Northfield

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knife7knut
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Re: Northfield

Post by knife7knut »

Beautiful knives all;especially the aluminum handled and bolstered knives. Those were likely made when aluminum was more valuable than gold. As I recall reading about it;aluminum was extremely difficult to mine until the late 1880's which made it so valuable. I'll have to re-read the story.
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FRJ
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Re: Northfield

Post by FRJ »

Thank you, Ray.
Do you have any thoughts on the odd nail nick cuts?
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djknife13
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Re: Northfield

Post by djknife13 »

I just read through this thread and found it fasinating. I have a few vintage Northfields and may dig them out for a group picture when I get a few minutes. I hope you won't mind me sharing this one for now. It still has the "Hunters Pride" etch although it didn't come through well in the picture. ___Dave
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Northfield English Jack 009.JPG
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FRJ
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Re: Northfield

Post by FRJ »

Thank you, very much, for showing your fine knife, Dave. It enhances this thread greatly.
I hope to see your others.
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danno50
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Re: Northfield

Post by danno50 »

Great old knife, Dave. ::tu::
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Re: Northfield

Post by peanut740 »

Here's my ebony one like Dave's.
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djknife13
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Re: Northfield

Post by djknife13 »

Too cold today to do much but fool with my knives, so I dug out the other Northfields. The pearl is so nice that my picture doesn't come close to capturing it. They sure were Quality knives.___Dave
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djknife13
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Re: Northfield

Post by djknife13 »

Peanut that ebony is on my want list. My favorite knife is a Holley Rip Van Winkle (there version of that hunter) and the Northfield version has eluded me so far. Thanks for sharing the picture of yours. Your etch is much clearer than my English jack's. I wonder how many different patterns they etched with the "Hunters Pride". I think I've seen that on other brands too. I just noticed that your's says "Hunters Favorite" instead of Pride. I've seen that on some English knives if my memory serves.___Dave
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FRJ
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Re: Northfield

Post by FRJ »

Thanks so much for showing those great knives, guys. Really nice. ::tu::
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WelderBob
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Re: Northfield

Post by WelderBob »

Nice looking knives.. ::tu::.. I'm really liking that ebony lockback... ::drool::

My only Northfield is a three blade, I guess I'd call it a swell center stockman ( I know it says cattle knife). All tangs stamped Northfield Knife Co. Knife is 3 5/8" and snap is decent. The handles I have to call pick bone.. ::shrug::.. they are almost smooth.

I read that blades for some knives were hand forged and finished, has anyone else heard that ?


Bob
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LongBlade
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Re: Northfield

Post by LongBlade »

That is an awesome Northfield Bob ::tu:: ... That bone is sweet & the etches and swedge on the blades are just so nice... great knife all the way around!
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FRJ
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Re: Northfield

Post by FRJ »

I agree with everything LongBlade said. A great Northfield example! Beautiful shield!

Nice to see you here Bob. ::tu::
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Miller Bro's
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Re: Northfield

Post by Miller Bro's »

That`s a beauty Bob!
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Re: Northfield

Post by Beechtree »

That is a wonderful one Bob, thanks for sharing it. ::nod::
It looks to be quite early and in addition, is a fancy cattle knife given the swell center pattern, shield and stamped blades. And in answer to your question, knives were hand forged at Northfield Knife Co.
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WelderBob
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Re: Northfield

Post by WelderBob »

Thank you guys, I'm glad you all like it....and thanks for the conformation on the forged blades... ::handshake::

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thefarside
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Re: Northfield

Post by thefarside »

Here is an old medium sized coke bottle, well used. Both blades stamped Northfield Knife Co.
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FRJ
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Re: Northfield

Post by FRJ »

Nice looking old jack, you have there, thefarside. Thanks for showing it.
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biglmbass
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Re: Northfield

Post by biglmbass »

That coke bottle is a peach. ::tu:: ::tu::
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wlf
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Re: Northfield

Post by wlf »

Nice ones Dave and Bob and Killer Wolverine.
I buy roosters combs and farmers..........................................................jack knives [/b]

GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf

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Re: Northfield

Post by Lansky1 »

FRJ wrote:
RobesonsRme.com wrote:You just gotta love this kind of stuff re' any old knife company, regardless of what you, yourself actually collect. Charlie
I agree Charlie. Collecting these old personal tools can get you steeped right into the history of these old cutlers and cutlery firms.
It's great stuff.
Thanks Charlie.

