All About Pocket Knives

I found this one on the bay while crusin' for a kixer upper. (It's in the mail). It looks interesting. Older style lock back, interesting propeller style shield, and the scales have an interesting jigging pattern. I might have messed up since this came from one of the guys selling off those "high dollar" knives from the Rhett Stidham estate.

Anyway.... Y'all see anything that might lend this knife style to any particular maker?

I can't make out a tang mark of any kind. Not even sure there is one now that I get a good look at the pics.
What y'all think?
(seller's pics)
A good clean-up will tell a little better tale.

Mike

I wouldcall it an English Jack, quite a collectible pattern. It is still a good looking knife even though he will benefit from a gentle bath.
kj

Like it!!!

I have a knife with a blade that looks just like that one, but the handle is totally different and has a very unique locking system. Mine is almost 5" closed with a 3 3/4" blade
Mine is marked (badly) William Rodgers, Sheffield

Looking forward to better pics!!!

If I was gonna hazard a guess just for the fun of it,(and that's all I'm doing) I would guess Robeson Cut. Co., or at least built by Robeson on contract.

Cool ol' knife regardless of who made it. Nice snag!


WB

Thanks for the replies everyone.
Maybe it will be in my hands by mid week. I am curious to see if there is any remnant of a tang mark.
I have been on the look out for a lock back like this one for a while. Maybe this one will be just what I have been looking for.

Mike

Piddlin' around with the sellers pics....... There appears to be something on the tang. Right now.... just looks like "something"....
Mike


Can you tell I am a bit impatient?

Looks like a lot of potential to me. Full locking blade on a great pattern. Will be interesting to see the tang stamp. I'm thinking a nice old US maker. I'm not big on cleaning knives but this old timer might clean up respectably.

I was thinking of bidding on that one, but I was scared off because I thought the work needed to bring it back would be above my meager skills. I'm glad it went to someone that will treat it better than I could!

TwoFlowersLuggage wrote:I was thinking of bidding on that one, but I was scared off because I thought the work needed to bring it back would be above my meager skills. I'm glad it went to someone that will treat it better than I could!

I'm gonna give it my best. We shall see what comes out from under that rust.
I noticed that guy has lowered the ridiculous prices on some of his knives.

Mike

I'm only an amateur at this, but it looks like you can see the tail from a Queen dipping towards the bolster.

Mike, I know you will be checking this post so forgive me on my idiocracy for the previous post. Could you please help me with this one, its in the mail too and I'm also impatient along with zero knowledge of the knife. I thought it looked cool and thats what got me collecting knives to start with.

Good Morning!
That is a great looking knife!
Miller Brothers' knives are very collectible. According to Goins, that mark was used by miller Bros from 1863 - 1926. Goins has a nice write-up about Miller Bros in his book. The Meriden on the tang is Meriden Connecticut.

Oh yes, it looks cool alright. That is an early style.

Yes, I keep trying to make out something from under all the rust on the tang of my knife. I recon I will just have to wait to really tell.

Great bunch of guys here on the forum. Some a LOT more knowledgeable than me.
Join in and ask question. Everybody loves to see pictures of knives!

Mike

It has arrived!
Here is a "pre-cleaned-up" view of the tang stamp...
Looks like WATER-VILLE....
And that is about all.
Mike

I got a chance to clean this guy up Sunday afternoon. I don't know..... the quality that I expected to see was just not there. The lock mechanism will not keep the blade locked open. The blade sat way too low inside the handles. Maybe it's just from wear.... but then again, the handles look barely used. I could see where blade position adjustments were made by hammering the tang to expand the metal.
The tip was broken off so I re-shaped the tip. I hit it with sandpaper and the buffing wheel.

So, what do y'all think?
Real or fake?

After a clean up....... Mike


This is before.....

Mike: viewtopic.php?t=42699

I know nothing about Waterville, but I think that knife is cool!

Thanks for that link TFL....

I like the general look of this one too....BUT, I have cleaned and cleaned and it still won't lock-up when open. It's like the lock bar is not engaging like it should OR the part that engages into the tang slot is rounded..... Something, I don't know ??? I don't know anything else to do except take it apart and I don't want to do that. I want to leave it as original as I can. Oh well........

Mike

Seems like an awful lot of "not right". No lockup, blade doesn't fully open, closes too far into blade well, main pivot looks cobbled, etc...

Good looking knife, but I'm thinking it's been altered.


WB

Nice one Mike, I'm glad you finally got it. I was tired of waiting too!
The Waterville is definitely worth the effort to fix it.
I'm not sure, (I'm not at home where I can get to my books), but I think Waterville may have been made by Robeson.

Thanks for taking a look at it Dale.
Yep, too much wrong and too poor craftsmanship.
Not 100% Waterville.... Maybe the blade the the rest is a mess.

Mike