All About Pocket Knives

I don't have many UK made knives in my collection, but really value those I do own. Here are three of them. The huge toothpick is 6" closed and I have posed it next to a standard 5" Camillus made candy striped to show off the size. It was made by Graham Clayton, at the Sheffield Kellam Island working industrial museum. The workmanship is wonderful. The tang stamp is DIGBY'S KELLAM ISLAND and the reverse is STAINLESS SHEFFIELD ENGLAND on three lines.

I was lucky enough to find the visitors guide to Kellam and that is what the knives are resting one here. This sort of thing makes my knife collecting more fascinating to me.

I'm also showing off a small wood handled lockback made by Rowlan Swinden and Mr. Clayton. You cannot see the blade etch for the glare.
Photos of the makers at work at the museum are shown in the guide, see below.

Lastly is a little two blade with lovely, but artificial mop handles. The tang stamping on each blade is also STAINLESS SHEFFIELD ENGLAND. It was reportedly sold by Digbys, although I cannot verify that. Has some very nice filework on the backspring.

Any of you guys from the UK familiar with these knives and makers?

I'll have one more UK made beauty to add to this thread and my collection at some point this week.

Phil

Very nice Phil,

I am smitten with UK made knives thanks to wonderful pieces like yours and that dirty rotten SK They are working their way into my want list and soon to be wallet.

I really appreciate you sharing those baby's with us and the visitor guide to Kellam was first class..

Sunburst

Hi Phil, very nice knives. Thanks for posting those. Clayton started apprenticing at Wostenholm at the age of 15 in the late 1950s. In 1965 he started working for Ibberson. I think I read somewhere that towards the end of his tenure he was engraving his initials on the inside of the liners on custom made special order jobs including fantastic file work.These are highly valued by collectors. In the mid 70s he struck-out on his own. Clayton toured the US and attended many knife shows 1978-1980 and met Digby, a Sheffielder living in the US. Digby became Clayton's agent and kept him busy with orders from the States. Digby's was Clayton's trade name. There was no knife maker named Digby. Digby's knives were made by Clayton. Knives stamped with Clayton's own name are quite rare. As you mentioned, his workshop became a living exhibit a the Kellam Island Museum. Visitors could watch him make his knives by hand. These knives were also stamped Digby's. I hope this is of interest. s-k

SK, I am very grateful for the information you give. I was really confused about the whole 'Digby's' thing. Now I have it staight.

Here is the knife I was waiting for, which will fit in nicely with my dagger/boot knife collection, and it's marked Digby's as well. In the classic UK fighting knife style, even has the thumbprint on the ricasso as an index point. Some nice filework too. Light in the hand, as knife fighters say. I like it a lot.

I am amazed at the range of knives Mr. Clayton made; bowies to penknives. He didn't seem stuck in one style as many makers are. Sure you can recognize their work half was across a knife show... and that is boring. I hate to ask, but I do not know.. Is the gentleman still with us?

And finally, to round out my sheffield knife collection, such as it is, are six pretty little pearl handled jobs. Yes, real pearl, lots of color in it. And sterling silver ferrules, I think. A row of 6 little symbols on the blades. They are six inches long. I have to admit I have no idea where on a table setting these would be proper. I found them at a flea market, $8 for the lot. Just to pretty to pass up.

Thanks again SK- Glad you enjoyed the pics Sunburst.

phil

Hi Phil, I think those little pearl handled knives are fruit or desert knives. A great catch for $8. Are both the collars and blades hallmarked? If possible, please show a close-up of the hallmarks. Thanks. s-k

Hi All,

My name is Lauren Clayton, I am Graham Clayton’s granddaughter. I am truly touched by your lovely messages of interest in my Grandad’s knives and thought I would let you know that sadly Grandad Graham died on the 16th November 2020 after struggling with Alzheimer’s for a few years. Grandad made his last knife for my Dad’s 40th birthday around 2008.

Hi Lauren,
Welcome to AAPK

Sorry to hear about your loss. Thanks for visiting and adding to your grandfather's story, his legacy will live on with the knives he made.

Lauren, I too am sorry for your loss. Thank you for adding to this bread and informing us of the passing of your extremely gifted grandfather.

Hi Lauren! to AAPK! My condolences on the loss of your grandad, he was a very talented man.

I just saw this. I'm sad to hear Graham passed away in 2020. Sorry for your loss. I have several of his file worked folders. I loved his filework.
I really like the way he worked the inside of the back spring. First class!

John

Verde wrote: ↑Mon May 15, 2023 4:26 pm I just saw this. I'm sad to hear Graham passed away in 2020. Sorry for your loss. I have several of his file worked folders. I loved his filework.
I really like the way he worked the inside of the back spring. First class!

John

to AAPK, John!
We love pictures, so please post some of your knives!

laurenclayton00 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 5:30 pm Hi All,

My name is Lauren Clayton, I am Graham Clayton’s granddaughter. I am truly touched by your lovely messages of interest in my Grandad’s knives and thought I would let you know that sadly Grandad Graham died on the 16th November 2020 after struggling with Alzheimer’s for a few years. Grandad made his last knife for my Dad’s 40th birthday around 2008.

Hi Lauren, I've just read your post. So sorry for your loss, your grandfather was a very talented man. I was fortunate enough to meet him in 1992 at the Industrial Museum where I purchased a pocket knife from him. I distinctly remember that day, and how impressed I was that these quality items were being produced in this tiny workshop. My intention was to use the knife operationally (I was a firefighter) but the workmanship was so good that it became one of my treasured possessions and I still keep it wrapped up in the original paper bag that your grandfather gave me. Although he's no longer with us his legacy will live on. My best wishes to you.

That's a fine looking knife, Ads, and to AAPK!

Good morning all, I'm Graham Clayton's other granddaughter. Since my grandfather died a few years ago, we'd love to get some knives back into the family as a celebration of what he loved to do. I'm hoping this forum can give me some information on how to be quick to know of any knife sales coming up please? Which websites should we keep an eye on, are there any regular auctions which any of Graham Claytons knives could pop up in? Thanks for your help!

I’m a collector of your grandfathers work, I may have few I would let go. His work was one of the best coming out of Sheffield, I was gutted to hear the news of his passing!
The knives are fixed blades.

Hi, it'd be great if you could get in touch with further details. I can't seem to contact you directly on here, but feel free to try and contact me via the site.

mdennison wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2024 2:12 pm Hi.....

Click on his user-name. The screen you go to will give you the
options of communicating with him via email or private message.

mdennison wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2024 2:12 pm Hi, it'd be great if you could get in touch with further details. I can't seem to contact you directly on here, but feel free to try and contact me via the site.

Hello, I can’t figure out this forum!
The knives I was talking about were actually bought by one of your family members, a nephew!
He bought it though Jane at the famous Sheffield shop, for a wedding?
I do have others, but I’m not sure I could part with them.
If you like to see them you could email at [email protected] and I could send some pictures as I can’t work this reyt’.

Sheffield lad wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 4:34 pm

Hello, I can’t figure out this forum!
The knives I was talking about were actually bought by one of your family members, a nephew!
He bought it though Jane at the famous Sheffield shop, for a wedding?
I do have others, but I’m not sure I could part with them.
If you like to see them you could email at [email protected] and I could send some pictures as I can’t work this reyt’.

Assume you are trying to post pictures of your knives here? If so, instructions for doing so can be found here https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... m.php?f=98. Scroll down to find instructions for your device or software. We would like to see them.

Ken