Guardians of The Lambsfoot!

[draggat]

That is beautiful stag!

Thanks!

That’s a beautiful clean machine, Yorkshire Man!

@scrteened porch Careful where you sit. Wouldn’t want to hurt that beautiful Rose Beast.

@pjsjr Looks great in the light.

@JohnDF A perfect Duo.

@tmd_87 Love the Patina.

@JTB_5 Just Wow!

draggat What a Jewel.

Thank you sir, it is!

I carry a lambsfoot...
View attachment 1075211
...because I saw the light!

How 'bout you?

Beautiful!!

With regard to Wright quality levels. I was in the Famous Sheffield Shop yesterday and handled about 20 Wright knives. They were all of a good standard of fit and finish. I was really impressed though admittingly I did not look too carefully at the stag as a really don't care for it on a knife handle..

I received 6 knives from them yesterday.... I’m happy with the level of fit and finish for the price. They aren’t at GEC levels, but neither is the price. I think the most annoying aspect is 3 of them have off center blades but none of them rub. Overall I’m very satisfied!

I've seen far too many!



Good effort I think they use what they can find. The export ban on Sambar hit the Sheffield cutlers hard, and left them searching to find a half-adequate replacement. They could probably have fared better, by consulting the internet for example Fat chance unfortunately I keep hoping things will change

Here's a photos showing the Pere David stock-pile in the cellar

Thanks a lot pal, I think you did well to hang onto that one



We've all seen the light now Vince! Nice pic



They maintain higher standards than most retailers, but I think the quality of Wright's knives has increased massively over the past ten years I just hope a day doesn't come when old guys say, "Wright's? I remember when they produced a good working knife at an inexpensive price, rather than this fancy stuff I can't afford!"



That's a great pic OG

I have to remember to keep one of those tins for myself!



Sure is Taylor

I must say, Wright’s could definitely benefit from getting better and more diverse handle materials, but again, for the price, they aren’t bad. I’m kind of surprised at the premium they list Snakewood and Ironwood for. I would pay that for ram horn, which is generally pretty cheap.

Nice, Taylor, patina is going to further enhance that beauty.

Thank you...you're going to start the tease already? Just let me know when to send my money!!!

That's what you get when you go flying the Shuttle upside down

Another great looking Lambsfoot with Stag.

Great looking stag, but the asymmetrical part would drive me nuts!

Drool worthy horn there, Dennis, nice picture.

Very good use of the light there, Vince.


OG, nice photo, shows off the great Ironwood on that knife. We had about the same amount yesterday, mostly gone now.

Yep, very nice.

I'll bet that is a neat place to scavenge around in...no telling what you might find.

See, I knew that asymmetry would drive someone nuts!

Because I do not have another one yet, I'll show this one again in bone...

Nice one! Lime green bone?

 

[r8shell]

That is a great pic, r8shell

Thank you!

 

[Rockeley Lad]

That’s a beautiful knife. It must have been a hoot to collaborate with the maker. Features like the blade finish are part of what makes your Custom, unique. The wood covers are beautiful. Congratulations on a fine one of a kind knife.

Jack - Re: Commercial conversations - Very sorry. Thought it was OK given your own post (#3372 page 169) mentioning ‘same business’. No worries. Won’t happen again.

 

[Jack Black]

Jack - Re: Commercial conversations - Very sorry. Thought it was OK given your own post (#3372 page 169) mentioning ‘same business’. No worries. Won’t happen again.

Thank you, it's something all posters need to be aware of. It can be a fine line, but to give a simple example, it's OK to compliment someone on a knife they just bought, but if you want information on where they bought it, that should be done privately

Without a quote or link, it took me a while to find post #3372, but obviously I felt I needed to do so, I'm quoting it here in full:

I'm glad they made it Ron, that's a great pic What is your first impression of the larger Lambsfoot pattern?



Hi Leslie Yes, Michael May bought all Trevor's leftover parts. The blades were made at Wright's. I haven't met him I'm afraid, and only knew Trevor Ablett through mutual friends. Here is a photo of Trevor on his last day at work, he was very ill at this point, and sadly he died not long after.

