The Tyne Knife

Jack Black

Jack Black

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I don’t know if many posters here are familiar with the Tyne knife. They’re very far from common here, but since the pattern was made by a number of Sheffield cutlers, I occasionally come across one. This one below, which bears the scars of being aggressively cleaned, was made by Wostenholm.





A nicer example I think, is this one (below), belonging to ScruffUK, and made by J.Howarth.





The Tyne is not a pattern I particularly care for, but I find it interesting, not least since I have not yet been able to find a definitive answer as to why it is called a Tyne knife, and particularly why it has that name stamped into the handle.

According to some, it is named for the River Tyne in North-East England, but from what I have read is unsupported by argument. There is indeed a River Tyne here, indeed the word ‘Tyne’ means river. There is also an area called Tyneside and a place called Tynemouth (I received some books and a letter from a friend there only today), but it doesn’t necessarily follow that a rather unusual-looking pruning knife made some distance away in Sheffield, should be named after the river, the area, or the place.

Hopefully somebody here will have an answer to my question, and be able to support it.





Personally, I wonder if there is a link between the knives and the once-huge Tyne Foods company (now owned by Kraft), which gave away branded gifts to its customers.





If that was ever the case the pattern does not appear to have always been exclusively produced for Tyne, since it appears in this Wostenholm catalogue (originally posted by Smiling-Knife I think) for example.





Anyway, I'd be interested to hear some informed opinion about this, and please feel free to share any other examples of the pattern.

I look forward to being enlightened.

Jack
 
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They are super interesting knives, Jack. I too hope someone will enlighten us. A little off topic but I found it interesting that the knife you sent to me not long ago is on the same page as yours. Thanks for this thread, Jack!! ...and this knife

12955920414_c406f39c5e_b.jpg
 
Hi guys i have been lookin really hard . And i can't find anything that ties tyne with the knife . My only thought is it mite have something to do with the shape of the blade . Bending like a river . But as i said it just a thought .
 
Gevonovich said:
They are super interesting knives, Jack. I too hope someone will enlighten us. A little off topic but I found it interesting that the knife you sent to me not long ago is on the same page as yours. Thanks for this thread, Jack!! ...and this knife

12955920414_c406f39c5e_b.jpg
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That's a nice coincidence Gev, great pic my friend :)
 
Actually, they were made by the Confederate States of America before the war was finished. There was a shortage of materials in the South and as a result, they used what they could to manufacture tools and weaponry. The South copied Colt pistols in much the same way, but since iron/steel wasn't as readily available, brass was used for the frames. Often Confedrate soldiers would use the pruning bladed knives as they would cut plants to suplement their diet as food may be in shortage. A good example of this is Chicory in place of Coffee.










Ok, I made all of that up.
 
I have just looked at my one example of a Tyne knife. The Tang is stamped WILLIAM / RODGERS / SHEFFIELD. I will try to post a photo though it looks just like the two shown above.
The only comment I can add is that the covers are cast and hollow and one-piece.
Regards to all.
 
Woodrow F Call said:
Actually, they were made by the Confederate States of America before the war was finished. There was a shortage of materials in the South and as a result, they used what they could to manufacture tools and weaponry. The South copied Colt pistols in much the same way, but since iron/steel wasn't as readily available, brass was used for the frames. Often Confedrate soldiers would use the pruning bladed knives as they would cut plants to suplement their diet as food may be in shortage. A good example of this is Chicory in place of Coffee.









Ok, I made all of that up.
Click to expand...

Had me going.
By'r lady! (message was too short)
 
ADEE said:
I have just looked at my one example of a Tyne knife. The Tang is stamped WILLIAM / RODGERS / SHEFFIELD. I will try to post a photo though it looks just like the two shown above.
The only comment I can add is that the covers are cast and hollow and one-piece.
Regards to all.
Click to expand...

Good to see you yesterday Adee :thumbup:

scrteened porch said:
Had me going.
Click to expand...

Hey, it's as good as any other explanation I've heard! ;)
 
They'd are a pretty cool looking knife Jack. Too bad about the rotary tool cleaning job on that first one. An hour or two of careful sanding up through the grits and it could be made presentable again. Hope you find an answer to your query, and thanks for a glimpse of a curious pattern.
 
waynorth said:
Here's a thread about TYNE on Bernie Levine's Forum'
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...m-Shefield-England-TYNE-Pruner?highlight=Tyne
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Thanks a lot for the link Charlie :) I hope it's acceptable for me to quote what is probably the most informative:

Ishrub said:
It appears that TYNE was a well respected trademark of an earlier Shieffield maker of quality tools J HOWARTH that made this pattern marked TYNE
http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/7608-brass-pruning-knives-tyne-jhowarth/

They closed up in the early twentieth century and there is much more to read of their history in the thread -
"In 1863 the firm became James Howarth and Sons. ....Upon the death of James Howarth the firm was managed by his four sons James, Sammual, Edwin and John Howarth. The firm was discontinued in 1913 and there mark was aquired by Robert Sorby and Sons in 1922."

I*XL GW (and probably others) appear to have capitalised on their reputation, an occurrence so common in the cutlery trade that it still amazes me we dont look for that as our first base for investigating a knife.

The two HOWARTH versions from the thread I downloaded for those who dont wish to register with the Shieffield History Forum
"Two brass pruning knives by J (James I presume) Howarth. They both marked TYNE on the scales, I was wondering if anyone could shed any light on them as I can't find much out about them, particularly why they are marked TYNE. Pictures are below, they are 3 1/4" long closed and 5 1/2" opened. One has a clear makers mark "J HOWARTH SHEFFIELD ENGLAND" in plain lettering. The other is somewhat worn, obviously well used, and has a slightly fancier mark in a circular or oval cartouche."

TYNEHorvarth.jpg


TYNEHorvaerth2.jpg
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It looks (as I thought) that Scruff has the more interesting knife :)
 
sitflyer said:
They'd are a pretty cool looking knife Jack. Too bad about the rotary tool cleaning job on that first one. An hour or two of careful sanding up through the grits and it could be made presentable again. Hope you find an answer to your query, and thanks for a glimpse of a curious pattern.
Click to expand...

Thanks Duane. Yes, it's going in my project box! :D
 
By coincidence James Howarth was located in the small Sheffield street where my mother was born, where my grandparents lived for over 20 years, and where my parents also had their first home after getting married.
 
Just to add more confusion it looks like an Ettrick.
Judging by the scratch marks they'd run out of Brasso a while ago.
 
Great info!!

Thanks for posting the link Charlie & Jack....and great story too Woodrow :)

Jack, I feel like I almost did you out of a heirloom now! :eek:
Its Nice to own an original though :) Thank you again.

I'm afraid I'd have to disagree about the Ettrick meako. Although there are some similarities, I feel the subtlties that make the Ettrick what it is seem to be lost in translation.

I'll have to wait until the Pea Soup, that has been hanging o'er head the past 2 or 3 days, to lift a little, before natures lightbox can assist some photography.
 
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It reminds me of the Ettrick pattern is what I meant.They are streets apart though.:eek:
 
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