"Old Knives"

Well, we need Jack to head over and talk to Stan Shaw about this!! Is it an resin on top of stag? We need to get to the bottom of this!!
 
Gevonovich said:
Well, we need Jack to head over and talk to Stan Shaw about this!! Is it an resin on top of stag? We need to get to the bottom of this!!
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That sounds like a wonderful idea Gevo - Stan would know the answer - I would bet on it!! I want to know the correct answer.

I was guessing that they used mechanical presses (hence the name pressed stag) to give it the gnarly stag look - maybe some kind of pre-treatment to soften the bone or stag surface???

Maybe some process similar to steaming wood, to make it curved. I am doubting resin. I am guessing for sure. :confused::confused::)
 
Yes ,
Steve that is an excellent idea.Here is some informative literature about Sheffield handle material for knives.

http://www.oregonknifeclub.org/horn.html

This is courtesy of Smiling knife Steve.

Sheffield7-2_zps95d744ca.jpg
 
From the link you supplied above Lyle:

I quote: "Firstly the warming of the piece of horn, ensuring pliability and elasticity; then the shaping of the piece with a short-bladed knife until something like the approximate shape of the hooked steel die waiting to receive it is attained: the horn piece is then placed in the die, and both are subjected to heavy pressure in a hand-screwed vice and allowed to remain till cool, when, on being taken from the die, the horn will be found to have attained its exact modeling. Naturally, the more wonderful the cut ornamentation of the die the more elaborate the result of the finished article. As to when this process was first used no guess can be attempted. Enquiries of the oldest workman prove that they never knew, neither did their fathers, nor grandfathers. Of the idea that the process was the product of local brains there remains little doubt."

Both articles indicated the heating of horn and pressure to obtain exact modeling. Could this explain the term? :confused::)
 
Oh man I have opened up a can of worms - :eek::eek: its a subject I think that has always raised questions, I remember reading the process where in Solingen they used to Boil the bone? - But I am glad I am not the only one to wonder?
Thank you for your patience with me guys when I ask these questions....:o

Gev - thats an awesome idea, lets go see Stan, I have about 27 hours of flying to get there - do you guys wanna wait till then :confused::D, I want you to show us the scales of your knife cut in half - under this microscope my friend! I would expect nothing else:D
 
Campbellclanman said:
Oh man I have opened up a can of worms - :eek::eek: its a subject I think that has always raised questions, I remember reading the process where in Solingen they used to Boil the bone? - But I am glad I am not the only one to wonder?
Thank you for your patience with me guys when I ask these questions....:o

Gev - thats an awesome idea, lets go see Stan, I have about 27 hours of flying to get there - do you guys wanna wait till then :confused::D, I want you to show us the scales of your knife cut in half - under this microscope my friend! I would expect nothing else:D
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Sounds like a plan, my friend. I just finished reading the article and you learn something every day. The tonnage involved in the trade is mind boggling. I imagine there were many different proprietary processes. Can you imagine the time involved in some of these processes. I am now going to say this is pressed stag but some good stuff at that:eek:

I will jump on my Gulfstream in few hours as not to beat you to meet Stan. Cutting the knife in half now and loading my scope:D
 
ADEE said:
67nick ... lovely, lovely whittler. Thanks for showing the pics.
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+1 :thumbup:

wlfryjr said:
Nice pickup Jack,I like to find the mirror finish among the rust and patina.It authenticates the original beauty that's lost with age.
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Thanks Lyle :thumbup:

Gevonovich said:
E.C. Chambers Co.
Made in Germany

I cannot find a thing on this knife. A little help anyone?

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That's a lovely knife Gev, where are you finding all these old treasure lately?! :) :thumbup:

You can download a PDF on German tool and blade manufacturers here (hope you all recognise that saw-set on the front cover ;) ): http://www.archivingindustry.com/cutlers&toolmakers/cutlermarks-1.pdf

No mention of E.C. Chambers & Co though, and I can't find one anywhere else. They could have been a hardware chain, and not necessarily German. Questions, questions, it's not even 8.00am here, and my head is spinning! :D Hope you can find out more info my friend :) :thumbup:

wlfryjr said:
Nice piece Gevostevo.:) Here are some pressed stag.1st is a J A Henckels.

knivesandhousereconstructionLoretta1207.jpg


Next is a nice Wostenholm.

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Beautiful Lyle :thumbup:
 
I've been thinking for some time, it'd be great to have a sticky to place all these PDF resources and links, or maybe they could be included in the old catalogue and advert thread?
 
