What are some traditional Irish Knives

Well said, everybody. Let's keep cool and stick to the knives.
That's more than I knew about Jowika et al, Jack; thanks.
 
Jack Black,

Thanks for the great links on Jowika. Interestingly, my first fixed blade which was given to me when I was around 10 or 12, is a Jowika. Purchased in a cheap souvenir shop in Vermont in the early 70s.

Do I understand that a Jowika tang stamp could be either Germany or Ireland?

I'll post pics of that old Jowika later this week.
 
Jack: is Mrs. Singh Sikh? Only if so, she may have had older members of her family lost fighting with Pathans and other people traditionally native to that area. No excuse and please excuse me and my question, I've had to deal with a lot of racism where I live-from family, friends and neighbors. Not for me personally, but for other friends,etc. I try to learn why people say what they do, in order to understand them, and make cogent points to them in contradiction. However if your neighbor is senile, then that to is understandable, if no less repugnant. Sorry to address this, but...you have too, or it never ends. Delete this if it is deemed necessary, and I will take the infraction. I understand.
Neal
 
Here's a shot of my old Jowika. Stamped "Republic of Ireland". Click on the picture to go to Flikr where you can see the stamp more clearly.

Not sure I would call this the epitome of traditional Irish though.
Untitled by Pinnah, on Flickr

Oh Jack... Most Boston Irish bars are in name only, although I have a buddy named Coyle who swears that the bartender at his favorite pub in Dorchester refused to pour "'dat Prodestant whiskey", which like most bad things, is a silly myth. Thanks for the great posts!!
 
pinnah said:
Jack Black,

Thanks for the great links on Jowika. Interestingly, my first fixed blade which was given to me when I was around 10 or 12, is a Jowika. Purchased in a cheap souvenir shop in Vermont in the early 70s.

Do I understand that a Jowika tang stamp could be either Germany or Ireland?

I'll post pics of that old Jowika later this week.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate, yes, they were made in Solingen, and carry the corresponding tang stamp :thumbup:

neal70 said:
Jack: is Mrs. Singh Sikh? Only if so, she may have had older members of her family lost fighting with Pathans and other people traditionally native to that area. No excuse and please excuse me and my question, I've had to deal with a lot of racism where I live-from family, friends and neighbors. Not for me personally, but for other friends,etc. I try to learn why people say what they do, in order to understand them, and make cogent points to them in contradiction. However if your neighbor is senile, then that to is understandable, if no less repugnant. Sorry to address this, but...you have too, or it never ends. Delete this if it is deemed necessary, and I will take the infraction. I understand.
Click to expand...

She is Neal, I should really have called her Mrs Kauer, she's from the Punjab originally. There are certainly some historic reasons for her prejudice, but as I frequently have to remind her, the young English-born doctor, who lives opposite her, who has a Muslim name originating in the Punjab, and who is not at all religious, played no part in whatever might have happened to any of her ancestors or other members of her faith many decades ago. Sadly, I have to have much the same conversation with her English-born son, who took anti-Pakistani prejudice from his deceased father Manjinder, and despite the fact we have mutual Pakistani friends. A conversation for another place though I think :)

pinnah said:
Here's a shot of my old Jowika. Stamped "Republic of Ireland". Click on the picture to go to Flikr where you can see the stamp more clearly.

Not sure I would call this the epitome of traditional Irish though.
Untitled by Pinnah, on Flickr

Oh Jack... Most Boston Irish bars are in name only, although I have a buddy named Coyle who swears that the bartender at his favorite pub in Dorchester refused to pour "'dat Prodestant whiskey", which like most bad things, is a silly myth. Thanks for the great posts!!
Click to expand...

Good that you still have your first knife :)

I've heard the myth Dave, and the sister of a friend of mine, a good Catholic girl from a large Bogside family has worked happily in that particular distillery for many years ;)

I'm just reading the autobiography of an old Sheffield cutler, and by coincidence, he not only mentions working alongside one of the Sheffield cutlers who went to Newbridge, but also that his father's firm set up a factory over in Ireland in the 1950's. I'll post more info if there's any to post :thumbup:
 
:eek:

Thank you Jack for striving to keep this thread on the straight and narrow. :thumbup:

Some great history of the Emerald Isle's cutlery industry.
You always teach me something new old bean, cheers.
 
Thanks for the kind words Thom :thumbup:
 
Thanks for the info about my heritage Jack (no pun intended), it really means a lot to me.

I hope that I did not offend.
 
Always happy to try and help my friend :thumbup:
 
Jack-you're of course right. Thanks for the info, and the rest. My half brother and sister are part Irish, so I do find this discussion interesting, minus the rhetoric.😎😇 I'm a little surprised that there aren't more smiths active , considering the long history of blade making on the Emerald Isle. Some descriptions of very old spears are almost frightening (and outside the purview of this thread). You just don't see much on traditional tools and blades that would be native to Ireland. Some research revealed that the old "scian " daggers were quite long , noticeably sharpened part-way on the back, and guardless; I would imagine a smaller version of the fighting blade would make for a more than adequate belt- or work-knife.
Thanks, Neal
 
I'm stoked this thread is still going. I love Irish history. It has to be some of the most interesting stuff I have ever studied.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Very interesting history Jack :thumbup: I traveled to Ireland in 2003, to attend the Norton rally in Clonakilty and I have fond memories of the wonderful runs in the Ring of Kerry and to Cork. But I don't remember having seen anything like a cutlery shop. Though there never were any objection when we took our Lags to slaughter some pâté! :D
I also appreciate your very diplomaticly firm way to get the thread back on the right track! :thumbup:
 
Jolipapa said:
Very interesting history Jack :thumbup: I traveled to Ireland in 2003, to attend the Norton rally in Clonakilty and I have fond memories of the wonderful runs in the Ring of Kerry and to Cork. But I don't remember having seen anything like a cutlery shop. Though there never were any objection when we took our Lags to slaughter some pâté! :D
I also appreciate your very diplomaticly firm way to get the thread back on the right track! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

I've never been to Ireland but hope to someday. Maybe I can find an Irish knife while I'm there.

Thanks, Jack. I've been under the weather the last few days and also have some contractors stomping around my house doing some reno. I've been browsing the forum pretty quickly. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I did edit the title though ... ;)
 
Thanks guys, this is a thread from last year though :thumbup:

Sorry to hear you've not been on form Gary, hope all's well again soon. Ireland is a beautiful country :)

Here's an Irish Jowika I picked up a few months back :thumbup:

 
Interesting bird stamp on the tang Jack, very nice!

As for carrying knives in Ireland, I seem to recall that Cambertree was very recently posting pix of his GEC to great effect in the Irish countryside.
 
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