Spatulas!

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!
Post Reply
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Spatulas!

Post by upnorth »

The latest KnifeWorld has an article on these knife-like tools; in fact they are sometimes called palette knives in the world of Art.
Nicely made by some of the most respected companies, they are classic examples of well designed, and ergonomically pleasing tools.
The article in KW could have used a few more examples, and some more info, so I thought I would see what our esteemed group here at AAPK could dig out, and show off! :mrgreen:
I have a Russell, and an Ulster. The Binney & Smith Co. was the parent company of Crayola in Easton, PA! They not only made crayons for (likely) every one of us :shock: but also had a Fine Arts Supplies division. :)
Of course, a lot of Doctor's knives have Spatulas, so let's stick to Spatula-only tools in this thread. Please show'em if you got'em!!
Attachments
Spatulas 1.jpg
Spatulas 2.jpg
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
1949 - 2009
knife7knut
Posts: 10697
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:02 pm
Location: Tecumseh,Michigan

Re: Spatulas!

Post by knife7knut »

Here are mine:In the group picture the two middle ones are actually quill knife/letter openers.The fixed blade Russell is a bit unusual in that the handle looks to be off either a Chinese or Japanese knife but I think is original to the knife.The Ulster has an ad for aspirin stamped on it.
Attachments
BonumPaletteKnife1.JPG
BonumPaletteKnife1.JPG (26.5 KiB) Viewed 4393 times
BonumPaletteKnife3.JPG
BonumPaletteKnife3.JPG (27.52 KiB) Viewed 4393 times
GroupOfPaletteKnives.JPG
GroupOfPaletteKnives.JPG (24.12 KiB) Viewed 4393 times
RussellPaletteKnife1.JPG
RussellPaletteKnife1.JPG (16.85 KiB) Viewed 4393 times
RussellPaletteKnife2.JPG
RussellPaletteKnife2.JPG (16.86 KiB) Viewed 4393 times
RussellPillKnife01.JPG
RussellPillKnife01.JPG (31.73 KiB) Viewed 4393 times
RussellPillKnife02.JPG
RussellPillKnife02.JPG (24.79 KiB) Viewed 4393 times
UlsterPaletteKnife.JPG
UlsterPaletteKnife.JPG (18.92 KiB) Viewed 4393 times
Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19898
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Re: Spatulas!

Post by orvet »

Here is an Ulster spatula advertising Tums.
Ulster spat.jpg
Ulster spat b.jpg
This pic contains spatulas I often use in my shop to mix 2-part epoxies.
spatulas.jpg
The top is just an artist's palette knife, I think.
The middle one with the red handle has a faint etch on the blade. The etch says (illegible)/FREMONT, OHIO/STAINLESS. It appears that one edge of the blade has been thinned almost to a cutting edge, but not quite that sharp.
The bottom one is hot stamped on the handle to read: MILLERS FORGE MANICURE CUTLERY.
I did a little Goggling of MILLERS FORGE MANICURE CUTLERY and found that the name is still active, though I couldn't ascertain if it was the same company nor where their products were made. MILLERS FORGE MANICURE CUTLERY is the brand name of a line of pet grooming products, nail clippers, tartar scrapers, thinning shears, scissors, combs etc.
I am not sure what a person would use a spatula for while grooming their pets, but Millers Forge made one!

Here is a cool pic of a Millers Forge box for pet nail clippers.
I found this pic on line while searching Millers Forge.
millersforge.jpg
millersforge.jpg (32.49 KiB) Viewed 4342 times

Dale
Dale
AAPK Administrator

Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet

Job 13:15

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Spatulas!

Post by upnorth »

Nice that a few other guys collect spatulas! Nice ones too!!

For a while I though maybe I was weird! Wait . . . . .I AM weird!! :lol:
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
1949 - 2009
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19898
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Re: Spatulas!

Post by orvet »

upnorth wrote: For a while I though maybe I was weird! Wait . . . . .I AM weird!! :lol:
That's OK Charlie.
We know...................that is why you fit in here so well. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Dale
Dale
AAPK Administrator

Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet

Job 13:15

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
User avatar
RobesonsRme.com
Posts: 10129
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:44 pm
Location: The Heart of Dixie.
Contact:

Re: Spatulas!

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

There's a nice little pearl handled folding spatula on *bay right now.
No tang mark, as I recall.
Seller is a man named Mead Bates. I've dealt with him several times over the years. Never had a problem.
I do not generally post *bay items in the Knife Lore forum, but I thought one of you might be interested.
Charlie Noyes
DE OPPRESSO LIBER

"...Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons ___but they are helpless against our prayers. "

Sidlow Baxter
User avatar
Miller Bro's
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 13631
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:22 pm
Location: Earth

Re: Spatulas!

Post by Miller Bro's »

I have several of these.

The Russell`s are common, other name brands not so common.

Here is a scarce Miller Bro`s.
AAPK Janitor
369
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19898
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Re: Spatulas!

Post by orvet »

I just got back from the Oregon mini-show.
Turnout was not what we had hoped for because of an ice storm that rolled in in the wee hours of this morning.
I guess that just meant less competition for the "good pieces." :lol: :lol:

Actually it meant that we had time to visit and that part was glorious! The driving, ......not so much.

