudor's The Old Knife Book

 

[ken erickson]

Henry Sears & Son 1865, c1878-1959
3 5/8", 3 back spring, half stops on all 3 blades
listed as "Eureka" under the topic "Cattle Knives" in LGIV p287
ad reprint on p170 of Tracy Tudor's The Old Knife Book

Jake,

Thanks for sharing this Eureka! If you ever have some time I would love to see additional pictures, closed, looking down at the wells, etc.
Is the pile side secondary a punch blade? I really like the shape of the master. Also interesting on some of these old knives how the plunge actually back cut on the master.

 

[bakerg2g]

C.F. Wolfertz & Co. Jack knife... Excellent snap left in blades,No blade play,
Main has some blade loss, Pen has a good bit more. Pitting on Pen, Stains on both.
Still a excellent knife for it's age.



Jason

 

[supratentorial]

Nice knife, Jason. The ebony looks especially good for its age.

Ken, The pile side secondary is a punch. Your last sentence lost me but I'd like to understand. Can you repeat it in layman's terms? Here are a few more scans.

 

[supratentorial]

P.S. I blame you and Elliot for this impulse purchase.

 

[Robert.B]

Are the scales on that celluloid? I'm guessing the lifted regions is from the celluloid warping slightly over time?...you're very lucky to have that in your collection, thanks for posting the top closed view, this is what I find most intriguing with slipjoint folders.

 

[supratentorial]

Thank you, Robert. The handles are celluloid so there's a little bit of shrinkage. It resembles the "pearl celluloid handle" in the catalog reprint but it looks more like waterfall celluloid to me. According to LGIV celluloid and bone were common on cattle knives. The catalog reprint lists several of these knives and some have uncommon handle materials: stag, spanish horn, and ebony (the drawing looks more like jigged bone... maybe an error). The stag and horn knives have a different shield and the bolsters lack the rat tails. Some have clip blades instead of the spear. The blades were etched 1865.

 

[ken erickson]

Your last sentence lost me but I'd like to understand. Can you repeat it in layman's terms?

Jake,
Sorry about that! Here is a simple, pre-cup of coffee drawing showing plunge lines. Often times you will see a plunge line slanted forward but most vintage knives the plunge line will be 90 degrees to the spine. On your Eureka it appears as if the plunge is slanted back a few degrees similar to the dotted line in the bottom drawing.

I think its also noteworthy the lack of liners between the springs on the Henry Sears Eureka. Interesting knife!

 

[waynorth]

Henry Sears & Son 1865, c1878-1959
3 5/8", 3 back spring, half stops on all 3 blades
listed as "Eureka" under the topic "Cattle Knives" in LGIV p287
ad reprint on p170 of Tracy Tudor's The Old Knife Book

The punch style is Utica, and they made many knives marked Henry Sears etc. Very likely this knife was made by Utica.
Nice knife!!

 

[Blues]

P.S. I blame you and Elliot for this impulse purchase.

Hey, hey, I saw that!!!

(Happy to do my part and help! )

 

[KnifeHead]

Jake,
Sorry about that! Here is a simple, pre-cup of coffee drawing showing plunge lines. Often times you will see a plunge line slanted forward but most vintage knives the plunge line will be 90 degrees to the spine. On your Eureka it appears as if the plunge is slanted back a few degrees similar to the dotted line in the bottom drawing.

I think its also noteworthy the lack of liners between the springs on the Henry Sears Eureka. Interesting knife!

Hey Ken, I think this is more common than not among 3-springed whittlers, the lack of liners.

 

[ken erickson]

Hey Ken, I think this is more common than not among 3-springed whittlers, the lack of liners.

Kerry,

Thanks for the post!

I have wondered about 3 springs knives in the past and now have the luxury to reference LG4. Here is what he says on the subject.

"Some manufactures used to cut corners by making knives with three springs that look superficially like whittlers. Today dealers often call these knives "three-spring whittlers and charge a premium for them. These knives are rare but they are not whittlers".

Unless I am reading and understand incorrectly Mr. Levine would consider the Henry Sears a 3 spring cattle knife. To my dismay I have not had the pleasure to examine enough 3 spring knives to know when a manufacture would use liners or not. As you mentioned in your Pm to me, building a liner-less three spring knife would present challenges unique to that style construction.

 

[KnifeHead]

Of course that one up there is a cattle knife looking superficially like a whittler. There might be some other reasons other than cutting corners for not using inner spacer/liners, like, they aren't necessary or they make the knife thicker. Oh heck, he's the expert.

 

[waynorth]

I think the "thicker/too thick" reason is correct, Kerry. It's already a thick knife, so two liners would increase thickness measurably. It certainly is stiff/rigid enough with three single end springs.

 

[Tony Bose]

You don't need the liners cause the blade tangs don't rub each other. None of the ones I have seen have liners between the springs. That would make it like carrying a potato in your pocket.

 

[waynorth]

Is that a potato in your pocket? Or are you just carrying a poorly made Eureka Cattle knife??

 

[cnas122]

Jeezzzz Charlie.....

 

[supratentorial]

Jake,
Sorry about that! Here is a simple, pre-cup of coffee drawing showing plunge lines. Often times you will see a plunge line slanted forward but most vintage knives the plunge line will be 90 degrees to the spine. On your Eureka it appears as if the plunge is slanted back a few degrees similar to the dotted line in the bottom drawing.

I think its also noteworthy the lack of liners between the springs on the Henry Sears Eureka. Interesting knife!

Thank you, Ken. The drawing was very helpful. It's interesting to hear both the knife maker and knife collector comments. I'm learning a lot.

The punch style is Utica, and they made many knives marked Henry Sears etc. Very likely this knife was made by Utica.
Nice knife!!

I didn't know about the Utica roots. Thank you, Charlie.

You don't need the liners cause the blade tangs don't rub each other. None of the ones I have seen have liners between the springs. That would make it like carrying a potato in your pocket.

LOL! Yep, there's no blade rub on this example and the knife is quite substantial -- about 0.6 inches wide.

Is that a potato in your pocket? Or are you just carrying a poorly made Eureka Cattle knife??

Here are some comparison photos for you, Charlie. I know where you can get a whole bag of the ones that have liners... and for only a couple of bucks.

 

[Paul M]

Wow I learned a lot from plunge lines to potatoes. Is that a Yukon Gold? Nice knife Jake. Here is another C.F. Wolfertz Allentown, PA stamp 1905- 1944. It is a bit shy of 3 3/4" Cocobolo handles
I would say it was made by Schrade Cut Co.

 

[waynorth]

Nice Jack, Paul - smells just like a Schrade!
It's interesting that most of the later C.F.Wolfertz knives look like Schrades. Goins says the C.F.Wolfertz & Co. was re-born in 1904 (originally established as C.F.Wolferz Co. ca.1862) a year or so after Schrade Cut. Co. was founded - in 1903!