America's "Little Sheffield"

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!
Duffer
Posts: 1020
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by Duffer »

James, a shadow pattern folder is where the folder has NO bolsters or is bolsterless. Yours looks like it is somewhat of a subtle sleeve board design. I would call yours then a sleeve board shadow pattern Whittler. Could be a split back if it has a wedge separating the springs although some Whittler patterns are not spilt back. Some say the shadow pattern is a weak design without the rigidity the bolsters add. However, if the front pivot pin is correctly peened and the tang fitted well to the handles it can be a pretty strong folder especially with modern synthetic handles. Probably not so much on a 100+ year old folder with stressed bone.
Lloyd
JAMESC41001
Posts: 892
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:14 pm

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by JAMESC41001 »

Lloyd, couple more pics.
C9EA0450-8366-4F10-97A3-F328456673D4.jpeg
FDC2F74B-BE84-4B18-9D45-10BDE1D280F3.jpeg
9FB98F36-1F95-431B-A3FC-8D06CEEC7767.jpeg
Duffer
Posts: 1020
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by Duffer »

Yup James that is a split back Whittler pattern small shadow folder. The tang stamp shows it to be an early Schrade! Very nice and rare ::tu::
Lloyd
User avatar
FRJ
Posts: 15182
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 1:43 pm
Location: Ct.

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by FRJ »

Very nice whittler, there. ::tu::
Joe
JAMESC41001
Posts: 892
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:14 pm

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by JAMESC41001 »

Thanks guys. Special knife. Was a gift from a good friend.
Jay
User avatar
KAW
Posts: 522
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:33 pm
Location: was Ulster Co., NY; now Hanover Co., VA

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by KAW »

WOW!... I really need to get back here more often!...
Llyod... Thanks for defining what a shadow pattern folder is... that's why I find this board so fascinating... I'm always get to expand my knowledge.
Jay... Those are some really neat knives. Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see any description about the 3rd knife with the very distinctive file blade. BTW, I really do dig the old vs new photos... I did a similar comparison between a Schrade Cut. Co. & Canal Street Cut. stockmans I have...

10054 10055
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
User avatar
KAW
Posts: 522
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:33 pm
Location: was Ulster Co., NY; now Hanover Co., VA

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by KAW »

Beside the Schrade Walden knives I have in the tubes... I also picked up a 1972 Schrade Walden retail display case I am also on a mission to fill with NOS specimens correct for the period. So far... I have only the 8OT & 34OT... the 25OT slot is currently occupied by a 225H & the 15OT slot is being kept "warm" by a 148 until I can acquire the proper knives... and with the empty slots yet to fill, I'm getting a sense this might end up being a long term project... plus I keep getting distracted by all these other great knives out there... (prelude to my next post.)

10730
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
User avatar
KAW
Posts: 522
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:33 pm
Location: was Ulster Co., NY; now Hanover Co., VA

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by KAW »

Thanks to Roger (peanut740)... today I became the proud owner of this Dwight Devine & Sons' Ulster splitback whittler...
pattern №31550X @ 3⅝" closed with horn handles (1926−41)... ::ds:: I've been drooling all day! ::drool::
P.S. My photos really don't do the horn handles justice... ::sotb:: ::facepalm:: ::td::
[Edit] I guess I should mention that is a newly acquired folding rule... 12" C−S Co. (Chapin−Stephens) of Pine Meadows, Conn. (1901−29) № 65.

10731 10732
10733 10734
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
User avatar
KAW
Posts: 522
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:33 pm
Location: was Ulster Co., NY; now Hanover Co., VA

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by KAW »

Returning with a vengence!!! ::super_happy:: ...FOUR posts in a row...

Back in April, I attended my first knife show and the Lehigh Valley Knife Show's first spring-time show. There was a dealer that had a dozen or so old knife boxes he was selling for $80 a piece... New York Knife Co., Keen Kutter, & others... for the old Schrade Cutlery he wanted $90. Seemed a bit much to me, but I'm new to this hobby & this was my first exposure to these types of items. It seems odd to me that the boxes should sell for as much as the knives that came in them! ::shrug::

Later on that afternoon, I stopped in an antique shop in a nearby town and found an Ulster Knife Co. box for only $14. Granted it does not have any fancy graphics on it, but needless to say it came home with me as my real prize of the day. It doesn't show up in the photo but on the side label it is printed with the Supplee-Biddle Hardware Company (Philadelphia) as the retailer... which supports the time period for the box to be between 1914−41.

