All About Pocket Knives

I have found many pocketknives over the last 45 years metal detecting. I can’t seem to find anything about this one. It has the look of a Sheffield knife. It was found in an 1870’s-80’s mining camp site. Can I get some history and time period when this knife might have been manufactured? I have found enough items over the years to know that just because I found it in an 1870’s-80’s site that the item could have been lost later.

Thank You in advance!
Larry

Welcome to AAPK Larry! Interesting old knife. Judging from the style of lettering and the use of the word,"Works" I would say it is of English manufacture sometime prior to 1900. I checked a couple of reference books and found nothing under Lancaster Works.If you could get the blade opened you might find the tang stamp relatively intact.Soaking it in a rust penetrant would certainly do it no harm.

It looks similar to an old 'Fruit knife'. Before the time of stainless steel blades (circa 1920) the blade on a fruit knife was made of silver which would not rust or taint the flavor of the fruit it was slicing.
Could this blade be silver under the overlying 'crud' ?
kj

I don't think it is silver Roland.The pattern of stars around the border suggest it might have been made shortly after WWI or possibly the Spanish-American War.The reason I think the tang stamp(if it has one)might still be intact is it appears the blade fit very tightly against the handles which would preclude any corrosion getting inside there.

How about this company from Lancaster, NY? This is a reproduction of their 1898 trade catalogue currently on eBay (also for sale on Amazon). They were known for machine and packing house knives not pocket knives, but maybe it was one of their advertising pieces made for them by a pocket knife company. Just a reminder that “Works” is not exclusively an English term.

Dennis

Dennis i think you have found the source behind this knife. Probably an advertising knife made for Lancaster Works of N.Y.
Top notch detective work.
kj

Thanks for the welcome and the response to my inquiry guys! Dennis, I will definitely research your info for sure!!

Thanks Again!
Larry