The venerable Hawkbill!

Hi surfer. I could be wrong, but I think the grooved bolsters were just the style at the time (late 1800s early 1900s). I don't think their function is any different from non-grooved bolsters. Maybe someone else knows about this.
 
For what it’s worth here are my two. The top one is not that dark in real life. It has a grooved bolster and the older Henckels stamp that is supposed to be from the late 1800s.

hawks002.jpg


The stag Henckels on the bottom looks unsharpened to me. The blade is a little short of the handle, but there is a spacer in the liner so it was designed that way. I like the cap on the end; you can stand it up. It also has the steel pins typical of German knives.

Both knives have the strong lock up that others have mentioned in this thread.

I have heard that it is difficult to sharpen these knives without wearing down the tips. I guess that’s what happened in the pre-Sharpmaker/Lansky days.
 
Is that real stag on the lower Henckels, Mike? It's amazing if it is! Is the back the same??
Charlie
 
Yes, Charlie it is. The older Henckels knives have really nice bark stag all the way to the edges. (Kinda like Tomes and Bradshaw knives today.) Some of them have smoother stag on the side that fits in your palm.

If you want to see a closer, hopefully ligther, shot of the other side let me know.
 
Mike Robuck said:
Yes, Charlie it is. The older Henckels knives have really nice bark stag all the way to the edges. (Kinda like Tomes and Bradshaw knives today.) Some of them have smoother stag on the side that fits in your palm.

If you want to see a closer, hopefully ligther, shot of the other side let me know.
Click to expand...
Mike,You post a picture of a knife like that,and then ask,"Do we want to see the othere side ?" What do you think,Come on Mike,get on the Ball! LOL!
Vince:)
 
I look forward to the "dark side" Mike!!!
 
Here's the other side. Not much different from the tang stamp side, I guess. I didn't want to lighten it too much in PhotoShop.

hawks004.jpg


Here's one from the back. It makes the pins look like they're sticking out, but they're flush with the front of the stag.

hawks003.jpg
 
Thanks for the shots Mike.That really is a gorgeous vintage knife.You don't see a lot of knives like that,at least I don't.Very nice!
Vince
 
Looking at Mike's nice stag Henckels, reminded me of this one I had tucked away with my Case stuff. I used to collect Case but haven't for a while. I really have to go through it more!!
Anyway, most Hawkbills (HBs) are quite broad in the "beam" making them a real pocketful of knife. That stag of Mike's is a little slimmer, and (Duh!) I realized what Tony Bose was doing when he created this guy!
CaseBosePruner.jpg


He was designing one that would live happily in your pocket, like a good pocketknife should!! It's ATS-34, so it should live through as much work as a carbon steel one, because it shouldn't need as much sharpening. At 3 7/8" it's big enough to use all day, and it's downright purty, to my eye anyway. Here it is with a fatter Opinel, for comparison.
CaseBosePrunerPlus.jpg


Definitely makes a lot of sense!
 
Tony Bose definitely took that pattern to a new level of elegance, and, like Charlie said, it does look more practical to carry.

Thanks Vince.
 
Two great looking knives. That case is fantastic and I love the old Henckels Mike. It looks like it is in great shape. Thanks for showing those.
 
Another slim one I found at a small show the other day. Blade's a bit down, but nicely stamped, and nice ebony handles.
hawk5.jpg
 
There are some incredible knives here, wow...I have to say that Tony Bose Case is very eye catching and makes the drool gather up...

Here is my lone contribution to this topic, but there is a little story behind it. I purchased a knife from a very classy gentleman on this board and he threw in this classy Case for $.01(Which I have not paid yet :o ). I told him that I actually farm for a living and he added this to the package for my use, blowing me away in the process and giving me much to appreciate.

Sunburst

CasePruningKnife.jpg
 
Sunburst, that sounds like a fellow I know and he is class act. A couple of my favorite knives came to me that way.

That's a great lookin 'bill. If it's anything like that hawkbill electrician's knife I have it walks-n-talks and is well made. Are you packing it on the farm now?

That's just a good lookin hawkbill.
 
Amos, no I have not used it yet, but I have packed it to the farm. In about two weeks it will be pruning time for a few hundred peach trees, it will get a good test then...

Sunburst
 
I like the jigging on your Case, Sunburst. Let us know how it works in the fields. (ever heard of Palisade peaches? They're grown near where I live.)
 
Thanks Mike I like the jigging on the knife also, matter of fact I like the entire concept of these hawkbills...

I have never heard of Palisade peaches, at least not until I did a google search after reading your post..:D Those baby's sound delicious...

We are just getting into the Peach business, our main business is Citrus. Peaches working in Florida is relatively a new thing because of the lack of chilling time, but these are newer hybrids designed to work in Florida's short winter.

I may have to swap you some Citrus for a couple of your Peaches...

Regards,

Sunburst
 
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