Clayton Knife

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 7:21 am

I recently acquired this knife made by Graham Clayton. Clayton worked for Ibberson up until the mid 70s and then made knives under the trade name Digbys. This one was made in the early 1990s when Clayton displayed his talent at the Kellam Island Museum in Sheffield. Visitors could watch him make knives in his shop. Gr8 scout posted a few e.g.,s of Claytons work in an earlier thread. This knife is 5 inches long closed and the blade is about 4 inches long.

s-k

MITCH RAPP · Post by **MITCH RAPP** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:17 pm

S-K; OUTSTANDING!

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:43 pm

wow, what a beautiful knife!

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:47 pm

Thank-you very much guys

. It is one of my finest.

s-k

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 3:51 pm

Quite elegant and unique. I really like the front bolster design, flared. From there the design flows quite well for a sleek look. Thanks for sharing, that is a beautiful knife-skilfully done.

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:52 pm

Very nice, s-k!

Bill

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:19 am

Truly beautiful knife. I know you will value this one as much as I do my few Claytons. I mailed you the scans of the relevant pages (from the Kelhams Visiters guide) this morning.
Thanks for showing this one off. ONce more.. beautfiul work.
Phil

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 7:37 am

Thanks guys and thanks very much Phil for sending me a copy of the visitors' guide. I appreciate it very much.

s-k

Gunsmoke47 · Post by **Gunsmoke47** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 1:32 pm

That's a real beauty s-k!

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:25 pm

Beautiful knife S-K

Dale

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 7:45 pm

A very beautiful piece of "bladed artwork"

SK, he does fantastic work, very nice

Sunburst

Forensic Jim · Post by **Forensic Jim** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:27 am

S-K that knife is really something. Thanks for sharing the photos.

Edgewise · Post by **Edgewise** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:50 pm

smiling-knife wrote:...It is one of my finest. s-k

I've heard that Clayton was one of the best makers of bowies as well.
I wonder if he's still around!
Super knife, s-k!

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:13 pm

Thanks for the positive feedback everyone. As far as I know Graham is no longer making knives. I will try to find more information.

s-k

stancaiman · Post by **stancaiman** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:05 pm

nice knife : it's look like a laguiole (general design)

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:18 pm

Thanks for the responses guys

Stan, yes it does have a similar smooth flow to Laguiole knives. The handle is much wider though.

I have a few French knives that I will post and hopefully you will be able to provide some information. Thanks

s-k

Edgewise · Post by **Edgewise** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 1:14 pm

stancaiman wrote:nice knife : it's look like a laguiole (general design)

Yes. A typically Western European design.
I think it's called Yatagan or something like that but I don't know the origin of the word.

stancaiman · Post by **stancaiman** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 1:31 pm

Edgewise wrote:
stancaiman wrote:nice knife : it's look like a laguiole (general design)
Yes. A typically Western European design.
I think it's called Yatagan or something like that but I don't know the origin of the word.

yes it's a yatagan blade coming from the south of europe (spain). the legend say that the laguiole (by a knife maker nammed Calmels) was designed after he had see the knife belonging to the spanish workers (who come every spring working in this country). my english is very bad today, sorry

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 4:45 pm

stancaiman wrote: my english is very bad today, sorry

No problem Stan, my French is nonexistent!

Dale

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 5:17 pm

Stan, your English is better than that of many of our countrymen.

Phil

mickwhitt · Post by **mickwhitt** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 5:38 pm

Hi All,

just made a member after seeing a thread about Graham Clayton. He was here at my house having a meal when we searched on his name.

He is alive and well and living in Sheffield. He stopped making knives commercially due to the downturn in business. He still makes the odd knife and does repairs as and when needed. Graham taught me to make knives and I now make the odd miniature as a hobby.

I have a couple of Clayton originals which I treasure. If anyone wants to know more about Graham and the knives he has made then I would be happy to ask him and post on this site. Who knows he may even fire up the grindstones and turn out some more of his unique work.

Mick.

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:12 pm

Oh my gawd! This is just wonderful. Please, please, ask Mr. Clayton to join us here. I want to thank him in person for the great knives he has made, tell him how much I appreciate them and maybe ask some quesitons.

Thank you too!

Phil

mickwhitt · Post by **mickwhitt** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:38 am

Hi Phil,

no problem, I will speak to Graham and get him to answer any questions you may have. Please psot any questions here and I'll happily ask away. Graham has a very rare skill and it really upset me when he decided that he could no longer make knives full time. But you have to earn a living.

I will take some digital images of my Clayton knives and post them here for all to see.

Thanks,

Mick

Gr8Scout · Post by **Gr8Scout** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 1:02 am

My apologies for being tardy in posting again.

Still very excited that Mr. Clayton visited our site. Happy to show him a couple of his knives that I truly am happy and proud to own.

I collect texas toothpics, and have over a hundred of them, from 1907 to now. All five or five and a half inches long, some 4 1/4 inchers, but there is only one that measures six full inches, closed. Beautiful jigged bone handled, great polished blade. Tang mark is DIGBYS KELLAN ISLAND.

Also, showing a Britsh Commando type knife, in the sew on style sheath. Even has the 'thumb print' . Tang mark is DIGBYS.

And last, a knife I sometimes pocket carry. About the size of a Buck 112 Tanger. Nice lockback, blade etch: SWINDEN CLAYTON SHEFFIELD. I guess this was a knife made by Mr. Clayton and Roland Swinden.

In the preceeding posts, a mention is made of a nicely printed visiters guide to Kellam Island that I copied and sent to another member. Nice pics of some great knife makers at work.

I always wanted a Clayton bowie, hopefully someday I will find one.

Mr Clayton, welcome to our forum! My questions on these knives is mostly when they were made, approximately and any comments you wish to make.

Phil

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 8:32 am

Very nice Phil

. Quite a variety. This is my little Digby's knife. I'm still looking for a copy of the Kelham Island Guide if anyone has a spare. Mick really looking forward to seeing your photos.

s-k