W & S Horrabin (oldie)

[beresman]

This knife is an inexpensive eBay purchase that arrived just today. I purchased it because, well, I just liked it. It was listed (by a seller who acknowledged he has little experience with knives) as having a wooden handle, but it sure doesn't seem like wood to me. It feels sturdy enough, but under a microscope, it looks rather porous and fragile. I've taken some photos and tried as best as I can to capture the look of the material. Anybody have an idea what this is? The bone I've worked with on modern knives hasn't looked like this, but perhaps this isn't bovine, or it's from some other part of the cow where the bone is more porous.

I should add that the last photo was taken of the end of the knife, and it does appear a *little* bit more like pores and less like grain (which could mean that it is some kind of bone).

I'd appreciate anybody's thoughts on this. I'm sure some folks have a lot more experience with materials used in older knives than I do.

[Miller Bro's]

My kind of knife

Very old 1860's or earlier, bone handles and the best part is there is a fleam blade that is hidden right next to the knife blade tang. See that tab that extends out? Pull up on that to expose the blade.

It does not ride on a spring it's a friction fit.

[beresman]

My kind of knife

Very old 1860's or earlier, bone handles and the best part is there is a fleam blade that is hidden right next to the knife blade tang. See that tab that extends out? Pull up on that to expose the blade.

It does not ride on a spring it's a friction fit.

Hot Dawg! I would not have known. I thought it was just some bizarre double liner construction. There are actually two of them...And there is no liner between those and the handle material.

Also, according to the Hawley website, the company was in business between about 1833-1884 (when it was liquidated). They had a "Phoenix" trademark, granted in 1842, which this does not have. So I think your estimate of date is probably correct.

[Rockingkj]

Pretty darned special! Like it!

[Miller Bro's]

Very nice, great find!

[Waukonda]

This knife is an inexpensive eBay purchase

That is a wonderful old knife, and inexpensive makes it all the better. I have a Horrabin, but it is a little newer than yours, and not nearly as classy. Great purchase.

[Ridgegrass]

Pressed horn ?? or pressed bone??? It's really special. Love that old stuff. J.O'.

[Gtrclktr-351]

I believe that meets all the qualifications of a HOK! Great find, and cheap was just the cherry on top.

[ea42]

Pressed horn ?? or pressed bone??? It's really special. Love that old stuff. J.O'.

I was thinking horn or more likely antler as well. Awesome find!!

Eric

[tongueriver]

Wow! That is special! Could even be a civil war surgeon's battlefield find. Dug bone gets porous like that. Beautiful!

[beresman]

Wow! That is special! Could even be a civil war surgeon's battlefield find. Dug bone gets porous like that. Beautiful!

I hadn't thought about that. I did a quick google search on buried bone (which yielded almost 100% results on human remains, but the general idea is the same), which told me that bone loses density and structure if it has been buried for some time. So that makes sense--thanks!

[wlf]

Dimitri has an eye.