Traditional Folding Military Knives

Blake the Blade said:
Found this recently. For what I think is a WWll British army folding Commando knife, it's in really good shape, with great snap and locking action and a blade that seems hardly used. Made by Nowell and Sons, Sheffield. :)

247865716_590965031953519_3857964426665417556_n by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
248524026_925466234736284_2013485089335552294_n by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
256147544_323362032474233_703365481799943349_n by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
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Nice find :) I believe Wright's still make those knives for Jack Adams, owners of the Nowill mark. Here's a few on the bench - note the nails used as pins! :D :thumbsup:

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Jack Black said:
Nice find :) I believe Wright's still make those knives for Jack Adams, owners of the Nowill mark. Here's a few on the bench - note the nails used as pins! :D :thumbsup:

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Wow! I've done that myself with knives that have needed fixing. So will these carry the Nowell name then Jack? Great knives these. :)
 
Blake the Blade said:
Wow! I've done that myself with knives that have needed fixing. So will these carry the Nowell name then Jack? Great knives these. :)
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It depends on who contracted them. Nowill is one of a number of names owned by a company that do not actually make folding knives, just fixed blade knives. I don't know if they still sell that pattern or not, but they certainly have in the past. I can't post a link to their website for obvious reasons :thumbsup:
 
So a couple of hair cuts ago I discovered that the older gentleman that owns the barber shop is also a knife collector too. So over the last few visits we have been sharing our knives with each other. He has been bringing knives in each month and waiting for me to come in to show me. Yesterday he has this. (I apologize for my crappy cell phone camera.) A WWII combat fighting knife from a Sheffield Cutler, Southern and Richardson. Evidently many American GIs bought this type of knife while preparing for the invasion, so it is not a big surprise that one would be in the States. I have already found out more about the knife than my new knife friend knows, I am going to try and find out who H. E. Ziegler is next.
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Jiki said:
So a couple of hair cuts ago I discovered that the older gentleman that owns the barber shop is also a knife collector too. So over the last few visits we have been sharing our knives with each other. He has been bringing knives in each month and waiting for me to come in to show me. Yesterday he has this. (I apologize for my crappy cell phone camera.) A WWII combat fighting knife from a Sheffield Cutler, Southern and Richardson. Evidently many American GIs bought this type of knife while preparing for the invasion, so it is not a big surprise that one would be in the States. I have already found out more about the knife than my new knife friend knows, I am going to try and find out who H. E. Ziegler is next.
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ROBbcfT.jpeg

MYK3o8h.jpeg
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I have the same relationship with my barber! :D Knives of that style were made by many Sheffield cutlery firms, both before and after WW2. However, between 1939 and 1945, Sheffield cutlers were only allowed to do 'War Work' making knives for the military. Because of steel shortages, and the fact that cutlers were a 'reserved occupation', this was very strictly enforced, and if any private purchase knives were produced during this period, they probably wouldn't have had a maker's mark. It's possible that the U.S. military were allowed to contract knives from Sheffield cutlers, but I don't have any information about that. However, there were large numbers of G.I.s stationed in and around Sheffield before 'The Big Push', and I dare say, knives produced before 1939 would have been a popular trade item :thumbsup:
 
Jack Black said:
I have the same relationship with my barber! :D Knives of that style were made by many Sheffield cutlery firms, both before and after WW2. However, between 1939 and 1945, Sheffield cutlers were only allowed to do 'War Work' making knives for the military. Because of steel shortages, and the fact that cutlers were a 'reserved occupation', this was very strictly enforced, and if any private purchase knives were produced during this period, they probably wouldn't have had a maker's mark. It's possible that the U.S. military were allowed to contract knives from Sheffield cutlers, but I don't have any information about that. However, there were large numbers of G.I.s stationed in and around Sheffield before 'The Big Push', and I dare say, knives produced before 1939 would have been a popular trade item :thumbsup:
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From what I have found the Americans would have definitely been acquiring these on the secondary market through trade.

A little more information on H.E. Ziegler. The service # written on the sheath. The letter O- at the beginning indicates a male commissioned officer in the U.S. Military.
 
Jiki said:
From what I have found the Americans would have definitely been acquiring these on the secondary market through trade.

A little more information on H.E. Ziegler. The service # written on the sheath. The letter O- at the beginning indicates a male commissioned officer in the U.S. Military.
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Cutlers were exempt from military service, but almost all of them enlisted anyway, leaving old men and young boys in the cutlery factories, and women of course. I can remember a cutler taking me to the back door of Southern & Richardson when we wanted some F-S blades blackening. They were taken in by a woman, whom he knew, and the job was done 'off the books'. Even though the 'War Work' rules were apparently very strictly adhered to, there would have been knives in the stores, and the black-market trade, in all things, was rife. It wouldn't surprise me if a few knives didn't get traded for nylons or cigarettes! :D While many G.I.s hung out at 'The American Embassy', otherwise known as 'The Barleycorn Hotel', a Sheffield pub with a bad reputation. officers were often housed with middle-class families, so it's possible that the knife was gifted to the man who carried it into battle :thumbsup:
 
I found another US Army linesman kit today,older than mine but not quite as good condition.
I love em but I didnt buy it.
 
I found this knife in an old toolbox I purchased. Trying to find additional information. From what I can tell it is a pre 1890 knife since there is no country of origin stamp. Anyone seen anything similiar?
 
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That's a very lucky find :cool: Welcome to BF, but please read the forum rules, so as to avoid getting into trouble. You can't ask about value, for example :thumbsup:
 
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