View attachment 812721





Good look with posting photos Leslie (helpful link Dylan) I'm yet to handle one of Michael May's knives, but the style of the knives I've seen so far hasn't appealed to me much, nor have the prices, nor has the hype and 'marketing'. Trevor was a jobbing cutler, for most of his career he made knives for other firms, and didn't have his name on the blades. I think the idea for the so-called ergonomic pattern, and certainly the name, came from Paul Iseard at The Famous Sheffield Shop. Like some of Michael May's 'twists', for which Paul Iseard may also have some responsibility (he brokered the parts deal and markets Michael May), it was probably just a way of trying to sell a few more knives. Personally, I've always found it a hideous pattern, and I disliked all the brass Trevor used generally, but of course that's just a question of personal taste.

Michael May's Lambsfoot knives seem quite expensive, but I guess it takes him longer to make his knives than the humble cutlers at Wright's, he uses fancier hafting materials, and of course, he has to pay Wright's for the blades. Wright's are a rather artless and old-fashioned Sheffield firm, they don't even own a computer, or produce boxes for their knives. They concentrate on a few traditional patterns (for a small firm, they actually produce quite a lot of patterns), sold at prices aimed at the farmers and gardeners who make up most of their customer base, employing properly trained Sheffield cutlers, who sometimes work alongside their sons, who have benefited from proper apprenticeships. They have their faults certainly, they're rather hard to communicate with, and probably cost their knives too low, but on the whole, I kind of like their lack of pretension, and their dedication to producing an honest product, at an honest price, an honest working-man can afford

Edit - Thought I'd add this link to a feature on Michael May, which was published shortly after he put up his shingle - https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...rs-a-sheffield-pocket-knife-maker-in-pictures - Some nice-looking stag on the bench. I am very familiar with Portland Works

A couple of pics of Michael at work:

Lots more pics on his site: https://michaelmayknives.com/index.html

So not the 'same business' at all. I'm discussing three Sheffield cutlers (manufacturers), one of whom is sadly deceased. The forum rules distinguish very clearly between a knife manufacturer and a knife dealer. Should anyone wish to do it, it's OK to link to a manufacturer, but since none of our BF-supporting dealers currently stock Lambsfoot knives, it would be wrong to provide a link to a dealer (and I'd prefer it if they were not directly referenced). Hopefully, as the Lambsfoot pattern becomes more popular, that may change, but even then, this thread is dedicated to discussing Lambsfoot knives, not the BUYING of Lambsfoot knives

 

[dc50]

Good Morning Jack and the Guardians! Today is Family Day a day off for some of the folks.

 

[WDJ]

I received 6 knives from them yesterday.... I’m happy with the level of fit and finish for the price. They aren’t at GEC levels, but neither is the price. I think the most annoying aspect is 3 of them have off center blades but none of them rub. Overall I’m very satisfied!

Six! Splendid I hope you enjoy them.

 

[Jack Black]

Have sweet dreams of ivory roses, and no nightmares of butter fingered oafs!

The cat was lying in the sun and held still long enough for a picture. It was a good day, no blood was spilled. Happy Sunday night, everyone.

Thanks Rachel That's a great pic, I like the way you used it in Barrett's giveaway thread

You could post this in the imitation thread!
(Taylor, of course.)

I thought about it

Three day weekend for some of us, Jack. George Washington's Birthday observed in US. (Commonly called "President's Day", but officially Washington's birthday.)

Hey, congratulations folks (and thanks for the education Vince). Happy Birthday to George Washington, and I hope all my US friends have a great day

The snakewood one was priced at £145. Ouch! Though I have to say the file work on the back spring was magnificent.

That is jaw-dropping! They do the file-work very well at Wright's I think, only possible because all their knives are genuinely handmade

For Monday:

Have a great day, Guardians!

Cool pic Vince

Ours is called "Family Day," I think it was added in the seventies, so we would have one statutory Holliday per month.

One every month?! Think we get half a dozen a year here Enjoy Family Day Dave

A little entertainment planned for tonight...

Hope you enjoyed it John I do like the contrast between that African Rosewood and the Indonesian Rosewood Wright's usually use. I enquired about the African Rosewood, but there'll be no more unfortunately

I'm loving these fantastic ironwood pictures. It's been really hard to keep up with this thread! I have to admit, I'm having a hard time waiting on mine to arrive but have enjoyed living vicariously though you all.