I managed to add this to my collection of spatulas.
I believe Universal Resistain, is a name used by Landers, Frey & Clark, (LF&C).

Dale
Attachments
Universal spat.jpg
universal spat b.jpg
Dale
AAPK Administrator

Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet

Job 13:15

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Spatulas!

Post by upnorth »

Nice that a person can fish up an old thread, and continue on!
Great L.F. & C, Dale!
Just received these from one of the AAPK vendors here.
Another small Russell (I don't know why, but I just NEED two of them :roll: ), and a huge Russell!! :shock:
Over 5" long, closed of course!!
Nice deep etched or stamped blade.
Attachments
Russell Spatulas 1.jpg
Russell Spatulas 2.jpg
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
1949 - 2009
knife7knut
Posts: 10697
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:02 pm
Location: Tecumseh,Michigan

Re: Spatulas!

Post by knife7knut »

If you ever decide you want to part with the Russell marked with the Willey logo let me know.I have a fair sized collection of vintage paint equipment(mostly spray guns and sign painter's kits;my profession)and in the collection are several cans of paint by that company(see accompanying picture).It would make a great addition to the group.
Attachments
Willeys4.jpg
Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
User avatar
thawk
Posts: 553
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:47 am
Location: Southern Plains, Arkansas River Valley
Contact:

Re: Spatulas!

Post by thawk »

upnorth wrote:Nice that a few other guys collect spatulas! Nice ones too!!

For a while I though maybe I was weird! Wait . . . . .I AM weird!! :lol:

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Hunter S. Thompson

I was perusing the spatula thread, had to toss the quote in. As a side note, I went through a Binney & Smith plant in 1963, Winfield, KS, so your Ulster spatula caught my eye. Amazing manufacturing seeing 1,000 crayons all one color come pushing out of a mold.
Hal
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Spatulas!

Post by upnorth »

knife7knut wrote:If you ever decide you want to part with the Russell marked with the Willey logo let me know.I have a fair sized collection of vintage paint equipment(mostly spray guns and sign painter's kits;my profession)and in the collection are several cans of paint by that company(see accompanying picture).It would make a great addition to the group.

K7K, I'll trade you for the Pontiac wagon I see in the background!! :mrgreen:
'55? '56?

Seriously, I collect Empire, knives and other objects;
email please,
[email protected]
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
1949 - 2009
User avatar
smiling-knife
Posts: 3365
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:39 pm
Location: Bedford, UK

Re: Spatulas!

Post by smiling-knife »

This one is slightly unusual in that the spatula is very flexible. :D s-k


Image
Rust Never Sleeps
User avatar
Miller Bro's
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 13631
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:22 pm
Location: Earth

Re: Spatulas!

Post by Miller Bro's »

SK,

Very nice old knife!

Really like the bone handles ::drool::

It is an unusual blade combination for sure ::nod::
AAPK Janitor
369
User avatar
Owd Wullie
Posts: 3627
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:31 am
Location: Macomb, MO

Re: Spatulas!

Post by Owd Wullie »

Since it is flexible, is there a possibility it might be a feeler gauge rather than a spatula?

It is a beautiful knife. ::tu::
Member of The West Texas Chapter Of Gun Ownin', Pickup Truck Drivin', Jingoistic, Right Wing, History Changin', Huge Carbon Footprint Leavin' Conspirators.
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Spatulas!

Post by upnorth »

smiling-knife wrote:This one is slightly unusual in that the spatula is very flexible. :D s-k


Image

Even though your Repeat is a repeat for me Steve, I repeat I never tire of seeing it! :mrgreen:

Very wonderful knife. I can't say I've seen another three blade with a spatula! Just Doctor's knives, and the usual special purpose single blades. Must be fairly rare!
Thanks for showing it!
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
1949 - 2009
User avatar
RobesonsRme.com
Posts: 10129
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:44 pm
Location: The Heart of Dixie.
Contact:

Re: Spatulas!

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

SK, that Needham is a great knife.

I have a Robeson three blade with a very thin, very flexible spatula as the master blade. The knife was a German import marked ROBESON / CUTLERY Co.. "GERMANY' is on the back of the master blade. So, it dates about 1892 to 1896, or so.

I've always thought of this as a pharmacist's knife. The little pen blade for cutting away the wax seal from a commercial bottle of medicine or chemical, the screw for removing the cork and the spatula for mixing/blending compounds.

There is no etch on the knife to indicate that, but I have seen a similar blade configuration on an imbossed all metal knife advertising a patent medicine company. That knife was not a Robeson. It just had the same blades and a pharmaceutical advertisement on the handles.

Charlie Noyes
Attachments
ThreeBlade7B.jpg
DE OPPRESSO LIBER

"...Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons ___but they are helpless against our prayers. "

Sidlow Baxter
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Spatulas!

Post by upnorth »

Sweet and Pearly, Charlie! I think you are absolutely right.
They had a different way of providing child-proof bottles way back then!! 8)
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
1949 - 2009
Post Reply

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