Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

[BWT]

Wow Lyle that is a knife. Thanks for sharing, that is some killer stag and the blades!!! I can see it might go for a hefty price?

[LongBlade]

It's faint but over the cast steel near the top of the picture. I'll try later today to get a clear picture of the split, I might put the other knife I just picked up that also has a split back. It isn't a hawkbill but may have been made by the same maker. ___Dave

Dave - Now I see the WcrownR - I was looking on the tang rather than blade stamp... l have to say that Wade & Butcher is one nice knife - shield, horn handles and big blade !!! However the split back is no doubt a close second ... look forward to seeing the split springs when you are able to get the photos

Nice knives Dave.

Here's one for posterity. I tried to buy this one ,can't even remember how I traced it, but it was way out of my league and the owner wouldn't come down . It's an extraordinary piece. 12 1/2" with inserts. ( ?)

Lyle - I forgot about that monster of a Hawkbill so thanks for bringing it back in the spot light - I’d give my eye teeth for that one .,,

[RobesonsRme.com]

You will find that big horticulture knife at this website.

Look at all his stuff.

Don't drool on your keyboard.

http://antiquesicollect.com/

Nothing there is for sale, so don't even ask.

Charlie Noyes

[djknife13]

Here is the split back hawkbill. The small knife is also a split back and splits right where it curves at the bottom of the knife. The hawkbill's split is easier to see in the picture. These may well be by the same maker. It's kind of funny actually, for what I paid for these and as excited I was to get them, they sure don't look like much when I see them in a picture ___Dave

[Miller Bro's]

4 of my favorites; L to R; 1) S._____ cutlers to King William, 1830-37 (I thought once is was an Oates, but I believe that would be too new for this knife, 2) IXL, no mystery here but this has the most massive stag of any of my knives, 3) Wade and Butcher cast steel, 4) Another mystery, but this is one of only two true split back knives I have ever seen, and a hawkbill to boot, also cutlery to King William. The split ends about 2/3 rds of the way down the spring from the blades. ___Dave

All very nice, but I really like that Wade & Butcher!

Thanks for sharing them!

[LongBlade]

Thanks for posting those Dave ... they really are true split spring knives and that is awesome!!! Certainly not common to see a true split spring - and when one hears true split spring whittlers have a single spring that is partly split I had a hard time just finding a photo of an example - I have only ever seen one posted on here on AAPK by Dave (Dcgm4) which was an old Samuel Jackson (Baltimore - ca 1830-1870) whittler... (BTW - I hope Dave - dcgm4 - is ok as he hasn’t posted in a very long time!! )

Thanks again Dave for sharing those!!!

[djknife13]

Did you say Jackson? Probably a different on. Levine lists three. ___Dave

[LongBlade]

Dave - Samuel Jackson - Baltimore - ca 1830-1870... I added it to my post above too for reference... I need to find the link but not near the computer at the moment for dcgm4’s Jackson example though it is a beauty of a knife!!!

Dave - On your Jackson Hawkbill what is the bottom part of stamp - sorry I can’t quite make it out...

[djknife13]

Dave - Samuel Jackson - Baltimore - ca 1830-1870... I added it to my post above too for reference... I need to find the link but not near the computer at the moment for dcgm4’s Jackson example though it is a beauty of a knife!!!

Dave - On your Jackson Hawkbill what is the bottom part of stamp - sorry I can’t quite make it out...

Lee, it says "Fremont,O". I have one more Jackson and I believe that one is also from Fremont and it's a 3 -7/8th inch bone handled equal end cigar with a "Haas and Anderson" etch and full round bolsters and according to my records, something told me it was probably made by Catt. I have no idea which safe or roll it is in. I bought them both in 2001. Levine doesn't even list Samuel. I looked up the whittler and remembered it from when it was posted here. That is a very unusual whittler and apparently was cut to a split instead of forged into a split back spring.____Dave

[LongBlade]

Thanks Dave ... Good point on your knife vs the Jackson knife in terms of the spring... While the Jackson Whittler is split it no doubt was forged with a wide gap to accommodate that large brass catch bit to open the master while the secondary blades pivoted off the springs left and right of the gap - in fact your Hawkbills in retrospect are probably the only true split spring knives I have seen ... I wonder how the cutlers accomplished the split as on your knives and controlled how long the split would extend up the spring?? I bet that took some skill - or was it a “hit or miss” with a fine chisel and hammer - ie, did they go through a number of springs to get it right... Thanks again Dave - really great to see those awesome Hawkbills with a few having true split springs .. those knives are real treasures in my opinion!!

[djknife13]

Lee, I've heard that they used flux on the half where they wanted the solid spring and forged welded two pieces into one and where there was no flux it would break free. I bet it still was somewhat hit or miss. I wish I had access to a forge and was a lot smarter. This stuff would be fun to play with. I've heard that for a number of years, most knife makers didn't know how they did it but it sounds like a pretty simple procedure now even with the hit or miss factor. It's kind of strange that so many of us have heard of true split springs, especially in whittlers, but have never seen one. I sure was surprised to find a hawkbill with one and now a jack. ___Dave

[galvanic1882]

Eureka shaped Boker, love the shape of this frame.

[wlf]

Eureka shaped Boker, love the shape of this frame.

I would say you do.

[JohnR]

Received this unusual Maher&Grosh Pecan grafting knife this week, If I remember right it is made from cocobolo.

[BWT]

Very nice John,looks to be in a great condition. I’ve never seen a knife like that in person,great find!!

[Miller Bro's]

Nice one, I really like these

[JohnR]

Thank you Bill, Dimitri. I really like knives built with a specific purpose in mind.

[LongBlade]

Nice knife John ... I’ve been looking to add a pecan budding knife to my horticultural knives but have not seen any the last few years... I’m not sure how many different cutleries made them either - I think the few I have seen have been M&G... great score!!!!

[gsmith7158]

Here's one I saw on ebay that I found pretty interesting so I bought it. After all how often do you get to buy a 110 year old knife in pretty good shape. The knife is stamped Friedmann & Lauterjung which was an importer in New York from 1864-1909 and is the firm where JBF Champlin got his start in the knife business. This is the firm that eventually gave rise to The Electric Cutlery Co.The seller described it as a sailors rigging knife, but it looks more like a good sized pruner to me.

[galvanic1882]

Oh man that is a nice one!!

If you ever decide to let it go I'm your man! Mike

[gsmith7158]

Oh man that is a nice one!!

If you ever decide to let it go I'm your man! Mike

Mike, I thought you might have been the other watcher on that one.

[galvanic1882]

I never saw it or I would have been in on it! Oh well great knife

[LongBlade]

Nice score Greg ...

[gsmith7158]

Nice score Greg ...

Thanks Lee!

[FRJ]

Great knife, Greg and a bit of good history too. Good post!