America's "Little Sheffield"

[BWT]

Very nice James

[JAMESC41001]

Thanks for all the great comments guys. I think they help capture why the Hudson valley was America’s little sheffield.

[FRJ]

Here's yet another old Ulster Knife Co... at 3 5/16" with steel liners & pine, no shield, I'm wondering if this jack would be considered a Boy's knife? I'm sorry it doesn't show up well in the photo... but I really like the grain of the wood handle on this one... again with the questions... Would the wood of the handle be Cocobolo?

What a nice knife that is, Ken.
As far as I know the only thing that would keep it from being a boys knife would be the secondary pen, but I'm not real clear on that.

I think the Cocobolo is a reasonable assumption for the handle.
I guess I couldn't be more vague, middle of the road, wishy washy on these two subjects.

Well, I know for certain that I like those knives of James. Good show James.

[Waukonda]

Nice, REALLY nice knives, James and Ken.

[BWT]

Thanks Joe & Dan. Yea... seems like a difficult quest to find those "missing" tools that go with the knife... but still hoping... one day...

Here's yet another old Ulster Knife Co... at 3 5/16" with steel liners & pine, no shield, I'm wondering if this jack would be considered a Boy's knife? I'm sorry it doesn't show up well in the photo... but I really like the grain of the wood handle on this one... again with the questions... Would the wood of the handle be Cocobolo?

Very nice Ken great condition I can’t help you about the boys knife comment?

[JohnR]

Thanks Joe & Dan. Yea... seems like a difficult quest to find those "missing" tools that go with the knife... but still hoping... one day...

Here's yet another old Ulster Knife Co... at 3 5/16" with steel liners & pine, no shield, I'm wondering if this jack would be considered a Boy's knife? I'm sorry it doesn't show up well in the photo... but I really like the grain of the wood handle on this one... again with the questions... Would the wood of the handle be Cocobolo?

Nice one Ken, as far as I know it is right at the upper limit size wise of being a boys knife I don't think it matters whether it's one blade or two blade but Lee is the expert on boys knives I'm sure he will chime in.

[JAMESC41001]

Hey Ken, meant to chime in earlier. I like that Ulster. I’m assuming it was made during the war hence the steel liners?? Don’t know much about boys knives but I know a good worthwhile cutting tool when I see it. Nice pick up.

[danno50]

Lovely Ulster, Ken!
Three beauties, James, I really like the arch stamp Cut Co!

[peanut740]

Ulster Knife Co.,5 blade sowbelly.All blades marked and a light Ulster Brand etch remains.

[danno50]

Great knife, Roger!

[JohnR]

Ulster Knife Co.,5 blade sowbelly.All blades marked and a light Ulster Brand etch remains.

What a wonderful knife Roger!

[JAMESC41001]

That’s quite a knife.

[DM11]

Roger

[peanut740]

Thanks guys.It is quite a knife.Only the 2nd old 5 blade sowbelly I've owned.

[stockman]

Roger I really like your 5 blade. Just the perfect addition to any collection. Harold

[peanut740]

Thanks Harold.

[espn77]

Great knife Roger

[Duffer]

Roger, wonderful knife

[peanut740]

Thanks Keith and Lloyd.

[ObsidianEdge]

Incredible knife, Roger!

[KAW]

Very Sweeeeet... Roger... a thumbs up for each blade.....
altho I have to admit... if I owned such a knife... I'd spend more trying to decide which blade to use than actually using it...

On a different note... I just received this 2⅜” Walden Knife Co. pen knife / cigar cutter on a fob chain... all gold tone (not sure if it is gold filled).
On the pile side it is marked but partial obscured... what is readable is SHEF / STE... so I'm assuming it is SHEFFIELD / STEEL. Could this possibly date this item? It appears to be only light used... if at all... I cleaned up the blade a bit... but due to a lack of a camera at the moment, I'm using the seller's photos...

Now I'm considering changing my name in order to match the monogram in order to carry it...

[peanut740]

Phoenix Knife Co.I bought a few days ago from Steve(Knifeaholic).Skimming down through his Ebay store I noticed what I thought was a Miller Brothers WWI rope knife because I didn't read the description. I looked at a couple photos and said to myself "it had pins instead of screws".I then read the headline and then the tang and said wow!.I had never seen a Phoenix marked one before. I have owned many Miller Brothers.

[doglegg]

Knice knife Ken, or is it James Victor Davidson.
Roger, you picked up a sweet one there.

[Doc B]

Not near as nice, of an Ulster, as your last one posted, Roger...but didn't see an Ulster like this posted. It is 3 5/16" closed. The bone on it is beautiful; but, sadly, it was chipped in two places, on the front. Additionally, it was missing a scale pin, on the back. I replaced the missing pin and did an Acraglas repair.
What constitutes a "lobster" knife? I've seen 3 and more blades, where one comes out the back, referred to as a lobster. Would this gentlemen's knife be considered a "lobster", with the nail file coming out the back, and only having 2 blades?

[KAW]

Rodger... Very knice looking rope knife! Really great lookin' bone handles on that one!
...but I am unfamiliar with Phoenix Knife Co. & of course today I don't have access to my newly acquired Goins. Was it a brand made by one of the Hudson Valley manufactures?

Doc B Like Rodger's 5 blade Ulster he recently posted here... your lobster is another unusual pattern for Ulster Knife.
You have done a great job on repairing the handle!

What constitutes a "lobster" knife? I've seen 3 and more blades, where one comes out the back, referred to as a lobster. Would this gentlemen's knife be considered a "lobster", with the nail file coming out the back, and only having 2 blades?

From the "Lobsters & Orange Blossoms" thread:

An excerpt from Levine's guide 4: James Crawshaw, a cutler & merchant who worked in Sheffield from about 1817 to 1850, invented a new style of pen knife in the 1820's. An 1831 history described it as "the lobster-knife, by which four blades open upon one spring...which instead of forming the back, as in the old method, is placed along the middle of the handle and between the scales or side of the handle, so that it works on each side, hence admits of blades at each end & even any number of them. The mode of slitting the spring gave rise to the many-bladed knives in all their varieties. Mr. Crawsha took out no patent, but is a wholesale manufacturer." (extract courtesy Geoffrey Tweedale)

So my interpretation is... its not the number of blade that defines the pattern but the placement of the spring that allows blades placed on both sides of the handle.