All About Pocket Knives

This pattern was first introduced in 1905 and was made until about 1938. In 1913 the original spec stag handle was replaced with a chequered horn handle. The first knife made by Hunter Sheffield (c1905-1912) has the Broad Arrow I mark for issue in India. I acquired this one from our friend CCBill. The second is the later spec made by George Wostenholm with the Canadian acceptance mark (borad arrow inside a C) on the marline spike. This one is cWWI. This pattern was replaced just prior to WWII by a smaller model with a different style tin opener. That's for another post. s-k

Hi steve

This is one of our ww1 knives.
It brings my grandad a few trips down memory lane.
His grandma used the tin opener as the name suggests.
Then used the marlin spike to lift the lid.
Take care

Thank you both for the photos. I really like knives with the marlin spike, especially the British (and other Empire/Commonwealth nations) Military issue knives.

I have one WWII Knife and one current commercially made version, hopefully I will be able to add more. I do have a couple of Post-WWII Belgian Knives that are of the same pattern, but not the real thing. Living in the US, they do turn up now and then, but there are times I wish my Great-grandparents (both Dad and Mother's side of the family) would have stayed in Blighty...might have made my quest easier...LOL.

Once more, thanks for the photos and the information, been learning a lot since I have been here.
Thanks
Mark

Very nice example Chris. Thanks for showing it Great to have some family history with it aswell . What is the handle material on that one? Does it have the broad arrow mark anywhere? I have a few more that I need to add to this thread one of these days. s-k

Hi Steve

We are not sure if the handle is made of bexoid or bone because people used to colour the bone and then cut it out to the shape they wanted.

It is nice to have some family history because i can then in turn learn what my grandads family were like.
He told me i would have enjoyed knowing them.
I guess he's right from what he has told me about them.

Thank you for the welcome to Steve

take care

You're welcome Chris.

It is difficult but there are ways to identify the handle material. It takes a little practice. You mentioned two very important clues in the first sentence of your last post. Know what they are? Answer in 1 hr s-k.

Hi Steve

weve figured it.
It is bexoide
But my grandad sez he int sure

take care

Hi Chris.

The handle changed from stag to water buffalo horn in 1913. Just before WWII bexoid became the most common material for the British military knives. The buffalo horn was cut from a larger piece whereas the bexoid was molded. The horn will show cutmarks, especially around the edges, whereas the bexoid will be much smoother. The bexoid scales are a very uniform black colour. The horn will likely show some natural variation in colour with brown highlights. The variations are not always this obvious. anyway... I hope this helps. s-k

smiling-knife wrote:Hi Chris.

The handle changed from stag to water buffalo horn in 1913. Just before WWII bexoid became the most common material for the British military knives. The buffalo horn was cut from a larger piece whereas the bexoid was molded. The horn will show cutmarks, especially around the edges, whereas the bexoid will be much smoother. The bexoid scales are a very uniform black colour. The horn will likely show some natural variation in colour with brown highlights. The variations are not always this obvious. anyway... I hope this helps. s-k

Hi Steve

Thanks for the help on buffalo horn we've been checking our christopher jonson and its buffalo horn.

I can't thank you enough for the knife you sent me

To day I got a 1937 coronation knife i'll put the picture up in a bit.

Thanks for the knife

Take care

This is an interesting "hybrid", no arrow stamp so probably made for general public? J Allen & Son, Sheffield, pressed leather grips, it has the WW2 pattern tin opener and a shortened WW1 shaped blade! Length is mid way between the two military patterns. I would estimate its manufacture as 1938/39. What say you S-K?

This is agood comparison shot, a similar leather handled RODGERS, Has arrow mark but no date, think it is early 1938?

Once more, I have to say Thank you for posting photos of British (and Empire/Commonwealth) Clasp Knives. I have had an interest in these for a bit now, and hope to add more to my small collection as time goes by.

Does anyone have a photo of the clasp knife that came out towards the end of WWII? The knife I talking about is made of all stainless and has no marlin spike. From what I have seen most are dated 1945. I could be wrong, but from one source I have seen they seem to have been made as part of the Pattern-1944 Equipment (Jungle Green Coloured webbing, short No.5 Mk.1 Lee-Enfield Rifle (aka the "Jungle Carbine"), No.5 Bayonet for the above mentioned rifle, basically kit intended for use in the Far-East Theatre).

Are the all-stainless clasp knives from late WWII common in England?
If anyone has photos of one of those knives, I'd be grateful to see it.
Thank You
Mark

Hi Dave,

There is very little on your easy opener knife with the spear blade in Flook's book. Chronologically, it seems from around the latter part of WWII. Although a different pattern it has some characteristics in common with the standard issue knife of the time: large 'birds eye' pin for the blade; no bolster; and steel rather than copper shackel. I have a few that I will try to post later. One I think by the same maker.

Hi Mark,

According to Flook's book there was a small amount of the all steel knives made 1939-1940. Then they were discontinued in favour of the bexoid models until production started again in 1944. These were known as the Burma knife. I do not have one to show unfortunately. They are less common, especially one of the early ones, than the bexoid models.

s-k

This all metal knife was made for the Canadian forces by Thomas Turner & Co Sheffield. It has the Candian issue mark, 1915, and M & D for Militia and Defense.

Hi Steve

Thats a nice knife that youve got there
There good pictures too
My grandad [aka:zorrothegreyblade] has had to take it steady with buying knives he went a bit over budget.
Silly him

Take care

Nice photo of the Canadian Clasp Knife. I think someone posted another one earlier back? Anyway, I have a newer (WWII or just Post-WWII) Canadian Clasp Knife. But it is still in pieces...LOL...having a difficult time repairing the broken spring...LOL. In due time, I will post a photo of it back together.
Mark

Good look on repairing the knife

Take care

Time we brought this thread back to the top of the lists. Had a run of Rodgers immigrants to chez zorro, this being the biggest! Not in the best condition, but I like the G R and crown on the top of tang stamp (king George).