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Jack Black said:
That's a lovely knife Gev, where are you finding all these old treasure lately?!
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It looks like Gevonovich might have been on an old knife quest while he was away. ;):D

I found this paragraph from the Sheffield article that Lyle posted most interesting:

When horn is made hot, it becomes so soft and ductile that it may be PRESSED into moulds.

The mould for pressing is in two halves, which close together like a pair of pincers ; and this mould has the device on each of it's halves. The mould is heated in a fire ; the piece of horn is cut nearly to the requisite size, and put into it ; and the mould is pressed on a powerful vice, whereby the horn receives the impress of the device.

There is also a good deal of skill shown in staining horn, bone, and ivory, or in bleaching them.

I believe this is what we might be seeing with the old pressed stag handles. The IXL that I owned could have easily been made this way. I also assume that not only did the pressers become super skilled at the work, it was most likely a trade secret, concerning exactly how the process was performed. It may be entirely possible that very few persons new the correct answer to the question.

It may be similar to askin', albeit on a much simpler scale - how did grandma make those wonderful old homemade biscuits ?? :eek::D

That would get answered in my family with silence, followed by a short answer of "Ohh - just a little bit of this and that - I never really went by a recipe." :p
 
Jack
I sure appreciate your help, my friend. I certainly recognize that tool on the first page of the .pdf!! Not as pretty as yours;) ( man I love that tool - oh no another hobby). Thanks for looking and maybe someone will come up with something yet. I think you idea about putting the .pdf resources and links in a sticky is a fantastic one!!!
The doctors knife is a dandy and so is the old Castor Oil jar.

Phil
Super knives and pictures:D

Primble
Yes..after reading the article I came to the same conclusions. I don't know if its a good thing my paradigm has been shattered:eek:
 
Gevo, great looking knife there, all my searches got nothing, sorry.
Nick, this whittler is real stunner. I am quiet sure it has elephant ivory handles
Lyle, another great one, I really enjoy to see the knives from your collection

Mike
 
Primble said:
It looks like Gevonovich might have been on an old knife quest while he was away. ;):D
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He has certainly found some treasure! :D :thumbup:

Primble said:
I also assume that not only did the pressers become super skilled at the work...
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They certainly must have had plenty of practice. I've always thought that old Sheffield stag is hard to beat, I guess all the secrets got passed down over generations of workmen. Probably lost long ago for the most part.

Gevonovich said:
Jack
I sure appreciate your help, my friend. I certainly recognize that tool on the first page of the .pdf!! Not as pretty as yours;) ( man I love that tool - oh no another hobby). Thanks for looking and maybe someone will come up with something yet. I think you idea about putting the .pdf resources and links in a sticky is a fantastic one!!!
The doctors knife is a dandy and so is the old Castor Oil jar.
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Thanks a lot my friend, happy to try and help. I still have an old fork for you here! Have to ask Gary and Frank about the PDFs, I know we're kind of chocker-block with stickies, but it'd be good to have somewhere to put this stuff where it can be easily accessed :thumbup:
 
Jack Black said:
He has certainly found some treasure! :D :thumbup:



They certainly must have had plenty of practice. I've always thought that old Sheffield stag is hard to beat, I guess all the secrets got passed down over generations of workmen. Probably lost long ago for the most part.



Thanks a lot my friend, happy to try and help. I still have an old fork for you here! Have to ask Gary and Frank about the PDFs, I know we're kind of chocker-block with stickies, but it'd be good to have somewhere to put this stuff where it can be easily accessed :thumbup:
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Yes, I understand we have so many stickies already but I'm sure we can work something out. I will email you.
 
Jack - well done and thank you for your help - as always a great resource of information you are my friend, I too have joined everyone in the search for a detailed description with the methods on "how to" Press Stag/Bone and only come up with the mere basics.
Like I said earlier - if I owned a knife that looked as good as that - I dont care whether it's pressed or natural - the fact is "look at this great knife" - and Gev my friend yours certainly is a wonderful knife, maybe I think too much about things, but I feel kinda guilty about asking the question - (as if I was knocking the knife) - Gev...I hope you know me well enough by now that wasnt what I was doing in the slightest.

I am right across the other side of the world - I cant sit down with Lyle or Charlie etc - as much as I wish I could, and show them a knife and say - "please tell me if this is pressed Stag - I think it is"...then they can literally point out the very fine details they are seeing that I am passing over.
In all I think its great that we can all join together and try to find out exactly the methods of pressed Stag is, and by finding the detailed methods - we can maybe spot the differences......but like Primble has so wisely said, its like asking about Grandma's cookies as to why they taste so good.
I have just looked through Bernard's great book "Levines Guide to knives" and found no referral to Pressed Stag - a lot of referral to Bone Stag and the Real Stag.
 
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