pics of your knives from cities historically famous for knife making

whereismyknife said:
Yes, there was no city by that name, but there was a settlement. There were people living there. There were people who continued the same tradition. The names of many of the cities I mentioned have changed today. That doesn't change what I am saying. If Native Americans are still living in Titusville and making knives, you are right. I am sure you will be surprised if you research how far back blacksmithing and knife making goes in Taiwan. Just for a start you can look at the Taiwanese knives from the area where Taichung is located in the Danish military collection.
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Knifemaking in Taiwan on any real scale didn't start until the early 20th century when the native people started collecting bits of spent metal from ordinance that the Japanese military dropped on them. Before that, yes knives were made, but no more extensively than anywhere else in the world. Not exactly what you'd call a knife making capital of the world though.....
 
Arathol said:
Knifemaking in Taiwan on any real scale didn't start until the early 20th century when the native people started collecting bits of spent metal from ordinance that the Japanese military dropped on them. Before that, yes knives were made, but no more extensively than anywhere else in the world. Not exactly what you'd call a knife making capital of the world though.....
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Making knives and producing unique models before many countries of the world is another matter, producing high quality and modern products is another matter. For example, the city of Yatagan still does not produce knives worldwide. They don't have a big brand or factory. Even today, it may not be as good as the knives produced in Titusville 100 years ago. But do you realize that I counted here too?
 
whereismyknife said:
Making knives and producing unique models before many countries of the world is another matter, producing high quality and modern products is another matter. For example, the city of Yatagan still does not produce knives worldwide. They don't have a big brand or factory. Even today, it may not be as good as the knives produced in Titusville 100 years ago. But do you realize that I counted here too?
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Not really what you're counting now. I thought it was cities famous for their knife production, not just places that make knives. That could be any city or town anywhere in the world.....
 
Solingen

MEwI5ib.jpg
 
whereismyknife said:
I have knives from many different countries around the world. Especially in some countries, some cities have been famous for knife making in history. For example Damascus in Syria, Maniago in Italy, Yatagan and Surmene in Turkey. Seki and sakai cities of Japan (there are other famous cities in Japan), Solingen in Germany, famous Taiwan Taichung, laguiole city in France, Wazirabad, Pakistan, Oaxaca in Mexico, YangJiang, China. These are the first ones that come to my mind. I am sure there are famous cities I have forgotten. The knife in the photo is from one such city, Zanjan, Iran. This city is especially known for its decorated knives and has very talented craftsmen.
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I am not sure if you can include Yangjiang China as a city "famous for knife making in history". It is most certainly the largest cutlery manufacturing city in the world today. But unlike other cities you mentioned like Solingen (since the Middle ages), Sheffield (1200s), Toledo (5th Century BC), Seki (since 1200) etc, Yangjang was not even made a city until the 1980s. The region certainly had iron/steel works scattered through the region years, but it was never a "famous center" for cutlery. Unlike the other historical centers the Chinese govt decided to create the world's largest cutlery manufacturing center there starting with 3 State owned companies. That has in time, through massive exports grown to 1500-2500 factories engaged in state-of-the-art mass production. As early as 1994, cuterly exports from China into the U.S. passed exports from Japan.
 
KenHash said:
I am not sure if you can include Yangjiang China as a city "famous for knife making in history". It is most certainly the largest cutlery manufacturing city in the world today. But unlike other cities you mentioned like Solingen (since the Middle ages), Sheffield (1200s), Toledo (5th Century BC), Seki (since 1200) etc, Yangjang was not even made a city until the 1980s. The region certainly had iron/steel works scattered through the region years, but it was never a "famous center" for cutlery. Unlike the other historical centers the Chinese govt decided to create the world's largest cutlery manufacturing center there starting with 3 State owned companies. That has in time, through massive exports grown to 1500-2500 factories engaged in state-of-the-art mass production. As early as 1994, cuterly exports from China into the U.S. passed exports from Japan.
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"Located along the southern coast of China, Yangjiang enjoys fame as the Capital of Knives and Scissors with its wares possessing a history of over 1400 years. It is said that as early as in the 19th century, American missionaries brought the fine knives of Yangjiang back home as gifts." Something I read a while before I wrote this post.
 