I did go up there yesterday and took some pictures. A couple show my car on the edge of the road and looking over the site, as I said,
you would never know it was there.

Joe - thanks for the pictures & articles/pics. Looking back at your threads from a couple years ago ... I think you said the state owns the property. I would be tempted to bring a metal detector up there - never know what you might find. Not sure if this is ethical or even legal - but it would be tempting ...
pffffft that's not a knife ......... now THAT'S a knife !! Crocodile Dundee

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LongBlade
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Re: Northfield

Post by LongBlade »

Lansky - legal or not that site is not a secret and not well off any beaten track - I can guarantee over the last 100 years and since it closed that site has had folks looking for artifacts - to what degree I do not know... Personally I am just glad that remnants of the site are still there and folks have shown some respect in terms of not taking pieces of the foundation, mortices (except for one mortice that perhaps looked to have had a hammer taken to it) - unfortunately that is not the case with many historic sites that have been ransacked or just mowed over to be made into something else & not just here but in our country in general - I believe they call it progress to turn old sites into modern buildings, shopping centers etc :roll: ... just as an aside - everything that was left in that knife factory was moved years & years ago... and unfortunately was not preserved properly - and IMHO a real shame... enough said...

CT has done a pretty good job of preserving much of our history but not in all cases... in my area the rock property walls have remained for hundreds of years (and I don't think you would find another area in New England with more of these walls than here - you can see these walls in deep woods from long ago)... those walls are protected in terms of preservation - it is a criminal offense to remove those rocks from the old walls - and rightly so... no doubt there are artifacts of all kinds probably still to be found in the deep woods and I am not speaking about old knife factory sites or knife-related artifacts though I would imagine one could find all sorts of old tools etc in our deep woods - as an example a friend of mine was digging a hole on his property for a bush to be planted and came across an old tin full of civil war coins - digging here is a feat in itself as CT is full of ledge and rock - just simple holes for plants become a major job ::nod:: .... but I don't think folks would take kindly to "treasure" seekers ripping up the land ::td:: .... and please don't misinterpret my comments as they are not directed at you but to many folks who probably read this website and are not only tempted but decide it is their right to disturb what should be left alone for others to enjoy in the future.... this is not a rant but I feel strongly about preservation...

BTW - Joe and I were just at the Northfield site a few weeks back... another thread with a few other pics... http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... =2&t=48536
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FRJ
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Re: Northfield

Post by FRJ »

Thank you, John, for checking out the thread.
As Lee said, I think the area has been scoured pretty well over the years but the foundations have been left alone as have the large stone blocks with the cut out mortise in the foundry area. One is damaged and I think one is missing.
This is not a large area. There isn't any part of it that you couldn't hit by throwing a stone.
It's a nice place to visit and I'm really grateful to live so close.
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FRJ
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Re: Northfield

Post by FRJ »

Well I got a couple of Boy$ Knives today. They're about 2 3/4" closed.
The bone handled two blade knife was made by Ray Platts in Northfield. He used Holley blades. He attempted to get rid of the Holley name but never quite succeeded. I wonder how much it mattered to him. He got his Northfield stamp on the tang.
Different pin placement from mark side to pile side. Unique little knife. I'm glad to have it.

The other knife is a Northfield Knife Co. Conn.
It has imperfect horn covers that suit me just fine. And a beautiful little blade that is just right.
Both of these knives are very well made and have no wobble and great snap.

Last picture ........... 3 Northfield Boys knives.
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danno50
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Re: Northfield

Post by danno50 »

Nice ones, Joe. Love the bone on the two bone handled ones.
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FRJ
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Re: Northfield

Post by FRJ »

Thanks, Dan. Glad you like them. ::tu::
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