Spring - Not Yet But... YEA!!!

DeadFall27 said:
Mind If I ask a question?

What is the proper use of a pruner? What is pruning? I have always adored pruners, but never knew what their intended purpose was.
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I would say that pruning is changing the shape of a bush or tree by removing branches. You prune a fruit tree to keep the fruit reachable, and maybe to make it bear more fruit than if it goes gangly, you prune a tree to reduce weight and sail area, or to get light to the best branches.
I use shears and saws, though. I'd have to guess how to use a pruning knife for the purpose.
 
waynorth said:
Here's a nice old Joseph Rodgers, with scratted handles. Just over 4 3/4" long, it's built for a lot of work. This knife was found in tobacco country, just north of Lake Ontario. It has flush, square joints.
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Praise be...now that is absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing that one. What a treat.

ptradeco said:
Both are quite nice. One of my sisters lives in Austin and I understand a taste of Winter was handed out down there this year as well!
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Thanks, Brad. We got a taste but no snow. The conditions were almost right. I was hoping. Its a small world isn't it. One of my best friends lives in MO.

jujigatame said:
Haven't had the chance to prune anything with this Sword yet but I think it will do fine when the time comes.

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Now that is a treasure as well!!
 
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I've just casually tossed hawkbills and pruners aside to get to other knives as shows, flea markets etc. Going to have to stop and eyeball them. That OVB got some nice curls Gevonovich.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
I've just casually tossed hawkbills and pruners aside to get to other knives as shows, flea markets etc. Going to have to stop and eyeball them. That OVB got some nice curls Gevonovich.
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Thanks, although I'm not to sure what you mean by curls, Dan? :D It is substantially bigger than the Boker. Much thicker steel all around and a nice swedge. It also has the OVB etch, but hard to see. I tried to capture it here. The pruners are workhorses and I carry one a lot.

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brownshoe said:
Is a pruner different from a linoleum or carpet knife?
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The Tyzack I posted above is actually a leather knife. A 'putty knife' is much the same. I also have a Rodgers Hawkbill which the English Post Office issued to engineers for cutting cable n stuff ;)
 
Very nice pruners. Great curves everyone. The scratted bone scales are fantastic Charlie.

Two Harrison Bros & Howson pruning knives. The first with rosewood scales is likely pre 1880s and the stag-scaled knife from circa 1930s.

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Yeah. Having warm temps in my area this week. Loving it. I am looking at overseeding the yard. Purchased a Stihl chainsaw in the last week or so. Planning on some cutting and I don't much feel like wacking stuff with a machete or knife it a pruning shears won't cut it.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
I've just casually tossed hawkbills and pruners aside to get to other knives as shows, flea markets etc. Going to have to stop and eyeball them. That OVB got some nice curls Gevonovich.
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I find these at gun/knife shows frequently. Usually in not the best of shape but sometimes...


smiling-knife said:
Very nice pruners. Great curves everyone. The scratted bone scales are fantastic Charlie.

Two Harrison Bros & Howson pruning knives. The first with rosewood scales is likely pre 1880s and the stag-scaled knife from circa 1930s.
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Couple of nice ones S-K


22-rimfire said:
Yeah. Having warm temps in my area this week. Loving it. I am looking at overseeding the yard. Purchased a Stihl chainsaw in the last week or so. Planning on some cutting and I don't much feel like wacking stuff with a machete or knife it a pruning shears won't cut it.
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I still call these cutlery and they are definitely pruners!

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The one pruner I have was given to me by my uncle a cop in NYC. He called it a linoleum knife. He said that he took it off a man involved in a knife fight. In NYC in the late 60s and 70s, a linoleum knife was a preferred self defense blade. Since it was short, folding, had a tradesman's purpose and no point that could pierce, it was clearly not a "dirk or dagger" and thus a legal tool...as well as a weapon.

I live in the midwest and pruners can be found at flea markets, particularly those that are "events" (e.g. town flea market). They are usually very well used. They are often sharpened so you can't tell the original blade shape and many have replacement pins, holes drilled for lanyards, etc.
 
brownshoe said:
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I live in the midwest and pruners can be found at flea markets, particularly those that are "events" (e.g. town flea market). They are usually very well used. They are often sharpened so you can't tell the original blade shape and many have replacement pins, holes drilled for lanyards, etc.
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I too live in the Mid-West and find your observation to be generally true. We have agricultural areas where Pruners were popular and heavily used. There is some art and science involved in really good pruning techniques that I suspect have largely been lost. The shears purchased at the big box stores, or even the old small local shop, generally get the job done. Also contributing I think is that plants have become part of our disposable culture. Sometimes expensive, but often inexpensive, why bother with the work required to properly prune or graft.
 
Nice thread, and some real beauties shown so far. I've got my eye peeled for hawkbills since acquiring these hard workers...


Kutmaster and Robeson. Both found in decent shape with tons of life left in them. They feel great in hand, and offer great cutting power.
 
I knew they were out there! You folk have shown a fantastic parade of these old and nearly forgotten knives. Thank you much for bringing them to the front!
 
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