Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

This forum is dedicated to the discussion and display of old knives. The rich history of all the many companies that made them through the early years will be found here as well as many fine examples of the cutlers art. Share pictures of your old knives and your knowledge here!
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Eustace
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by Eustace »

Flea market this morning was poor. The gypsies are apparently on vacation too. However, I took one knife for the next POS roundtable.
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by peanut740 »

That looks like a good candidate!Way to look ahead also.I'm always scrambling to find those special knives when the time comes.
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by New_Windsor_NY »

The three amigos.
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Eustace
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by Eustace »

Today's find from the flea market. Grafrath brothers, Solingen. Perfect mechanics, the spring is like a wolf trap. Unfortunately, the corrosion is too deep. For a dollar - that's all you are going to get.
Before and after cleaning:
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by New_Windsor_NY »

Eustace wrote:Flea market this morning was poor. The gypsies are apparently on vacation too. However, I took one knife for the next POS roundtable.
Eustace wrote:Today's find from the flea market. Grafrath brothers, Solingen. Perfect mechanics, the spring is like a wolf trap. Unfortunately, the corrosion is too deep. For a dollar - that's all you are going to get.
Before and after cleaning:
Very good looking knives. The Grafrath Brothers is not bad looking at all. Especially for one dollar!
Are the gypsies back from vacation? :D ::tu::
Kid: "Wish we had time to bury them fellas."
Josey Wales: "To hell with them fellas. Buzzards got to eat, same as worms."
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Eustace
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by Eustace »

:lol: In fact, gypsies are always there, аnd sometimes they sell interesting things at reasonable prices.. Gone are serious sellers who offer quality things, but not for dollar.
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LongBlade
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by LongBlade »

It took me awhile to find one for my horticultural knife collection but finally found a Pecan budding knife (finally took some photos)... The knife is actually called a Maher & Grosh Texas Patch Budder and not sure who the contract cutlery was for it... perhaps Schrade but the bolsters are slightly different from the example I found online made by Schrade. I looked long and far for one made by a CT or MA maker but never saw a pecan patch budder and not sure what companies made them... I wonder if pecan budders were made in Sheffield as well ::hmm:: though not for M&G. I know Millers Bros made knives for M&G but don't know if Miller Bros made pecan budders.

This one is a strong snapping solid knife... signs of wear and use but those blades are still razor sharp. Handle are cocobolo is my guess (but not sure if it may be ebony ::hmm:: ).. Tang stamp is visible if you click to enlarge the open blade photos. Blades are located approximately an inch apart and thus it would cut a 1 inch square patch for grafting. Perfect knife to cut consistent patches for grafting among the Pecan trees...

If one has a premium subscription to Knife Magazine there is a M&G Horticultural knife Catalog from 1927 and this knife is shown. It said M&G was the sole retailers and it is a favorite among Pecan growers... Interestingly this knife originated from Louisiana which is one of the Pecan growing states.

Thanks for looking!
Blades Closed DSCN0978.JPG
Blades at Half Stop DSCN0965.JPG
Blades Open Full DSCN1026 2.JPG
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Lee
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by BWT »

Very nice Lee, thanks for sharing, I have never seen one of those before now!!! ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by LongBlade »

Thanks Bill ::handshake:: ...
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by FRJ »

A unusual and very cool knife.
Good show, Lee. ::tu::
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by LongBlade »

Thanks very much Joe ::handshake:: ...
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by ratlesnake75 »

I LOVE HAWK'S!!! O-V-B in Picked Bone
Here is a very pretty Knife to add for this thread. I dont know what happened to my backside picture, sorry.
Kind Regards,
Mark
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by djknife13 »

Lee, those budding knives have always fascinated me and I've kept my eyes open for one, but I think I'm way too far North for one to show up. That looks like a particularly nice one. Mark, those scales really are nice on that OVB. ____Dave
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by JohnR »

Nice Pecan Budding knife Lee, they are so unique.

I just picked up a Schrade Cut Co Florist knife in French Ivory this week. High condition and marked Henry M. Robinson Co which was a horticulture and nursery supply company and on the other side marked Ruzicka's Roses For 16 years, I can find reference that Ruzicka's started 1908 so that would put the knife at 1924.
Apparently supplying roses to New York City was a huge business with the roses grown in Madison New Jersey and transported by train daily to New York City.
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by ratlesnake75 »

Thanks Dave, I thought so also
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Mark
I Buy/Sell/Trade All Vintage Antique Pocket knives from Junkers to Mint. I am Easy going, so Please shoot me a message ANYTIME!!! l Live & Breath KNIVES Everyday.
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by LongBlade »

Thanks Dave and John ::tu:: ::handshake:: ...