Thanks for your patience

I received 6 knives from them yesterday.... I’m happy with the level of fit and finish for the price. They aren’t at GEC levels, but neither is the price. I think the most annoying aspect is 3 of them have off center blades but none of them rub. Overall I’m very satisfied!



I must say, Wright’s could definitely benefit from getting better and more diverse handle materials, but again, for the price, they aren’t bad. I’m kind of surprised at the premium they list Snakewood and Ironwood for. I would pay that for ram horn, which is generally pretty cheap.



See, I knew that asymmetry would drive someone nuts!



Nice one! Lime green bone?

That's annoying about the off-centre blades Acceptable in a factory-made knife I think, but I wouldn't send out knives like that myself

I doubt Wright's will expand the range of handle materials in their own range, but are fairly receptive to trying something different for a big enough order. I was also surprised at the expense of the Snakewood and Ironwood, compared to the Rosewood and Ebony models, there's a big leap.

Well, some of us have to work! Searching back through this thread has left me behind, so I better get to it. Have a great day folks

Back with my AC today

 

[Jack Black]

Good Morning Jack and the Guardians! Today is Family Day a day off for some of the folks.
View attachment 1075700

Good morning Dave, hope you and your family have a lovely day Artistic pic my friend

 

[Rockeley Lad]

I think the idea for the so-called ergonomic pattern, and certainly the name, came from Paul Iseard at The Famous Sheffield Shop.

Thank you, it's something all posters need to be aware of. It can be a fine line, but to give a simple example, it's OK to compliment someone on a knife they just bought, but if you want information on where they bought it, that should be done privately

Without a quote or link, it took me a while to find post #3372, but obviously I felt I needed to do so, I'm quoting it here in full:



So not the 'same business' at all. I'm discussing three Sheffield cutlers (manufacturers), one of whom is sadly deceased. The forum rules distinguish very clearly between a knife manufacturer and a knife dealer. Should anyone wish to do it, it's OK to link to a manufacturer, but since none of our BF-supporting dealers currently stock Lambsfoot knives, it would be wrong to provide a link to a dealer (and I'd prefer it if they were not directly referenced). Hopefully, as the Lambsfoot pattern becomes more popular, that may change, but even then, this thread is dedicated to discussing Lambsfoot knives, not the BUYING of Lambsfoot knives

Thank you, it's something all posters need to be aware of. It can be a fine line, but to give a simple example, it's OK to compliment someone on a knife they just bought, but if you want information on where they bought it, that should be done privately

Without a quote or link, it took me a while to find post #3372, but obviously I felt I needed to do so, I'm quoting it here in full:



So not the 'same business' at all. I'm discussing three Sheffield cutlers (manufacturers), one of whom is sadly deceased. The forum rules distinguish very clearly between a knife manufacturer and a knife dealer. Should anyone wish to do it, it's OK to link to a manufacturer, but since none of our BF-supporting dealers currently stock Lambsfoot knives, it would be wrong to provide a link to a dealer (and I'd prefer it if they were not directly referenced). Hopefully, as the Lambsfoot pattern becomes more popular, that may change, but even then, this thread is dedicated to discussing Lambsfoot knives, not the BUYING of Lambsfoot knives

Sorry Jack, I think we may have got our wires crossed. In post #3372, I was referring to your mention of the ‘same business’, not the cutlers/manufacturers, when you said: “I think the idea for the so-called ergonomic pattern, and certainly the name, came from Paul Iseard at The Famous Sheffield Shop.”
Anyway, no worries. All clear now.

 

[dc50]

Good morning Dave, hope you and your family have a lovely day Artistic pic my friend

Thank you, Jack, for the compliments I believe my grandson Quote " I'm now 5 years old Grandpa!" is on route today.

 

[Jack Black]

Sorry Jack, I think we may have got our wires crossed. In post #3372, I was referring to your mention of the ‘same business’, not the cutlers/manufacturers, when you said: “I think the idea for the so-called ergonomic pattern, and certainly the name, came from Paul Iseard at The Famous Sheffield Shop.”
Anyway, no worries. All clear now.

