Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:22 am

Another Hawkbill for this thread … a “lucky” good find for my horticultural knife subcollection and one which I have been looking for quite awhile

– Knife has that old colorful gnarly stag, particularly as seen on those older Sheffield knives. This Rodgers Hawkbill below is very reminiscent of the IXL that I posted on page 32 - Here’s the link to page 32 viewtopic.php?f=35&t=19895&start=465

The two knives make a nice pair with similar handles of old Sheffield quality makers .. though I find Rodgers harder to find than IXL Wostenholms... only my guess but maybe because many Rodgers knives sit in collections which we don't often see

...

Joseph Rodgers & Sons – 4 & 3/4” closed – Integral liners and rat tail bolster with iron hammered pins in stag… Given the integral build and as usually noted this would make this early – likely pre-1860 – Hefty build and the stag covers are thick slabs of stag of my favorite kind in color etc NOD… I tried to give an idea of the thickness in the photo which shows the rear of the knife (see photo)… each slab was slightly more than 3/8” and the knife over an inch in width at the backside which includes the liner and backsprings - a nice handful of knife

– Blade lightly sharpened retaining most of ithe shape and given a Hawkbill in relatively good shape… Knife was no doubt used as one could see some “use” scratches reflected in the patina in some photos etc…

I was thinking my Rodgers and IXL budding grafting knives I posted just above will make a nice pair with these hawkbills

…

Thanks all for looking! I’ll post a few different angles of photos to show more of the all around look of this knife (double click for enlarged photos)….

FRJ · Post by **FRJ** » Wed Mar 06, 2019 2:16 am

That is a real beauty, Lee.
It sure pairs well with the IXL that you posted earlier.

gsmith7158 · Post by **gsmith7158** » Wed Mar 06, 2019 2:53 am

Wow!!! What a knife Lee.

Duffer · Post by **Duffer** » Wed Mar 06, 2019 8:02 am

Terrific knife Lee!! Love that gnarly stag—just a very impressive vintage horticultural folder

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:43 am

That one's a stunner Lee, those old stag English pruners are knock out gorgeous knives.

djknife13 · Post by **djknife13** » Wed Mar 06, 2019 1:37 pm

Lee. I've found about 10 IXL's to each Rogers and hawkbills are what I've looked for more than any other style knife, at least up here. Also the Joseph Rogers I have found are made finer and have a richer look to them and less massive than my IXL's tend to be. The one you just posted is quite a bit more massive than my biggest Rogers and on par to my bigger IXL's. Beautiful old knife. ____Dave

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Wed Mar 06, 2019 2:14 pm

Thanks Joe, Greg, Lloyd, John and Dave

.. Much appreciated

..

Dave - I agree 200% on finding Rodgers vs IXLs as it is the same here - IXLs are relatively easy to find.... I don’t really know if that was a result of Wostenholm’s business marketing as Wostenholm was enamoured with America back in the day (also George was quite an entrepreneur

).. As you note Rodgers tends to be “finer” quality - that extra touch which is seen in some IXLs but not across the board like old Rodgers

I have another Hawkbill to show and will try and get photos today - a jigged bone beauty of another maker

..

djknife13 · Post by **djknife13** » Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:14 am

If I get some time tomorrow I'll dig out my fattest IXL Stag and one of my fat wood ones and I have a Rogers that is one of my favorites for pictures. ____Dave

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Thu Mar 07, 2019 3:13 am

Sounds good Dave - look forward to them

... I have a few more photos of others to finish and will get them up in the near future

...

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:44 pm

Finally added a budding grafting knife to the collection, a minty Wostenholm.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:33 am

JohnR wrote:Finally added a budding grafting knife to the collection, a minty Wostenholm.

Nice John

.. got to have a few budding grafting knives for the Hawkbills

... I think your Wostenholm is mid 1900s if I’m not mistaken - I saw lots of them at a knife show and that is what I was told from a few collectors...

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 1:20 am

LongBlade wrote:
JohnR wrote:Finally added a budding grafting knife to the collection, a minty Wostenholm.
Nice John .. got to have a few budding grafting knives for the Hawkbills ... I think your Wostenholm is mid 1900s if I’m not mistaken - I saw lots of them at a knife show and that is what I was told from a few collectors...

Thanks Lee, I would agree with you as far as age, thinking 1950's or so.

djknife13 · Post by **djknife13** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 3:40 am

Picture 1 is J.Rogers. The 3rd one down has scales that are 1 inch wide including the spring and liners. somewhere I believe I have a nicer Rogers but can't remember where I stored it away. Picture 2 are all IXL's. The 4th down with the large stag scales measure 1and 5/16th thick X 1 3/8th inch high. The bottom left scales are pressed horn. The two wood IXL's are also massive in the hand. ____Dave

djknife13 · Post by **djknife13** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 4:04 am

Here's a better picture of the fat IXL scales. The second picture contains (top to bottom) Winchester with secondary saw blade, a Thomas Turner with smooth horn scales, a Harrison Bros. and Howson also stamped Cutler to her majesty, This one reminds me of a Rogers hawkbill and they were neighbors at No.45 Norfolk St. and Rogers were at No.6 Norfolk St. The bottom is a Northfield. I've probably posted some of these before. ____Dave

BWT · Post by **BWT** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:18 pm

LongBlade wrote:Another Hawkbill for this thread … a “lucky” good find for my horticultural knife subcollection and one which I have been looking for quite awhile – Knife has that old colorful gnarly stag, particularly as seen on those older Sheffield knives. This Rodgers Hawkbill below is very reminiscent of the IXL that I posted on page 32 - Here’s the link to page 32 viewtopic.php?f=35&t=19895&start=465

The two knives make a nice pair with similar handles of old Sheffield quality makers .. though I find Rodgers harder to find than IXL Wostenholms... only my guess but maybe because many Rodgers knives sit in collections which we don't often see ...

