Help with identifying my variety of pocket knives.

[George21]

Hi,

This would be my first post here and it won't be the last - you got a good thing going here.

I have been sitting on a collection of pocket knives for a few years. My Dad would come home from various Car Boot sales and antique fairs with various little pocket knives he'd picked up for basically nothing!

I, however, am fairly ignorant when it comes to the in's and out's of what's what! And it's only recently I've decided to see what I've got. I have done some research into some of the blades which have Hallmarks and Silvermarks such as my Sheffield Fruit Knives. But I've hit a wall with the other blades which have no marks!

Image Link: http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/7387/dscn1158r.jpg
Note: The image can be clicked to zoom in to it's original resolution.


If you have a particular interest or can tell me literally anything about any of the knives pictured it would be fantastic. If you require closer images of any of the knives they can be provided upon request.

Any info on makers, dates, materials, types, values. It'd be great.

Thanks,

George

[msteele6]

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Just to get things started, the two pearl handled ones (one of them with carved pearl) are fruit knives, they were used to slice fruit because their blades were made of silver and therefore wouldn't be affected by the acidity of the fruit. You can date them exactly by looking up the hallmarks which are stamped on the blades. The hallmarks also tell who made them, but you need a list of hallmarks to interpret them.

Much of the value of knives is due to their maker, so, to try and evaluate them you need to know what maker is stamped on the tang.

Two exact same knives one stamped Camillus and the other Case are worth considerably different amounts (even though they may have both been made by Camillus)

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[George21]

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Just to get things started, the two pearl handled ones (one of them with carved pearl) are fruit knives, they were used to slice fruit because their blades were made of silver and therefore wouldn't be affected by the acidity of the fruit. You can date them exactly by looking up the hallmarks which are stamped on the blades. The hallmarks also tell who made them, but you need a list of hallmarks to interpret them.

Much of the value of knives is due to their maker, so, to try and evaluate them you need to know what maker is stamped on the tang.

Two exact same knives one stamped Camillus and the other Case are worth considerably different amounts (even though they may have both been made by Camillus)

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Thanks for the info! I was aware they were fruit knives but I was unaware that the blades were silver due to the acids. That's news to me.

Indeed, they are the ones which I have managed to have a slight bit of success with. However perhaps you can help me with the date stamps.

I'll upload the two Hallmarks.

The first is the patterened handle. W.N. William Needham. However the date stamp looks like "1" and I can find no such stamps on http://www.925-1000.com/

Link: http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8457/dscn1112w.jpg


The second is the plain one. Its JYC. John Yeoman Cowlishaw. However the date stamp is a Y which I have not been able to locate. It is almost italic? Slanted. Whereas the Y's on the date stamps are all vertical.

LINK: http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/793/dscn1131.jpg

What's good about this JYC model is that it has "1749 AL" engaved on the bolster. Can see it fairly clearly here when viewed fullsize: http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9596/dscn1126.jpg

Any thoughts on this engraving?

[Owd Wullie]

I would think that knife is LOT newer than 1749. As to why it is there or what it means is anybody's guess.

Check the hallmarks and they should date it very nicely. That link you gave about the hallmarks has a forum as well. Probably some one there that help you date the knife.

Pretty little knife.

[George21]

I agree. Perhaps a salesperson wrote it in to try and bump the price up at a carboot or something haha.

Will check out the forum on the silvermarks site now.

Thanks!

[knife7knut]

Could you post some closeup pictures of the ivory colored knives;especially the tang stamps and the handles.Some may be ivory and some ivorine(celluloid).

[msteele6]

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Another interesting knife is the little sleeveboard pen knife with the pearl handles and no bolsters. The makers mark on that knife would be interesting.

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[George21]

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Another interesting knife is the little sleeveboard pen knife with the pearl handles and no bolsters. The makers mark on that knife would be interesting.

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Msteele6 - The one between the white-ish and the ivory-type one? That's marked A.G. But could perhaps be A.O. With a circle round it. No other marks on it. Any ideas?

Knife7knut - I'll get them pics up asap.


Also, I'm fairly ignorant. What are the small plaque-like parts on the handle? A few of my knives have them. They look like they should be marked or something but aren't.

