"Real" Henckels Folders

[rprocter]

Henckels stopped manufacturing their own Folders in 1960. The ones contracted out right after 1960 were Henckels patterns and can be difficult to discern from the Henckels made Folders. At some point, perhaps about 1970 ? (i'm guessing), the folders bearing the Henckels branding resembled the patterns of the contracted knife manufacturer. These are fairly easy to spot.
Here are 2 recent acquisitions to my Henckels collection.
First is a 4" Serpentine Whittler. This is Henckels pattern # 813. I think the handles are stag but Henckels also made bone scales jigged to look like stag which they called PST (Patent Stag Scales).
This knife is used with some blade loss from sharpening. I have quite a few unused Henckels Gents pattern knives but the larger Traditional folders are rare in unused condition.

Henckels used thick stock for their Master blades and this is i think, the best way to identify the folder as Henckels' made.

I'll post the other knife soon.
please feel free to add pics of your Henckels made folders.
roland

 

[Mike Robuck]

Nice big whittler Roland. Those big ones are getting hard to find. I've heard that Henckels knives are popular with collectors in the South.

This lockback also has Henckels' bone stag:

I look forward to seeing more of your Henckels.

 

[rjdankert]

Don't know the age of this one. It belonged to my dad. He carried it as long as I can remember. He carried alot of stuff in his pockets, including the silver dollar in the picture. Yes, that is a real silver dollar made in 1920, dad's birthdate. It looks just like my first memory of it, worn down.

One scale is missing

And one blade is broken

It's not an EDC, but I do carry it quite often. Feels really good having it in my pocket.

Bob

 

[wagglebee]

Roland and Mike, those are some gorgeous knives, I really like that lockback.

Hope to see some more.

 

[rprocter]

Bob, your dad's old Whittler looks like it might be the same pattern as the one i posted. Your second pic. certainly shows the thick blade stock.
Mike thanks for showing the PST scales on the Lockback.

Here's my most recent Henckels, one of their 2 Horseman patterns, just a bit shy of 3 3/4". It has been "cleaned", but blades are very close to full and all parts are present and work as they should.

Note the little 'teeth' on the underside of the hoofpick that doubles as a nut cracker.

roland

 

[Mike Robuck]

Roland, that horseman's knife is a really nice addition to your collection. :thumbup:

 

[knarfeng]

Mike, That may be the single most disgusting avatar I've ever seen.


Roland, those are lovely.

 

[rprocter]

Thanks knarf., but avatar ? I thought it was a picture of Mike ?
roland

 

[knarfeng]

Thanks knarf., but avatar ? I thought it was a picture of Mike ?
roland

We can only pray that it isn't. I may have nightmares from the mere thought.

 

[rjdankert]

Roland, the horseman is a very interesting knife. Are they hard to find?
Bob

 

[rprocter]

Well, they are not common, but not rare. My only source is ebay and a weekly search "Henckels knives" should turn up maybe 3 or 4 per year. I suspect that attending knife shows would turn up more. Almost all will be in used condition, some even 'abused' with a broken blade or significant rust, so it can be a wait for a very good example.
A positive factor about the Henckels Horsemans pattern is that they sell for about 1/3rd the price of a similar condition vintage Sheffield made one.
Mike, thanks for the help you have given me towards becoming a Henckels collector.
roland

 

[Mike Robuck]

Thanks knarf., but avatar ? I thought it was a picture of Mike ?
roland

Only my hairdresser knows for sure.

Roland, I'm happy to pass on what little knowledge I have.

Henckels made an amazing variety of cutlery before World War II. The best stuff seems to be pre WWI. Here's one of three photos of the shop in Berlin, so this is only part of the inventory:

 

[wagglebee]

Mike, that's a great picture of the old Henckels showroom.

 

[bakerg2g]

Roland, Nice Horseman! Very nice example, Mike that's a wonderful
picture. Thanks for sharing..


Jason

 

[Campbellclanman]

Great knives Roland..the earlier Henckels are just so hard to get...well done! and that Horseman...wow!!

 

[Mike Robuck]

Hey Rob and Jason, glad you both liked the photo of the Henckels store. It's from a book that Henckels printed in 1931 that marked the company's 200 anniversary. Henckels has some unbelievable displays in it that I'll try to scan. Wish I could read German.

I rescanned this set recently:

 

[wagglebee]

Mike, that is a beautiful set!

Are the scales ivory? I can't really tell.

What about the toothpick, is it genuine tortoise shell?

 

[rprocter]

Can you imagine being able to spend the day browsing in the Berlin Henckels' shop ? Think of the thousands of superb cutlery of every type and pattern that you could hold and marvel at. There is nothing even close to it in the world today.
Instead we have Smoky Mountain Knife Works which i'm sure would be fun to visit but it is not anywhere near the same league.
This is called "Progress".
roland

 

[Mike Robuck]

Mike, that is a beautiful set!

Are the scales ivory? I can't really tell.

What about the toothpick, is it genuine tortoise shell?

Yes on both counts Rob.

Henckels also had large retail stores in Paris, New York City and other cities in Germany. It also did some large displays for the Expositions that were held back in the day.

I agree Roland!

 

[wagglebee]

Mike, have you got a picture of the spoon closed? The picture in the case makes it look separate from the handle.