Joseph Rodgers & Sons – 4 & 3/4” closed – Integral liners and rat tail bolster with iron hammered pins in stag… Given the integral build and as usually noted this would make this early – likely pre-1860 – Hefty build and the stag covers are thick slabs of stag of my favorite kind in color etc NOD… I tried to give an idea of the thickness in the photo which shows the rear of the knife (see photo)… each slab was slightly more than 3/8” and the knife over an inch in width at the backside which includes the liner and backsprings - a nice handful of knife – Blade lightly sharpened retaining most of ithe shape and given a Hawkbill in relatively good shape… Knife was no doubt used as one could see some “use” scratches reflected in the patina in some photos etc…

I was thinking my Rodgers and IXL budding grafting knives I posted just above will make a nice pair with these hawkbills …

Thanks all for looking! I’ll post a few different angles of photos to show more of the all around look of this knife (double click for enlarged photos)….

Mark Side V2 DSCN8544.JPG

Mark Side DSCN8521.JPG

Pile Side DSCN8530.JPG

Blade Open DSCN8562.JPG

Integral Liners Bolsters DSCN8551.JPG

Deep Blade Stamp & Tang Stamp DSCN8569.JPG

Tang Stamp Pile Star - Maltese Cross DSCN8596.JPG

Better late than never Lee, just saw your Joesph Rodgers, that is a good looking ole knife. You just can't beat that old stag, thanks for sharing.

BWT · Post by **BWT** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:21 pm

Dave what a collection, those are some beautiful knives. Nothing not to like about those, very impressive for me!!!

BWT · Post by **BWT** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:24 pm

Good find John, very very nice

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:20 pm

djknife13 wrote:Picture 1 is J.Rogers. The 3rd one down has scales that are 1 inch wide including the spring and liners. somewhere I believe I have a nicer Rogers but can't remember where I stored it away. Picture 2 are all IXL's. The 4th down with the large stag scales measure 1and 5/16th thick X 1 3/8th inch high. The bottom left scales are pressed horn. The two wood IXL's are also massive in the hand. ____Dave

Those are beauties Dave

... in fact the hefty stag IXL in the photo I think is the same IXL I have and posted on page 32 - looks like the same size, stag, end cap and the font of the deep IXL stamp on the blade (which is unusual for IXL deep stamps using fancy font) looks to be exactly the same

...

doglegg · Post by **doglegg** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:22 pm

DJ that is an awesome collection. Wow, I bet they were all used there in Minnesota.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Fri Mar 08, 2019 2:31 pm

BWT wrote: Better late than never Lee, just saw your Joesph Rodgers, that is a good looking ole knife. You just can't beat that old stag, thanks for sharing.

Thanks Bill

..

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Sat Mar 09, 2019 11:32 pm

Here’s a lucky recent pickup with abit of a story… I saw this hawkbill with nice bone and a grooved bolster, brass end cap etc – a nice HOK - but the tang stamp being very worn was an unknown – and 3 or 4 different folks looked with a loupe and couldn’t venture a guess – it was like playing a game of “Wheel of Fortune” … I bought it anyway as somehow it looked familiar especially the bolster but also hard to walk away from a bone hawkbill which are not all that common - it was a nice old knife just based on looks

… Anyway I kept thinking maybe Holley and hoping based on the few letters - - but when I saw another Holley Hawkbill at the show though not in bone my suspicions were confirmed – a Holley for sure based on construction and end cap, bolster etc

… See the tang stamp photo - I think the original stamp was HOLLEY/ MAN’FG Co/LAKEVILLE / CONN … or HOLLEY / LAKEVILLE / CONN – Importantly the ID was also nailed down based on the other jigged bone Holleys posted in this same thread – same bone, end cap, bolster etc

This example is 4 3/8” closed – still hard snapping and tight.. it definitely has some weight to it given the thick brass end cap along with the catch bit in the well… it no doubt is heavier than some of my larger hawkbills at 4 3/4” …. Somewhere I read it may be Salisbury bone rather than Rogers – definitely doesn’t seem to have the classic Rogers look to me imo… either way I’m really diggin’ the pick bone

.. I also like the way they hammered steel pins on the handle where the spring is and small brass ones on rest of handle - a cool touch!!

djknife13 · Post by **djknife13** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 12:52 am

Great find Lee and good detective work. Holley is notorious for soft stamping but sure make a sweet knife. I have one wood Holley hawkbill but have never seen a bone one. ____Dave

FRJ · Post by **FRJ** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 12:57 am

That is a great knife, Lee. A real beauty and old timey all the way.
Honkin' end cap!

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 1:06 am

Thanks Dave and Joe

... I was excited as I had been looking for the right one to help fill a gap in my CT makers for Hawkbills... still missing one in particular, a Miller Bros... I think I have only seen a couple but a few years ago and it was either abused or unobtainable...

djknife13 · Post by **djknife13** » Sun Mar 10, 2019 1:26 am

Lee, good luck with your search for the Miller Bros. They are really scarce at least in my circles. The only one I have been able to find in 20 years or so actively collecting hawkbills, is a cast metal one in not very good shape. But then again, I have never found a bone Holley either. It took me a long time to find my Northfield. I found a large Miller Bros. rope knife in Janesville one year but that's as close as I've come so far. ____Dave

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