whereismyknife said:
"Located along the southern coast of China, Yangjiang enjoys fame as the Capital of Knives and Scissors with its wares possessing a history of over 1400 years. It is said that as early as in the 19th century, American missionaries brought the fine knives of Yangjiang back home as gifts." Something I read a while before I wrote this post.
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To date there has been no verification of the claim that Yangjiang was a knife center for 1400-1500 years. It is verified that the region contained scattered works, as did most of China's population centers. However, Yangjiang itself wasn't even recognized as a city until the 1980s. It was a planned cutlery manufacturing center with a 40 year history.
Chinese manufacturers have been repeating this alleged Yangjiang history for the past 10 years at least.
I suggest you not believe everything just because "it's on the internet".
 
KenHash said:
To date there has been no verification of the claim that Yangjiang was a knife center for 1400-1500 years. It is verified that the region contained scattered works, as did most of China's population centers. However, Yangjiang itself wasn't even recognized as a city until the 1980s. It was a planned cutlery manufacturing center with a 40 year history.
Chinese manufacturers have been repeating this alleged Yangjiang history for the past 10 years at least.
I suggest you not believe everything just because "it's on the internet".
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I take your advice seriously not to believe everything that is written on the Internet. So for the courtesy of enlightening me on this, if you send me an article written on this subject, your claims will go beyond what is written on the Internet. That way I will learn something new and I will be grateful to you. My only objection to what you said is that you think that the existence of a place is the same as it becoming politically official at a certain date. Didn't it exist until it became a city in 1980?
 
No images. Sorry.

I have never been to Toledo Spain or Sheffield England or Solingen Germany.

I was in Springdale Arkansas once. Bought a knife or two from theAG Russel walk-in store just because.

I have driven through Howard Michigan once (do not blink), but did not stop by at the Olsen Knife company.

Does any of that count?
 
VorpelSword said:
No images. Sorry.

I have never been to Toledo Spain or Sheffield England or Solingen Germany.

I was in Springdale Arkansas once. Bought a knife or two from theAG Russel walk-in store just because.

I have driven through Howard Michigan once (do not blink), but did not stop by at the Olsen Knife company.

Does any of that count?
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"Anything goes" Whatever you want, send it. I've already given up😁😁😁
 
whereismyknife said:
I take your advice seriously not to believe everything that is written on the Internet. So for the courtesy of enlightening me on this, if you send me an article written on this subject, your claims will go beyond what is written on the Internet. That way I will learn something new and I will be grateful to you. My only objection to what you said is that you think that the existence of a place is the same as it becoming politically official at a certain date. Didn't it exist until it became a city in 1980?
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I think you misunderstand what I am saying. Yangjiang was recognized as a city in the 80s.
"Yangjiang was permitted to become a city by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China in 1988 and is a prefecture-level city now."

Welcome to YangJiang China

阳江市人民政府门户网站，是阳江市人民政府在互联网上建立的综合性政府门户网站，由阳江市人民政府办公室主办，阳江市政务服务管理局（阳江市大数据发展局）承办。
www.yangjiang.gov.cn
Therefore to claim that "Yangjiang has a 1500 year history of knife making" makes no sense.
It is widely recognized the the region had knifemakers the same as other areas of China.

I would start here:
The claim of 1400-1500 years came after the fact and is now spread all over the internet
by Chinese knife companies and repeated by dealers.
Another way to dig into this is to try to identify names of famous past knife makers in Yangjiang
With places like Solingen and Seki you can literally go back hundreds of years.