10735
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
User avatar
Miller Bro's
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 11618
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:22 pm
Location: Earth

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by Miller Bro's »

Nice knives Ken!

You made a good score on that Ulster box ::tu::
AAPK Janitor
369
Duffer
Posts: 1020
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by Duffer »

Ken, very nice Divine true split back Whittler pattern folder and that Ulster box is great—especially for that price ::woot:: ::tu::
Lloyd
JAMESC41001
Posts: 892
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:14 pm

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by JAMESC41001 »

Ken, love the horn handles on the Ulster. This is a keeper for sire Great box as well.
User avatar
peanut740
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 7575
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:32 pm
Location: Ohio, along the river
Contact:

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by peanut740 »

KAW wrote:Thanks to Roger(peanut740)... today I became the proud owner of this Dwight Devine & Sons' Ulster splitback whittler... pattern №31550X @ 3⅝" closed with horn handles (1926−41)... ::ds:: I've been drooling all day! ::drool::
P.S. My photos really don't do the horn handles justice... ::sotb:: ::facepalm:: ::td::

10731 10732
10733 10734
Your welcome Ken. ::handshake::
Roger
User avatar
FRJ
Posts: 15182
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 1:43 pm
Location: Ct.

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by FRJ »

Nice knives, Ken. ::tu::

That Dwight Divine with the double pulls and the recess at the nail nick is a fine knife. Very fine! ::nod::
Joe
User avatar
danno50
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 3657
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:05 am
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by danno50 »

Very nice, Ken! ::tu:: ::tu::
Dan
User avatar
KAW
Posts: 522
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:33 pm
Location: was Ulster Co., NY; now Hanover Co., VA

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by KAW »

Thanks all for the kind comments. :D
[Edit] I starting to think that the double pull on the master blade of the Ulster whittler was not originally intended. I'm thinking the nail nick was added after discovering the blade can not be opened by the match pull. As try as I might, I can not get the blade to open by the pull so close to the tang... the double spring is way too stiff.
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
JAMESC41001
Posts: 892
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:14 pm

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by JAMESC41001 »

Picked up a Honk Falls nutter. Only about 2 1/2” closed. Very strong little knife.
BD5DE6F1-E79D-4F17-BF9E-F7168EFEC971.jpeg
User avatar
KAW
Posts: 522
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:33 pm
Location: was Ulster Co., NY; now Hanover Co., VA

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by KAW »

James... Very nice... & no doubt pretty rare! I just found an Ulster nutter on eBay that explains what a nutter is... ::uc::
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
User avatar
FRJ
Posts: 15182
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 1:43 pm
Location: Ct.

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by FRJ »

So ... this rooster walks in to the bar and the bartender says " why the long face"? ....................
Joe
JAMESC41001
Posts: 892
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:14 pm

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by JAMESC41001 »

Thanks Ken. I have two friends who have a Honk Falls nutter in their collection. I have see another one on the web. That makes four with mine. That actually makes this pattern the most common one I have seen. The seller I purchased this nutter from has sold me several honks that were dead mint and crazy rare finds. When he offered to sell this nutter he said the same thing. That it is very rare and he proceeded to double the price of the previous knives?? I did not argue though, he was on the fence about letting it go. What can you do. It’s an unused honk, clear tang stamp and pulls a little hard like it just came from the factory. Just bit the bullet and sent the loot.
Joe I’m cant figure out if that rooster joke is missing a beginning or an end but it’s funny.
User avatar
KAW
Posts: 522
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:33 pm
Location: was Ulster Co., NY; now Hanover Co., VA

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by KAW »

I see there's a recently active thread about Ulster knives, but decided to selfishly post to my own... :mrgreen:

Just came back from a trip to Virginia. Little did I expect to find a small treasure of Ulster knives while hitting the antique shops there.

