All About Pocket 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.

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

WB58 that is knice what year would that be??

Thanks garddogg! I believe it dates '46-'56.

WB

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

Nice find WB! Every once in a while you can find one but it ain't like 10 years ago when they were everywhere.

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

Yep, time flies!

You ain't lyin' Bro! Time is like a stealth bomber, fast, silent and deadly in the end.

WB

Found this Saturday, been lookin for this style of shell barlow plus it's Hammer brand

edgy46 wrote:Found this Saturday, been lookin for this style of shell barlow plus it's Hammer brand

You no that was my favorite one there.Hears another.

ironmage wrote:

edgy46 wrote:Found this Saturday, been lookin for this style of shell barlow plus it's Hammer brand

You no that was my favorite one there.Hears another.

Thanks Ironmage
Thats a nice Imperial Ireland jack.

I love them Hammer barlows and that Imperial jack is beautifull good finds

Here's a Richards I haven't seen before on here. Apologies if there is one and I have forgotten.

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

Very nice piece IH!

Here are my latest shell handles many thanks to Tom (olderdogs1) . I really dig these a lot.

All beauties Gino!

I like that third one a lot!

Thanks Perry and Dave.

I am partial to the little brown one with the bail and I like the shield on the top one.

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

Man I want a time machine! Knowing just enough to make some money and get some of these knives new!

Yep Gino, that Bengal Stripe is the cat's meow!!
IH, your finds always amaze me!
Nice ones, guys!

WB

Knice shell handles!!

WoW! IH and Gino, you guys are makin me jealous!
GREAT knives!

...... Joe