Prune Big, or Go Home!

I LOVE PRUNERS-or should I say Hawk bills would be a more suitable name?...I dont know but man....its tempting to start collecting just that!! :eek:
 
Came across a Case electricians knife that has a TL-29 stripper/screw driver blade and a large pruning blade, anyone know what an electrician would us the pruning blade for ? Generally what are the uses of the pruning blades ? I do really like them, unique, curious the history and uses, thanks guys for your expertise :)
 
I have a very good friend who works in the Power Board, he handles the 11000 volt live wires..... he uses ( and was issued by the company ) a later model orange handled Hawk-bill - its used for stripping the plastic sheathing off the wire to expose the wire core.
 
My first hawkbill. Pretty solid knife, handles could use some work but I kinda like it how it is. Ka-bar.

FQIBeFD1Pz1Qt6M6a-8CxHZ2S4GZD3Cdd3a5wq1Y0kqT=w1440-h812-no


f-yNObSbH3fwx7Uf6aMb9_JTEnkt8lQcFvUIwDq5hTU8=w1440-h812-no
 
Adrian
That is a cool Opinal! I have never seen that model. Thanks for sharing:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Campbellclanman said:
I have a very good friend who works in the Power Board, he handles the 11000 volt live wires..... he uses ( and was issued by the company ) a later model orange handled Hawk-bill - its used for stripping the plastic sheathing off the wire to expose the wire core.
Click to expand...

When there was a General Post Office (GPO) here, they had Joseph Rodgers hawkbills made up for their telephone linesmen. These are marked with the year of issue. I have one with a GPO-1978 marked blade :thumbup:
 
Jack Black said:
When there was a General Post Office (GPO) here, they had Joseph Rodgers hawkbills made up for their telephone linesmen. These are marked with the year of issue. I have one with a GPO-1978 marked blade :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Very cool Jack, Boy...I sure hope that your house is on SOLID ground, because if it were on Peat Land with the weight of all that Cutlery in your house it would be-a-sinkin' :D

Here is a Pruner I got the other day, I like the old girl -and I very much like the Cutler Firm..... Christopher Johnson, This firm made some absolutely spectacular knives both in the Bowie -as in REAL Bowie knives before the American Civil War also stunning pocket knives- one of the more underated Cutlery firms as we only tend to see their later knives and the very early knives dont tend to come up all that often.
Christopher Johson started in 1836, as he established the firm he shifted a couple of times before he shifted in 1859 to Portobello - Thats when WESTERN WORKS was added to the name, nine years after this he entered a partnership which then included the & Co to the Stampings.
Here is a Christopher Johnson Western Works Civil War period would be a near bang on era frame for this knife, Busy Iron bolsters, multi Threaded, Hammered Iron Pins, Iron Butt Plate - Checkered Horn - I think its pretty darned cool...







 
Incredible knife Duncan, congratulations my friend :thumbup:
 
Thank you Augie and Jack - I think Charlie was sent a CJ Flag Knife ( Etteric?) at one stage from NZ - from memory it wasnt a western works, but a Flag Knife which I think was another "earlish" stamp.
 
I picked up this big Southern & Richardson Pruner a few weeks ago.









 
What a great find, Jack! So it's a "nest knife," it says on the blade. What's the story behind that appellation?
 
Big hulking knife, Jack! Wouldn't want to meet it in a dark alley!! But very cool anyway!! How long??

Great Pruner, Duncan! The whole thing is full of interesting detail!
What's the closed length?
The Bolster lines are most unusual ,and effective. It brings you back to when machinists/cutlers/gunmakers took an individual pride in their work. They still do I am sure, but seemingly, not as creatively.
You did indeed send me a CJ Ettrick a while back, for which I thank you again! Here it is, below. Hard to get the blade etch, but it says Flag Knife with a CJ flag in the middle.
Also note two Barlows of different ages, and a Lambfoot I found last week, all CJs. The Lambfoot is a "Western Works".

Johnson%20Knives%201_zpsnhpvv6pz.jpg

Johnson%20Knives%202_zps7fxuigjo.jpg

Johnson%20Knives%204_zpswqmhbthb.jpg

Johnson%20Knives%205_zpsswzfarld.jpg

Johnson%20Knives%203_zps3nifxmcw.jpg
 
Charlie Sir -its me who owes you many thanks, I would love your opinion on the age of those knives - Jacks big bad Pruner is an absolute Stonker- and we can count on that being a very old knife :eek: the stampings On CJ's knives do seem to have been re-introduced at a later date as I dont see the Etterick being a very old knife - But it was stamped Western Works !!!
Call it Vintage? - the etching on the blade and overall looks to be 70's? yet the Ricasso has Western Works - does that knife have England under the Sheffield stamping Charlie? ( like your Great MINT Spear Blade Barlow ).
The Lambsfoot is a gorgeous knife - Love the Bone, AND that deep Stamping! :thumbup::thumbup:
The Pruner I have just shown is 5 inches closed.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the kind words on the Nest Pruner guys :thumbup: It's certainly not the prettiest of knives.

picturerock said:
What a great find, Jack! So it's a "nest knife," it says on the blade. What's the story behind that appellation?
Click to expand...

Thank you, Southern & Richardson registered their corporate mark of a bird's nest with three eggs in 1880, hence 'Nest Knife' or 'Nest Cutlery'. I have later knives from this cutler without the 'Nest' mark though :thumbup:

waynorth said:
Big hulking knife, Jack! Wouldn't want to meet it in a dark alley!! But very cool anyway!! How long??
Click to expand...

Thanks Charlie, it's an ugly brute for sure! :eek: :D I make it 4 1/4" :thumbup:

Fantastic group of knives Charlie, love the jigging on that Lambsfoot :thumbup:
 
Here's a couple. The larger knife had been heavily cleaned, and all that remains of any provenance is 'Sheffield' over 'England'. The smaller knife is made in Solingen by CK.

 
Nice "Potato Pruners" Jack!:D
They look full, regardless of cleaning. The birds-eye Rivet gives the Sheffield a nice rough and ready appearance!:thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top