Sheffield Lock Knives

B

Bartleby

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Oct 28, 2005
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I had a look around at the Arthur Wright offerings available on-line, and have started thinking about getting a Sheffield made Lock knife to add to the collection. Wrights has a mid-lock that has a rather tall release button. I have also noticed that the Egginton Group offers an Ibberson stamped lock knife that more closely resembles the American Buck type pattern. I am interested in getting input on Sheffield lock knives, both past and present. Do these two makers fairly represent what has been available in Sheffield? Should I look for an older knife by another maker as a better representative example of the English version of a lock back? Thanks!
 
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Also, from what I have read elsewhere, would the tall mid lock be what was referred to in Sheffield as "sneck and feather" construction? Thanks!
 
The A. Wright lock back folder is a well made knife and I'd sure recommend one.
But, I would also recommend an old school English lock back folder as well.
My advice would be to get both. :)

 
Sorry for missing this thread Bart :thumbsup: That A.Wright knife was a nice pick-up (when we visited the factory) Herder, lovely IXL too :thumbsup:

Yes, commonly referred to as 'Sneck Knives' Bart, from the simple device used to keep a door or gate closed :thumbsup:

Stan Shaw still makes a few, but lock knives are less common here than they were in the past because of changes to the way the carry laws are interpreted :thumbsup:
 
I picked up this old Askham in poor condition a while back. Sadly, the blade is very worn, and the lock doesn't function.

 
Thanks to you both, excellent examples! Is the Wright's knife available in options other than wood? Also, I recall encountering at a pawn shop a few years back a version of the Ibberson lock knife that used a coil spring under the release button to hold the lock bar in position. The spring was just visible beneath the lock bar. Does anyone have any information on, or recollection of such a thing? I probably should have grabbed it for its unique construction but was not collecting Sheffield at that time....
 
I stand to be corrected, but if think Herder's AW Lock-back is in horn, but it was part of a special order he spotted when we visited the factory. Ordinarily, they're only available with rosewood scales. I'm afraid I can't recall the Ibberson Bart.
 
Thanks Jack and Bartleby, and a good old example in that Askham.
My Wright lock back is handled in horn, but I think Jack is correct that it was meant as part of a special order and typically offered with wood handles.
 
Thanks to you both again, that has saved me from a search. I will check into the rosewood by Wright's and see if I can find out more about the Ibberson knife with the coil spring. I have seen an advert from the '80's calling them their "double spring" design but have not had luck in researching further. I speculate that they were made just before Ibberson's was bought up. They seem to be externally the basis for Egginton's current brass and stainless lock knife (sometimes marked Ibberson, sometimes marked Wostenholm....).
 
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