York: A New Arthur Wright Knife & An Older Clasp Knife

Bad Monkey said:
Thanks Jack. Yeah the springs those clasp knives are something else, the carbon blade takes a great edge though.

I'm glad i'm not imagining the strong blade pull on the Wright knives. Now and then i'll use the knife and think it's not so bad, but if i try and use it at work where i'll often use a knife once or twice per hour, it becomes quite difficult when my hands are oily/greasy/wet. Shame as a carbon bladed sheepsfoot is my favourite pattern.
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Another point about those strong springs is that I don't imagine it's very helpful to maintaining a good edge. In the past, I just used to keep a working edge on my clasp knives - you practically have to close them with a stick from outside the room, talk about 'bear-trap'! The Belgian one has just bit me, and that was OPENING it! The spring is so strong my finger-tip kind of got nicked with the momentum, didn't notice until I saw a spot of blood on the table. I'm glad it didn't catch me coming the opposite way!
 
Jack Black said:
Another point about those strong springs is that I don't imagine it's very helpful to maintaining a good edge. In the past, I just used to keep a working edge on my clasp knives - you practically have to close them with a stick from outside the room, talk about 'bear-trap'! The Belgian one has just bit me, and that was OPENING it! The spring is so strong my finger-tip kind of got nicked with the momentum, didn't notice until I saw a spot of blood on the table. I'm glad it didn't catch me coming the opposite way!
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I'm quite certain that those old clasp knives would do some serious damage if the blade were to snap shut on a digit or 4. A bear-trap indeed. I feel for the old soldiers, don't know which was worse, facing the enemy or using their knife!
 
Bad Monkey said:
I'm quite certain that those old clasp knives would do some serious damage if the blade were to snap shut on a digit or 4. A bear-trap indeed. I feel for the old soldiers, don't know which was worse, facing the enemy or using their knife!
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Yes, it's certainly a knife that takes courage to handle!

Two of the first knives I had as a kid were clasp knives, but I'm not sure I'd give them to my own kids! The larger one I had (given to me by my grandfather) was easier to open as there was no can-opener, but it shut like a guillotine!
 
For a 60 year-old knife that clasp knife is in incredible condition, but just giving it an oil and wipe-over is not for the feint-hearted! The springs are so powerful that closing it is a major undertaking. It's the kind of knife Ernest Hemingway might have written a short story about! A piece of history, but I'd be surprised if people haven't lost digits down to this pattern!
 
It's fair to say that those old clasp knives are very well built, Probably a little too well. Perhaps that's why they last so long, they don't see much use. I've an idea that replacing the back springs with RSJs' might make them a little easier to open!
 
Bad Monkey said:
It's fair to say that those old clasp knives are very well built, Probably a little too well. Perhaps that's why they last so long, they don't see much use. I've an idea that replacing the back springs with RSJs' might make them a little easier to open!
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:D My old one certainly had plenty of use and abuse, didn't seem to make a bit of difference! The Belgian design is even harder to open than the British one as the blade doesn't sit proud of the can-opener, they both sit at the same height with nail nicks (for what they're worth) on opposite sides.
 
I had to go over to York again today, and was thinking of picking up another Arthur Wright slipjoint from the hardware store I wrote about. However, when I got there, the selection on display was considedrably depleted from my visit only last week. Also on closer inspection, many of the knives on display had defects. I'm really pleased with the knife I got last week, but think I was very lucky. For the attention of ScruffUK, I also noticed they've got a few Helle knives and Woodlore copies, but they're expensive. While I was over today, I also picked up another couple of Belgian clasp knives, and they're even better than the one I bought last week, as well as being easier to open.
 
Don't think this looks bad for a 60 year old knife!







 
Certainly a darn sight better than the sorry examples I found at the weekend.
Out of the ones I could actually open, for all the rust, two of them had main blades that were more akin to a Victorinox's awl!
 
scruffuk said:
Certainly a darn sight better than the sorry examples I found at the weekend.
Out of the ones I could actually open, for all the rust, two of them had main blades that were more akin to a Victorinox's awl!
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Yeah, over-sharpening seems to be a bad problem on older knives here (maybe everywhere), intensive/crude sharpening (coarse wheels, steels, doorsteps) and softer steels I guess. A friend was showing me an old knife of his fathers today, and there was barely anything left of the blade at all.
 
Jack Black said:
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Jack I just bought one exactly like this last week. I got it online so didn't have a chance to see it first. The fit and finish isn't spectacular to say the least although I expected that. I wasn't expecting a bent blade though. I suspect the makers mark was stamped on with too much force, bending the tang. There's also a fair bit of blade play and the grind must have been around 80 degrees inclusive. Seriously. The blade is so bent I had to lift the back of the handle when re profiling and sharpening to get the tip, like I would with a curved blade. :eek:

I was keen to find out how well the steel would fair though as I've heard it said their heat treatment wasn't all that, so re profile and sharpen I did and spent a while (Hours actually. I can get lost in space when whittling) whittling on various types of wood yesterday when out in the woods.

Here's the rub...This thing cuts through wood like a good knife should. I was pretty astounded. I mean I was really putting way more effort into it than is meant for such a small knife, seriously big cuts. It's quite an amazing blade in my book. I got home and it still cut paper easily. A few light strokes on a butchers steel and it's popping hairs of my arm again.

I'd say this is the best cutting pocket knife I've used in a long time. It punches way above it's weight despite the bent loose blade and poor attention to detail...and there was me about to chuck it in the bin in disgust. :)
 
Hi Dave,

Yes, their Quality Control is barely non-existant I'm afraid. Even buying them over the counter, when I went to buy one for another forum member the other week, I rejected all the ones they had in stock. Sorry to hear you got a dud, I really don't know how they can send knives out like that.

ScruffUK got a terrible example in the post and sent it back to them. While he received a refund (and in fact was given another knife from one of the Sheffield retailers), the letter he received from AW was lame to say the least.

Glad to know that after some work by yourself, you've at least got a user. These Lambsfoot knives can be great, but I'd advise anyone who has the possibility to buy over the counter rather than by mail order.

Best wishes

Jack
 
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