America's "Little Sheffield"

Miller Bro's · Post by **Miller Bro's** » Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:22 am

Nice finds Ken and Joe

Might as well throw this Ulster in here

BWT · Post by **BWT** » Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:04 pm

Very nice Dimitri, there is nothing not to like about that one!!

Miller Bro's · Post by **Miller Bro's** » Sat Sep 22, 2018 9:28 pm

Thanks Bill!

KAW · Post by **KAW** » Mon Sep 24, 2018 1:32 am

Dimitri... Thanks for adding another fine example of a classic Ulster knife...

To all that are viewing this... post them if you got them...

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Mon Sep 24, 2018 1:36 am

Thats one nice hefty looking dog leg Dimitri

.. nice bone too

Miller Bro's · Post by **Miller Bro's** » Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:28 am

Thanks Ken and Lee!

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Mon Sep 24, 2018 3:56 am

Some great knives in this thread.

Old Ulster 4" farmers jack, plus a few other Ulsters. The last being mine and Dale's infamous Ulster Nkife Co knives.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Mon Sep 24, 2018 3:33 pm

Some real beauties Lyle

... seems that Ulster put some real effort in making farmers jacks based on this variety?? Did other companies make such a variety in terms of different handles? And was the pattern primarily American made?

I digress here abit and this should be in Lamb Foot thread but... Interesting to me that the Lamb Foot was a British horticultural pattern that is still sold in England well over 100 years later and used there still to this day... to that point a British good buddy of mine from fly fishing (not at all a knife collector) when asked about lamb foot knives says he remembers them from his younger days from work around the garden and still today knows many that use them (but he never heard of a farmers jack).. as you know A Wright & Son cutlery which is one of just a few remaining cutleries in Sheffield still makes them (though have read mixed reviews of their knife quality)..

BWT · Post by **BWT** » Mon Sep 24, 2018 4:24 pm

Very nice Lyle, thanks for sharing those

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 4:53 pm

LongBlade wrote:Some real beauties Lyle ... seems that Ulster put some real effort in making farmers jacks based on this variety?? Did other companies make such a variety in terms of different handles? And was the pattern primarily American made?

I digress here abit and this should be in Lamb Foot thread but... Interesting to me that the Lamb Foot was a British horticultural pattern that is still sold in England well over 100 years later and used there still to this day... to that point a British good buddy of mine from fly fishing (not at all a knife collector) when asked about lamb foot knives says he remembers them from his younger days from work around the garden and still today knows many that use them (but he never heard of a farmers jack).. as you know A Wright & Son cutlery which is one of just a few remaining cutleries in Sheffield still makes them (though have read mixed reviews of their knife quality)..

The pattern seems most prevalent around the last quarter up till the depression, and with the decline of the knife industry and industrialization, so the decline in pocket knives that had an exclusive niche.

Schrade offered the greatest variety of farmers jacks and several handle choices over the years.I have never considered the variety of handle choices only. Walden made them in various handle materials as did Camillus . Utica was a prolific jobber and maker.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:19 pm

Thanks Lyle

... I think I forgot to note in the question a variety of handles "and secondary blade"s - to the point of blades which I feel are more important I see some are a larger pen blade while others were "rooster combs" as you call them... I think I did tell you about the mint Empire Farmers Jack but never had the chance to photograph it for you and I may not ever see it again... I know a few companies in CT made Farmers jacks but finding one has been most difficult... as you note most FJs I have seen were Schrade - makes sense now that you note it...

I'm not looking to collect FJs but for my horticultural knife subcollection from New England or Sheffield makers I would just like to land one someday - patience is a virtue in knife collecting

... and that patience has paid off for me in the past and so I await the day when one from the right maker in good condition presents itself to me - and begs me to take it home

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 8:17 pm

As far as I’ve ascertained, only Camillus,Schrade,Utica, and Wostenholm made the rooster combs with the modified flat blade. Although Wostenholm’s secondary blade was a little different, as seen in the catalog below.