[George21]

Just in the meantime while I get hold of these pictures, I'll tell you the marks that are on them.

From top to bottom (the ivory coloured ones on the left hand column of the image):

- Top "Ivory" one is "B.GILL&SONS Sheffield"
- Below is "IXL George Wostenholm Sheffield" (I've seen his name around the forum)
- Below that is "T.TURNER&CO, stainless, CUTLERS TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING, Sheffield"
- next is "Made in Sheffield England" but no maker marks.
- next is "IHER INOX-SPAIN"
- and at the bottom is "Stainless Sheffield England"

[orvet]

Also, I'm fairly ignorant. What are the small plaque-like parts on the handle? A few of my knives have them. They look like they should be marked or something but aren't.

Hey George,
to AAPK, the friendliest knife forum on the web.

The plaques on some handles are called the shield.
As far as I know they are for decoration and to let the user know which side is the front of the knife at a glance, as it makes a difference as to the location of the nail nicks on the blades.
I have seen left handed knives where the shield is reversed as are the nail nicks to accommodate the left handed user. Some makers will use very distinctive shields that serve to identify the maker, such as the Remington acorn.

Perhaps someone else knows other reasons for the shield.

Welcome aboard,
Dale

[George21]

Also, I'm fairly ignorant. What are the small plaque-like parts on the handle? A few of my knives have them. They look like they should be marked or something but aren't.

Hey George,
to AAPK, the friendliest knife forum on the web.

The plaques on some handles are called the shield.
As far as I know they are for decoration and to let the user know which side is the front of the knife at a glance, as it makes a difference as to the location of the nail nicks on the blades.
I have seen left handed knives where the shield is reversed as are the nail nicks to accommodate the left handed user. Some makers will use very distinctive shields that serve to identify the maker, such as the Remington acorn.

Perhaps someone else knows other reasons for the shield.

Welcome aboard,
Dale

Hey Dale,

Thanks for the insight to the shield!

Also chaps, if you look at the picture you can see alot of the blades of the pocket knives are dull or rusted. How would you suggest cleaning these? Do you think they could ever be restored to their shine or is it beyond that now?

Also I had a knife which I couldnt open due to rust, managed to get it open using some lubricating oil and some brute force and have cleaned the inside. However when I shut it it's still really stiff, any ideas how to loosen this up so it opens okay?

[Owd Wullie]

Hey Dale,

Thanks for the insight to the shield!

Also chaps, if you look at the picture you can see alot of the blades of the pocket knives are dull or rusted. How would you suggest cleaning these? Do you think they could ever be restored to their shine or is it beyond that now?

Also I had a knife which I couldnt open due to rust, managed to get it open using some lubricating oil and some brute force and have cleaned the inside. However when I shut it it's still really stiff, any ideas how to loosen this up so it opens okay?

I've had good luck by flushing the joint with lighter fluid after I've gotten it broken loose as you have. Work it open and closed several times and keep flushing the goo and junk out. When it limbers up a bit more re-oil and see how it acts. It may take a few treatments and lot of elbow grease. I've also used WD-40 or several other types of light "penetrating" oil in lieu of lighter fluid. Main thing is to get the oxide and goo that has broken loose out of the joint so it can function smoother.

Does the bigger bone handled knife on the top right have a mark?

W

[George21]

Funnily enough that's the one I've been trying to get open! Managed to work it open with lighter fluid and some oil and am currently doing as you said by keep opening and closing it and such so thanks for the tips!

It's a Sheffield England blade but that's all i can tell for now. There's a makers mark but its under rust and dirt and im not having much luck shifting it!

I'll get a picture of it tomorrow and get it posted up here for closer inspection!

Any cleaning tips anyone? Is it possible to get the blades back to shine? They're all very dull and rusted and dirty.

[Owd Wullie]

I use a very simple and very messy method. It won't shine dull steel like it was new nor will it remove anything other than rust. Just get a number 2 lead pencil and scrub the blade with the pencil lead. Keep an old rag handy and wipe off the dust. Wipe it off and oil it when you are done. Graphite dust in an old knife joint won't hurt anything either. May help things. LOL

Have fun, messing with old knives can be addicting.

[George21]

Got a few new knives.

