Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Don L59 · Post by **Don L59** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 6:01 pm

Found this one in a flea market in town today. I have seen regular size pocket knife, hook bills, but this one’s almost 12 inches long when open. It says Hofferitz Italy on the blade. Whatt was a knife this large used for? I can’t find any information on this knife. I thought maybe one of you guys might be able to shed a little light on my flea market find. Thanks!

Mumbleypeg · Post by **Mumbleypeg** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 6:10 pm

Agricultural. The smaller ones are for harvesting produce (like grapes, etc). Some of them are larger and used like machetes, like for trimming hedgerows.

Ken

Don L59 · Post by **Don L59** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 6:17 pm

Thanks Ken. This one is quite large?

Mumbleypeg · Post by **Mumbleypeg** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 7:44 pm

I'm not sure but probably would be considered a smaller one. That looks like a good size for grapes, lettuce, etc. I have one about twice that size that came from England. Its heavy and weighted like a machete but has a hook on the end. It has been poorly sharpened to the point that most of the hook has been sharpened away. Unless you have a specialty stone for the purpose they're difficult to sharpen.

Ken

Miller Bro's · Post by **Miller Bro's** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 7:55 pm

Nice find

Here's mine a bit bigger.

Don L59 · Post by **Don L59** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 9:03 pm

Very nice! Is yours made in Italy by Hofferitz too?

Miller Bro's · Post by **Miller Bro's** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 9:12 pm

Thanks, it's not marked.

FRJ · Post by **FRJ** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 9:50 pm

Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2026 7:55 pm Nice find

Here's mine a bit bigger.

An amazing knife, Dimitri.

Don L59 · Post by **Don L59** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 10:17 pm

Ok thanks

Gunsil · Post by **Gunsil** » Sun Mar 01, 2026 11:44 pm

Hoffritz was a retailer in NYC, they didn't actually make knives. They had knives made for them on contract by many manufacturers in many different countries.

ThatWeirdKnifeGuy · Post by **ThatWeirdKnifeGuy** » Mon Mar 02, 2026 12:11 am

Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2026 7:55 pm Nice find

Here's mine a bit bigger.

Dad joke instinct almost overtook me here, but I mustered the strength to resist.

Super cool....knife?

Don L59 · Post by **Don L59** » Mon Mar 02, 2026 12:43 pm

Gunsil Thanks for the history, lesson on the Hoffritz company. I didn’t know that.

Gunsil · Post by **Gunsil** » Mon Mar 02, 2026 2:41 pm

The company was based in NYC and had a big retail store there, I visited them many times. At one point Hoffritz had over a hundred retail outlets in the US but they went out of business in I think 1996. They even had knives made for them by KA-BAR/Union Cut back in the 1930s.

Don L59 · Post by **Don L59** » Mon Mar 02, 2026 5:03 pm

Gunsil so a knife with Hoffritz name is a decent quality made knife?

Gunsil · Post by **Gunsil** » Mon Mar 02, 2026 6:38 pm

They sold lots and lots of knives, from cheap ones to expensive ones.

1967redrider · Post by **1967redrider** » Mon Mar 02, 2026 10:23 pm

I can imagine wacking off a head of lettuce or cabbage with one of those. Thanks for the info!

Don L59 · Post by **Don L59** » Mon Mar 02, 2026 10:41 pm

Thanks again Gunsil for the information. This is the first large Hawk bill I have added to my collection of sharp pointy things.

tvic · Post by **tvic** » Wed Mar 04, 2026 3:28 am

Never seen one of those before! Unusual finds for sure, guys!

All About Pocket Knives

Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook

Re: Large Hawk Bill or Bill Hook