I see what you mean RL. I did a whole thread about that place once, but my reference to them there, and in that post, is not of a commercial nature. I'm not saying, 'Go here to buy your knives', I was actually talking about a pattern Trevor Ablett used to make, and which Michael May has taken on. I did not have an issue with your mention of the Famous Sheffield Shop in your previous post, but you were asking for information about ordering a Guardians Lambsfoot (nothing whatsoever to do with TFSS), which might have in turn led to other members breaking the forum rules. It's frustrating not being able to respond to your questions, but they need to be answered privately, and in order to receive private messages, you would need to make a small investment in a BF membership. My concern is not only for the future of this thread, but for our annual knife I'm reproducing your original post, (with the sections I was concerned about highlighted) below, along with my response. I've been as forthcoming as I can be in that response. I hope we can now close this discussion

Good morning, Guardians!
As I’ve been reading through your posts, I’ve seen many of you referring to Wright’s 2017 lambsfoot, or 2018 lambsfoot.
After browsing their own website and the Famous Sheffield Shop’s website, I have seen no references to any yearly editors of any of Wright’s knives.
I apologise in advance if I’ve missed the information in earlier posts, but could you please let me know how I could get to know what the yearly editions are and how I could order one?
Also, I’d be interested in knowing what the differences are between a Wright’s Guardians’ Lambsfoot and their normal lambsfoot.
I am led to believe that the Guardians’ Lambsfoot is a special order, but I’d really welcome instructions on how (if at all possible) I might be able to get one.
Again, I’m sorry if my questions appear naive because I’ve missed something on the forum - I’m just really interested.
Many thanks to you all and have a lovely day!

You won't find any commercial discussion here either @Rockley Lad, and hopefully no references to dealers who do not contribute to BF. That's because both break the sub-forum guidelines. The Guardians Lambsfoot is an annual group buy for regular contributors here. To communicate privately here you will need to purchase a BF membership, which is inexpensive and very good value for money, in my opinion. That will allow you various privileges, including the ability to send and receive private messages

 

[Jack Black]

Thank you, Jack, for the compliments I believe my grandson Quote " I'm now 5 years old Grandpa!" is on route today.

Great stuff Dave

 

[Rockeley Lad]

Now I finally understand what the ‘HP’ stands for - High Patina!
Does a stunning job!

 

[Jack Black]

Now I finally understand what the ‘HP’ stands for - High Patina!
Does a stunning job!

I think it has quite a bit of vinegar in it. When I was a kid, we used to sometimes shine up old pennies or metal buttons with it, works incredibly! Got the tip from Blue Peter!

 

[Rockeley Lad]

I see what you mean RL. I did a whole thread about that place once, but my reference to them there, and in that post, is not of a commercial nature. I'm not saying, 'Go here to buy your knives', I was actually talking about a pattern Trevor Ablett used to make, and which Michael May has taken on. I did not have an issue with your mention of the Famous Sheffield Shop in your previous post, but you were asking for information about ordering a Guardians Lambsfoot (nothing whatsoever to do with TFSS), which might have in turn led to other members breaking the forum rules. It's frustrating not being able to respond to your questions, but they need to be answered privately, and in order to receive private messages, you would need to make a small investment in a BF membership. My concern is not only for the future of this thread, but for our annual knife I'm reproducing your original post, (with the sections I was concerned about highlighted) below, along with my response. I've been as forthcoming as I can be in that response. I hope we can now close this discussion

Jack, all is well. Discussion closed. And thank you for setting everything straight.

 

[Rockeley Lad]

I think it has quite a bit of vinegar in it. When I was a kid, we used to sometimes shine up old pennies or metal buttons with it, works incredibly! Got the tip from Blue Peter!

Yes, as kids my mates and I did the same. It works a treat on copper, like you say.
On Athos’s blade though, I found it best to apply only a very small amount, spread it out thinly on both sides and then keep gently pinching both sides of the blade between finger and thumb, working up and down, until the sauce dried and went sticky. This spread everything evenly and gave an even finish.
I’ve tried just dipping blades in vinegar, ketchup, mustard etc. but that always left a patchy ( and, quite frankly, scruffy) result.
This technique has left that aged look that only usually builds up after years of exposure to simple finger prints.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Great shots!- Jack That File work!!!!

 

[Jack Black]

Great shots!- Jack That File work!!!!

Thanks Duncan, hope you're keeping well mate

 

[RayseM]

dc50 - Whoa that's a pretty one. What colors Very Nice!

Ray

 

[bonzodog]

Usual suspect for me.