shell handled knives
- orvet
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 19885
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- Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Re: shell handled knives
The classic Sheffield pipe knife! We sold thousands of them in the smoke shops in the 1980s. They are a shell handle. The blades are really not for cutting, but for scraping the pipe bowl. It has a rounded tip because a pointed blade can dig in at the bottom of the bowl removing the carbon cake and even cutting into the wood. This can cause the briar* wood pipe bowl to burn out. If you have a favorite pipe, that is devastating, no matter if it cost $5 or $500. The burnout also affects the taste of the smoke and has a tendency to cause discomfort on the tongue.
The Sheffield knife is was one of the best and most popular pipe tools we sold. The pick is for loosening the tobacco should you pack it too tight or for removing a piece of tobacco from the shank of the bowl.
The flattened end of the knife is for tamping the tobacco.
The little Sheffield knife is petit and simple, but it is a highly specialized tool that accomplishes its purpose so successfully because its unique & specialized design.
A great little tool as the pipe smokers among us can attest!
*Briar is actually the root burl of the white heather (erica aborrea) that has grown in an arid climate and rocky soils around the Mediterranean Sea, in places like Greece, Sardinia, Corsica, Algiers, etc.
The Sheffield knife is was one of the best and most popular pipe tools we sold. The pick is for loosening the tobacco should you pack it too tight or for removing a piece of tobacco from the shank of the bowl.
The flattened end of the knife is for tamping the tobacco.
The little Sheffield knife is petit and simple, but it is a highly specialized tool that accomplishes its purpose so successfully because its unique & specialized design.
A great little tool as the pipe smokers among us can attest!
*Briar is actually the root burl of the white heather (erica aborrea) that has grown in an arid climate and rocky soils around the Mediterranean Sea, in places like Greece, Sardinia, Corsica, Algiers, etc.
Dale
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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
- whitebuffalo58
- Posts: 2743
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:35 am
- Location: SW MO Heart of the Ozarks
Re: shell handled knives
It's getting harder to find these toothpick/fish knives in a color I don't have. But, I did find this gray ice for $2 over the weekend. New one to me and in pretty decent condition.
WB
WB
- garddogg56
- Bronze Tier

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Re: shell handled knives
WB58 that is knice
what year would that be??
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
- whitebuffalo58
- Posts: 2743
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:35 am
- Location: SW MO Heart of the Ozarks
Re: shell handled knives
Thanks garddogg! I believe it dates '46-'56.
WB
WB
- ironmage
- Posts: 431
- Joined: Sun May 13, 2012 5:31 pm
- Location: Ohio
Re: shell handled knives
Joe Dirt wrote:Here is a fixed blade shell handle!
It's marked Hammer Brand, with the '45-'55 stamp.
Someone else around here has one stamped "Colonial".
They are the only two fixed blade shells of this type I have ever seen.
In order to attach the shell, it has liners that are pinned to the steel.
(help me out here folks! what is the handle area under the scales on a fixed blade called?)
...... Joe
"Sometimes the best part of a knife was the hunt",PK
" Fēng xiàng zhuàn biàn shí, yǒu rén zhú qiáng, yǒu rén zào fēng chē!"
"When the wind of change blows some build walls while others build windmills!"
" Fēng xiàng zhuàn biàn shí, yǒu rén zhú qiáng, yǒu rén zào fēng chē!"
"When the wind of change blows some build walls while others build windmills!"
- singin46
- Posts: 8126
- Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 6:57 am
- Location: MUSIC CITY
Re: shell handled knives
Nice find WB! Every once in a while you can find one but it ain't like 10 years ago when they were everywhere. 
Love all Jacks
- whitebuffalo58
- Posts: 2743
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:35 am
- Location: SW MO Heart of the Ozarks
Re: shell handled knives
Thanks Perry! And, I know whatcha mean. They're not only harder to find, but not so long ago the $2 I paid for this one would've bought atleast 2 brand new ones.
WB
WB
- singin46
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- whitebuffalo58
- Posts: 2743
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- Location: SW MO Heart of the Ozarks
Re: shell handled knives
You ain't lyin' Bro! Time is like a stealth bomber, fast, silent and deadly in the end.
WB
WB
- edgy46
- Posts: 3303
- Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2007 2:40 am
- Location: S. W. Ohio
Re: shell handled knives
Found this Saturday, been lookin for this style of shell barlow plus it's Hammer brand 
An uncontrolled accumulator.
Bill
Bill
- ironmage
- Posts: 431
- Joined: Sun May 13, 2012 5:31 pm
- Location: Ohio
Re: shell handled knives
You no that was my favorite one there.Hears another.edgy46 wrote:Found this Saturday, been lookin for this style of shell barlow plus it's Hammer brand
"Sometimes the best part of a knife was the hunt",PK
" Fēng xiàng zhuàn biàn shí, yǒu rén zhú qiáng, yǒu rén zào fēng chē!"
"When the wind of change blows some build walls while others build windmills!"
" Fēng xiàng zhuàn biàn shí, yǒu rén zhú qiáng, yǒu rén zào fēng chē!"
"When the wind of change blows some build walls while others build windmills!"
- edgy46
- Posts: 3303
- Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2007 2:40 am
- Location: S. W. Ohio
Re: shell handled knives
Thanks Ironmageironmage wrote:You no that was my favorite one there.Hears another.edgy46 wrote:Found this Saturday, been lookin for this style of shell barlow plus it's Hammer brand
Thats a nice Imperial Ireland jack.
An uncontrolled accumulator.
Bill
Bill
- garddogg56
- Bronze Tier