3 more Richards of Sheffield and a Camillus. Will get pics ASAP.

Also got a SSP 1945 Knife and a Jowika.

[George21]

Pics of new knives & a few others.

Any information?

The 'Characature' penknife is off Wee Macgreegor who is apparently a Scottish nursery rhyme!
Any info on the others anyone can give?

Hallmark for a 'gold' knife I have which I need ID'ing: http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6405/dscn1136.jpg
Jack Knife Lock Back? : http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/773/dscn1142u.jpg
Wee Macgreegor: http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7837/dscn1147n.jpg
Bone? Antler? Sheffield blade: http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1548/dscn1165.jpg
Camillus: http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1728/dscn1175b.jpg
All new ones: http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1757/dscn1176p.jpg

Thanks!

G x

[Owd Wullie]

Can you get a picture of the blades and the tang stamp of this one?
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1548/dscn1165.jpg

[George21]

Can you get a picture of the blades and the tang stamp of this one?
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1548/dscn1165.jpg

Sorry, was being slow! Have just taken a whole bunch of pictures. Got a few new knives too, WW2 ones and so on. Will get pics up for ID'ing soon.

The pics of that 'bone' blade are:

Tang stamp: http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/6654/dscn1202f.jpg
Blades: http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/429/dscn1198q.jpg
Whole: http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/429/dscn1198q.jpg

Stamps just say Sheffield England on both blades.

Got me some William Rodgers / IXL / Joseph Rodgers / Jowika / Richards / SSP / Military Broad Arrow knives to post up here soon too.

[Owd Wullie]

Got me some William Rodgers / IXL / Joseph Rodgers / Jowika / Richards / SSP / Military Broad Arrow knives to post up here soon too.

Lookin forward to seeing them.

Got no idea who or what that neat little bone handled knife is. It's cool though.

[msteele6]

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On the three bladed Camillus. This is Camillus' "72" pattern. It appears to have been rehandled, it was probably originally handled in Delrin, possibly bone. A lot of collectors will call this knife a whittler because it is a balloon pattern that is often used for whittlers and it has three blades like a whittler, I would simply call it a balloon pattern. A whittler should have the two secondaries ride on separate springs in the same end, while the thicker master blade sits on both springs at the same time. Normally, a whittler will be somewhat thicker at the end where the two secondaries rest because there is a spacer between them. This knife has both secondaries resting on the same spring on opposite ends and the master resting on its own spring. Knife was made in the '60-'70's? Goin's lists this stamp as being used from 1960-76, however, in the edition that I have (1998) Goins doesn't show any stamps being used for 1957, 58, or 59. This is obviously incorrect, so this stamp might have been used in the '50's also.

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[George21]

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On the three bladed Camillus. This is Camillus' "72" pattern. It appears to have been rehandled, it was probably originally handled in Delrin, possibly bone. A lot of collectors will call this knife a whittler because it is a balloon pattern that is often used for whittlers and it has three blades like a whittler, I would simply call it a balloon pattern. A whittler should have the two secondaries ride on separate springs in the same end, while the thicker master blade sits on both springs at the same time. Normally, a whittler will be somewhat thicker at the end where the two secondaries rest because there is a spacer between them. This knife has both secondaries resting on the same spring on opposite ends and the master resting on its own spring. Knife was made in the '60-'70's? Goin's lists this stamp as being used from 1960-76, however, in the edition that I have (1998) Goins doesn't show any stamps being used for 1957, 58, or 59. This is obviously incorrect, so this stamp might have been used in the '50's also.

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Awesome, very detailed! Cheers for that! Absorbed!

Can anyone enlighten me as to why this pocket knife (an IXL George Wostenholm) has such a weird blade on it? It's a jack knife. Has a normal blade and then this oddly shaped character. It has a cutting egde (don't know if it was originally meant to be) between the two curces. There is also a "file" on the side. Any thoughts? It's also made of a very stange wood. Its warped a bit but I can't work out what it was. At least I think it's wood!

[msteele6]

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Knife appears to be a modified Electrician's knife. The oddly shaped blade was originally a screwdriver but it looks like someone has modified the end. The curved out areas were to be used as wire strippers. This a a very common pattern and there is a thread right now on this site on Electricians.

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