Please understand, that I fully recognize Yangjiang as the world's largest knife/cutlery center in history. The size, automation, the scope of global market domination is unquestionable. But it is a designed-from-the-ground-up Chinese government project with a short history, unlike other centers with centuries of history and tradition.
From about 1970 onwards when costs in Germany rose, US Knife Importers turned to Seki Japan for OEM work. And that continued until the mid 2000s.
The Seki makers agreed to OEM contracts that allowed them to sell the knives in their domestic market but agreed to refrain from selling directly in the US market. China saw this as an error on Japan's part and started by doing all OEM work, and as soon as they were capable, entered the US market with their own brands. Which is of course what we have today.
The other issue is the enormous counterfeiting industry that the same Yangjiang factory complex contains. Which I suppose to a gfeat extent may be a side effect of having built such an enormous manufacturing capacity.
 
whereismyknife said:
I think this is a knife made for the Jordanian army. I also have the jambia version. If I'm not mistaken, the symbol on the handle is the symbol of the army.
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I got it from the factory it came in 3 different blade design it was made to order similarly to a military knife called the tank Todd knife so you could be right I do t know to be honest but thay don't seem to be making any off them anymore it was a company called scorpion knives Sheffield England but thanks for the info and its a good knife used it to chop a Christmas tree up a few years ago qnd it was supsringly good knife and it is well made I will put another pic up with the sheath and you can see if it the knife you think it is

https://imgur.com/a/dXnnWt4
 
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whereismyknife said:
I am writing this with all due respect to you, because I think you have misunderstood the issue.
Nobody said you were talking about the whole of America. What I said was that even the whole of America would not fall into this category. Therefore, a place that falls below it cannot fall into it. Five generations may seem like a huge legacy to you, but it is not even dust on the big stage of History. I am talking about places where knives have been made for at least 600, 700 years, you are talking about the case brand. I'm sorry, but I have to give everyone their due. As I said, I respect the brands you wrote about, but I ask you to be honest about the fact that they are not in the same group. I do not find it right to be put in the same category with cities where knives older than 300 years are sold on the street. I don't understand what your father had to do with it either. Even if a German who was born, grew up in Solingen said this nothing would have changed.
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This bickering is ridiculous and uncalled for. Your original post is not clear enough regarding your expectations. And why did you include Oaxaca, Mexico then? They probably have more experience in many places in the East Coast of the US than in Mexico even including the New Spain period 🙄.
 
KenHash said:
I think you misunderstand what I am saying. Yangjiang was recognized as a city in the 80s.
"Yangjiang was permitted to become a city by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China in 1988 and is a prefecture-level city now."

Welcome to YangJiang China

阳江市人民政府门户网站，是阳江市人民政府在互联网上建立的综合性政府门户网站，由阳江市人民政府办公室主办，阳江市政务服务管理局（阳江市大数据发展局）承办。
www.yangjiang.gov.cn
Therefore to claim that "Yangjiang has a 1500 year history of knife making" makes no sense.
It is widely recognized the the region had knifemakers the same as other areas of China.

I would start here:
The claim of 1400-1500 years came after the fact and is now spread all over the internet
by Chinese knife companies and repeated by dealers.
Another way to dig into this is to try to identify names of famous past knife makers in Yangjiang
With places like Solingen and Seki you can literally go back hundreds of years.

Please understand, that I fully recognize Yangjiang as the world's largest knife/cutlery center in history. The size, automation, the scope of global market domination is unquestionable. But it is a designed-from-the-ground-up Chinese government project with a short history, unlike other centers with centuries of history and tradition.
From about 1970 onwards when costs in Germany rose, US Knife Importers turned to Seki Japan for OEM work. And that continued until the mid 2000s.
The Seki makers agreed to OEM contracts that allowed them to sell the knives in their domestic market but agreed to refrain from selling directly in the US market. China saw this as an error on Japan's part and started by doing all OEM work, and as soon as they were capable, entered the US market with their own brands. Which is of course what we have today.
The other issue is the enormous counterfeiting industry that the same Yangjiang factory complex contains. Which I suppose to a gfeat extent may be a side effect of having built such an enormous manufacturing capacity.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this valuable information. I learned a lot from you. I guess I was misunderstood too. What I'm trying to say is that if there is a settlement there, it could be continuing in a tradition.I guess I didn't explain myself. It's fun to even discuss this topic. The idea of looking at the history of manufacturers is pretty good. I will do a research about it. I looked at the article you sent. I understood how industrial production shifted to China. But I couldn't see anything clear that the claims of Chinese manufacturers were wrong. Of course, that doesn't mean the opposite is true. I'll look into this in detail and then, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to share with you what I find. Thank you for this pleasant conversation.
 
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