Dave - as you allude to I think chances of finding a pecan budder are more likely in the southern pecan growing states... seemed to be a very popular and necessary knife among the pecan farmers!
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by galvanic1882 »

Just found another Pruning set, this one is smaller then the other 2 I have.

It is marked CAST STEEL on a couple of the blades and 2 are marked on the tang, W. THOPPE & Co over Sheffield, at least that is what it looks like. Part of the mark is worn off. Don't see that maker in Levine's or Goins. Tried online with no luck yet.

The handle is 4" on the little one and 4 5/8" on the middle one and the larger is 5". Notice on the 2 smaller handles there is a latch that takes the pressure of the backspring so you can remove the blade. Levine in his 4th edition on page 195 calls this an 1899 Edmonds Patent. I have been unable to get the abstract for the patent. I've had the Gilles set for a number of years, that is the middle handled one. The large set is a Wostenholm. I believe all of these sets are before 1899 but am not sure.

Mike
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by LongBlade »

Wow Mike - Those sets are awesome ::tu:: ::tu:: ... As much as I like horticultural knives I don't ever remember seeing sets such as the 3 you are showing (I've seen the tool knife kits but not one for horticulture) - very cool 8) ... Now something else for me to look out for in the future ::facepalm:: :D ...
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by Waukonda »

That is extremely impressive, very, very, awesome! Rght there is what it is all about.....history, uniquely and finely crafted. You can't find that at SMKW. Thanks for posting, Mike ::tu::
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by BWT »

Those are awesome Mike you’re on a roll today, those are really nice!!!
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by danno50 »

Incredible horticultural sets, Mike! ::tu:: Could the stamp on the new one possibly be W. Thorpe, not Thoppe? Tweedale has 4 listings for Thorpe. There was a William Thorpe who was involved with a couple of different partnerships between 1816 and 1831. It appears that William Thorpe continued alone from 1831 to 1833, when he died.
I sent you a PM.
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by peanut740 »

Mike ::tu::
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by djknife13 »

galvanic1882 wrote: Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:01 pm Just found another Pruning set, this one is smaller then the other 2 I have.

It is marked CAST STEEL on a couple of the blades and 2 are marked on the tang, W. THOPPE & Co over Sheffield, at least that is what it looks like. Part of the mark is worn off. Don't see that maker in Levine's or Goins. Tried online with no luck yet.

The handle is 4" on the little one and 4 5/8" on the middle one and the larger is 5". Notice on the 2 smaller handles there is a latch that takes the pressure of the backspring so you can remove the blade. Levine in his 4th edition on page 195 calls this an 1899 Edmonds Patent. I have been unable to get the abstract for the patent. I've had the Gilles set for a number of years, that is the middle handled one. The large set is a Wostenholm. I believe all of these sets are before 1899 but am not sure.

Mike
Mike, I've actively collected hawkbills for years and didn't know any of those existed. Somehow I even missed seeing the picture in Levine's Guide. Thanks for showing them.____Dave
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by 1fartsmella »

galvanic1882 wrote: Sun Apr 19, 2020 2:01 pm Just found another Pruning set, this one is smaller then the other 2 I have.

It is marked CAST STEEL on a couple of the blades and 2 are marked on the tang, W. THOPPE & Co over Sheffield, at least that is what it looks like. Part of the mark is worn off. Don't see that maker in Levine's or Goins. Tried online with no luck yet.

The handle is 4" on the little one and 4 5/8" on the middle one and the larger is 5". Notice on the 2 smaller handles there is a latch that takes the pressure of the backspring so you can remove the blade. Levine in his 4th edition on page 195 calls this an 1899 Edmonds Patent. I have been unable to get the abstract for the patent. I've had the Gilles set for a number of years, that is the middle handled one. The large set is a Wostenholm. I believe all of these sets are before 1899 but am not sure.

Mike
Another amazing find! Nice work.
Barry
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Re: Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

Post by galvanic1882 »

Thanks guys, I’m lucky to have found these. Dan I read your PM thanks. The last part of the tang is clear with 2 P’s maybe I have the first part wrong. I’ll try and post a picture of the mark when I get home.
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