Camillus may be the earliest example of such, according to stamping dates by Goins. I have one example that has a pre (3 line )1919 pruning blade and a 1919 (4 line )flat . Schrade's examples did not appear in their catalogs until 1936, although the farmers jack appeared the the 1932 Schrade supplement.

All other farmers jacks had only the spey as a budding blade, even though some used examples might resemble a pen blade.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:35 pm

Thanks Lyle - nice historical background and very helpful seeing the catalog cut

... Much appreciated!!

FRJ · Post by **FRJ** » Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:41 pm

Thank you, Lyle, for the brand - date connection.

KAW · Post by **KAW** » Thu Sep 27, 2018 8:46 am

Luv the Ulster farmers jacks Lyle.

I just went back through the entire thread thinking that you had posted some Schrades farmers jacks previously, but sadly I didn't find any. Would really like to see some of those as well. Would be neat to compare them to the Ulsters you posted.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:49 am

Ken - Here’s a whole AAPK thread on Farmers Jacks and many Schrades are posted - in fact first one shown is half way down the 1st page

.... Check the whole thread though as there are many beauties (and lots of Lyle’s nice collection

)....

The link: viewtopic.php?t=26653

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Thu Sep 27, 2018 1:38 pm

My pleasure Ken, really... A variety.

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Thu Sep 27, 2018 1:56 pm

Here's a NE manufacturer Ken, a Southington ;and a comparison I had done of jigging( which seems to have like DNA ) with an Ulster and a Schrade.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Thu Sep 27, 2018 2:11 pm

Lyle - Think I’ve seen these before but always good to see them again

... I have to say though the secondary blades on the 3rd photo down and the last or 6th photo down (rooster combs) really appeal to me rather than the spey blades

.... An old CT made FJ with a Hawkbill and Rooster Comb is on my “want” list - probably difficult if not impossible if none were made as such - l’ll probably have to settle for a Schrade in the end

unless Wostenholm made one

...

Note in the edit - just saw the 2nd post - now your torturing me Lyle

... I’ll trade you my “eye tooth” for that Southington - that would be the dream score for me even without the rooster comb !!!!

BWT · Post by **BWT** » Thu Sep 27, 2018 3:33 pm

The Schrade and the Ulster are very nice Lyle, but the Southington and the handles are beautiful

KAW · Post by **KAW** » Sat Sep 29, 2018 12:23 am

wlf wrote:Here's a NE manufacturer Ken, a Southington ;and a comparison I had done of jigging( which seems to have like DNA ) with an Ulster and a Schrade.

OK... I'm guessing this is a test...

the Ulster is on theleft... the Schrade in the center,,, which leaves the Southington on the right...

Did I pass?....

Nice collection there Lyle... but I have to admit... I'm more partial to the bone than the yellow handles... plus... obviously intended to be a work knife that would get hard use in the field... I'd wonder why they would select the yellow color handles which I would think would show more wear, tear & grime pretty quickly?

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Sat Sep 29, 2018 2:22 pm

left to right

Schrade ,Ulster,Southington

French ivory was a very popular handle choice for knives. Even the less expensive(now) and shrinking yellow composition early Case knives
brought attention and admiration. It was pleasing to the eye.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Sat Sep 29, 2018 3:02 pm

and to clarify the handles on the Southington (and please excuse me Lyle but just trying to help ) - those handles on the Southington are jigged bone and just not deeply dyed like the Schrade and Ulster - I got the feeling Ken that you thought they were synthetic based on saying “I am partial to jigged bone rather than yellow handles”... personally I like lightly dyed jigged bone and have other knives that are similar

...

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Sat Sep 29, 2018 6:25 pm

You are right Lee.

I thought Ken was referring to the pics of the various handles on the Schrades. I suspect he will weigh in definitively shortly.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Sun Sep 30, 2018 1:35 am

Lyle I think you're right - I think Ken was referring to the page before now that I looked back at the Schrades with the yellow handle examples... sorry for the confusion... I also find yellow handles so unappealing unless they are GEC "rotten banana bone"

never mind the celluloid aspect which was the worse synthetic plastic ever made for any purpose

...

Calling Ken to the podium now

....

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