- Posts: 9871
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:18 am
- Location: Maine Aya up North
Re: shell handled knives
I love them Hammer barlows
and that Imperial jack is beautifull
good finds
"On the Road Again"Willie Nelson
- Iron Hoarder
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Re: shell handled knives
Here's a Richards I haven't seen before on here. Apologies if there is one and I have forgotten.






I measure my collection by the ton.
Whoever dies with the most tools wins......Now accepting donations.
Whoever dies with the most tools wins......Now accepting donations.
- ironmage
- Posts: 431
- Joined: Sun May 13, 2012 5:31 pm
- Location: Ohio
Re: shell handled knives
Iron Hoarder,Has a grate blade on a grate knife,what more could you ask for in a knife.P.S I like that name LOL
"Sometimes the best part of a knife was the hunt",PK
" Fēng xiàng zhuàn biàn shí, yǒu rén zhú qiáng, yǒu rén zào fēng chē!"
"When the wind of change blows some build walls while others build windmills!"
" Fēng xiàng zhuàn biàn shí, yǒu rén zhú qiáng, yǒu rén zào fēng chē!"
"When the wind of change blows some build walls while others build windmills!"
- singin46
- Posts: 8126
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- Location: MUSIC CITY
-
gino
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Re: shell handled knives
Here are my latest shell handles many thanks to Tom (olderdogs1) . I really dig these a lot.
-( life is too short to carry a cheap knife )-
- singin46
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- Location: MUSIC CITY
- Just Plain Dave
- Bronze Tier

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gino
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Re: shell handled knives
Thanks Perry and Dave.
I am partial to the little brown one with the bail and I like the shield on the top one.
I am partial to the little brown one with the bail and I like the shield on the top one.
-( life is too short to carry a cheap knife )-
- singin46
- Posts: 8126
- Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2007 6:57 am
- Location: MUSIC CITY
Re: shell handled knives
Hey Gino, the brown stripe as you call it is actually the rarely seen Bengal stripe like the Barlow on my card here.
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... ge_id=5991
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... ge_id=5991
Love all Jacks
- Just Plain Dave
- Bronze Tier

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- Location: Near East Texas (Cleveland area)
Re: shell handled knives
Man I want a time machine! Knowing just enough to make some money and get some of these knives new!
Looking for the magic penny!
- whitebuffalo58
- Posts: 2743
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:35 am
- Location: SW MO Heart of the Ozarks
Re: shell handled knives
Yep Gino, that Bengal Stripe is the cat's meow!!
IH, your finds always amaze me!
Nice ones, guys!
WB
IH, your finds always amaze me!
Nice ones, guys!
WB
- TripleF
- Gold Tier

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Re: shell handled knives
Knice shell handles!! 
SCOTT
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/triplef
Colonial Knife Company History ebook:
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Blog: https://scottrauberoutdoors.wordpress.c ... e-26-2026/
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/triplef
Colonial Knife Company History ebook:
https://gumroad.com/l/ZLDb
Blog: https://scottrauberoutdoors.wordpress.c ... e-26-2026/
- Joe Dirt
- Posts: 1747
- Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:10 pm
- Location: N.C. USA
Re: shell handled knives
GREAT knives!
...... Joe
I've got a camouflage knife, but I can't find it.......
..... cardboard addicted.....
"The old timer's concentrated on making knives; not keeping records!!" ~ Bonfire bob
..... cardboard addicted.....
"The old timer's concentrated on making knives; not keeping records!!" ~ Bonfire bob