...but first an eBay acquisition I made just before leaving & was waiting for me upon my return...
this gentleman's pen knife come in at just under 3" with a file opposite the pen blade.
The seller claims the handle is faux tortoise shell, but how can you tell?

10861

Then while down in Virginia I found this neat ole Ulster barlow with bone handles. Altho the main spear blade has lost all its snap, both blades look nearly full...

10858 10859

...and then this Dewight Devine & Sons Ulster Boy Scout knife in really fine shape (far better condition than the Ulster Scout I posted earlier in this thread!) Since Devine reorganized the company to include his sons in 1926, I'm assuming this tang stamp dates from then until his sons sold the company to Baer in 1941. So would that mean the Ulster Knife Co. tang stamp without the Devine & Sons name would pre-date 1926 such as the two examples above?

10862

... then I found a couple of Schrade's Ulster line stockman patterns. The smaller №355S at 3¼" and without a shield in the "black stagged" handles is actually older (mid−50's) but I believe was never carried... while the larger 4" №98 with "Genuine Staglon® handles is from the late 1960's until the line was discontinued in 1972.

10860

... so there you go.... 5 Ulsters... all very reasonably priced... and I found a Prince Albert tobacco tin with the Ulster "Old Timer" knives offer for only $4... ::groove::

10857

Now I just have to get the knives... which have gone for some outrageous sums of $$$ on eBay lately... ::mdm::
... not to mention bringing home a Schrade Scrimshaw Outdoors series display case I now need to fill... the quest goes on...
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
User avatar
FRJ
Posts: 15182
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 1:43 pm
Location: Ct.

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by FRJ »

Nice knives you got there, Ken. And neat tobacco tin too.

Here is a very nice New York Hammer Brand pen knife. No half stops. 3 5/16" closed.
Attachments
DSCN2987.JPG
DSCN2992.JPG
DSCN2997.JPG
DSCN2999.JPG
DSCN3002.JPG
Joe
User avatar
FRJ
Posts: 15182
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 1:43 pm
Location: Ct.

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by FRJ »

Here is a sweet little Wharncliffe shadow pen.
New York Knife Co. Walden. 2 15/16" closed.

Mark side appears to be cracked or scratched. It isn't. That just rubbed off. Wish I had seen that before the glamour shot.
Attachments
DSCN2971.JPG
DSCN2972.JPG
DSCN2978.JPG
DSCN2982.JPG
DSCN2984.JPG
Joe
Duffer
Posts: 1020
Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Las Vegas, NV

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by Duffer »

Joe very nice/attractive Vintage Hammer Brand & NYKC Pen Knives ::tu:: ::tu:: Nicely Photographed also!
Lloyd
User avatar
KAW
Posts: 522
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2017 8:33 pm
Location: was Ulster Co., NY; now Hanover Co., VA

Re: America's "Little Sheffield"

Post by KAW »

Joe It has to be more than coincidence that you posted on my birthday... :D
Yes that's some very nice bone on that very traditional looking NYK pen knife...
& the MoP Wharncliffe shadow pen has some real character to it.

Also more than coincidence is after ogling after the Kingston you posted early on in this thread, I came across a similar one at an antique show at the Warren County fairgrounds in NJ at the end of last month. Just imagine my delight.... ::ds::

10903

Actually I really hit the jackpot that day... one dealer had some pocket folders thrown into a box on a table & I decided to sort through them. Not only did I find the Kingston... but this 80 to 90 year old Dwight Devine & Sons' Ulster equal end cattle knife with MoP handles. The blades edges still sharp enough that I've been carrying it ever since. ::super_happy::

10905 10904

... then I found a rare one to boot... a Wardlow Cutlery Co. / Walden NY jack. Don't know anything about this one. Definitely has seen some hard times and I usually stay away from such worn out knives but the mystery as well as someone bothering to sharpen the secondary blade right down to the nail nick intrigued me. Besides I couldn't pass on the $20 price for all three.... ::groove::

10907 10906 10908
'til later....
Ken

10031 means.... never having a dull moment. 8)
Post Reply

Return to “Knife Lore - Traditional Knives From the Old Days”