"Old Knives"

Ha Ha!! In 1962, I remember being told by my homeroom teacher, when I started High School (Jesuit School!!), that being able to accept uncertainty is a sign of maturity!!
I think it was in answer to a "why" question that he said was unanswerable!!

Here's a "why" question!! Why did this post-war Primble make it all the way to now(2020), without being used or sharpened!! Ha Ha!!
3 5/16" long, beautiful Bone, walk and talk!!

 

Nice feature with the long pulls going through the tang which is not common as you mentioned, and certainly done for aesthetic reasons only. While it is an English trait from the 19th century, more American cutlery companies used this detail than thought. It appears that the long pulls going into the tang were used on some American-made pocket knives from the late 1800s to around WWI. Two Northfield Knife catalogs from 1865 and 1869 show no pocket knives with long pulls going through the tang. The earliest showing of such a trait is seen in a Burkinshaw illustration from the late 1800s. The first dated illustration is seen in a Walden catalog from 1892, followed by Excelsior in 1894, Humason & Beckley in 1900, and Holley in 1905 and 1915. While I didn't check every source, the last illustration I see for a long nail pull going through the blade tang is Holley in 1915. Interestingly, only a few examples out of dozens of knives shown from the catalogs mentioned, show that particular style of nail pull.

So, it appears that those long nail pulls going through the tang were a late 1800s to early 1900s feature on just a few pocket knives from just a few American cutlery companies.

Enclosed is a picture from a 1865 Northfield catalog and one from a 1915 Holley catalog.

 

Absolutely stunning Primble example, Charlie!!!

 

Charlie - Why is it a sign of maturity to accept uncertainty? .. and why is that Primble "mint"? He forgot he bought it and the knife sat in his bottom drawer - why did he put it in the bottom drawer? So his wife wouldn't find it ... I'm working on maturity ...

 

Thanks very much for that perspective and info Herder ... I think that as you say the aesthetics of the pull through the tang are pleasing indeed - they caught my eye ... I've seen a few other CT knives with pulls through the tang - right below is a Southington (and I have one other pen with same pulls from them) and I know of a Waterville Whittler from a friend which has long pulls through the tang and in fact the master has long pulls through the tang on both sides of the blade - I may have a few others as well but need to check ... thanks again for the info and catalog cut post which I appreciate - ...



Cheers - Lee

 

Glad to add a bit, the questions and discussions make this thread all the more enjoyable.
Nice pearl Southington whittler with those same long pulls.

 

Great discussions guys.

Charlie what a great Knife!!! Gorgeous Bone!!

 

That knife would float a heck of a large boat for me my friend . WOW !!!

 

Thanks very much Old Engineer ...

 

I was SO pleased to pick up this amazing old Knife the other day, The Walk and Talk are so tight- without the slightest exaggeration -as good as new- it's outstanding, being the older Knife the Pull is hard- but far from impossible.
Lovely Marked Knife, Deeply Stamped Blade from a the era when ( imo) Sheffield ruled the World.

The thing I like about this knife- is everything!
The hammered Pins, one could say that this Knife may have been re-handled - I will argue this, the Pins are as messy as you can get when coming the Hammered, the Stag used captures everything for me- the remaining scars from the lifetime of the occupier still clearly visible, together with very nice Stag and the added notches you see next to the Liners on the edge of the Stag to help the user apply the best possible grip of this "Tool".

Not the most common Stamp to find on a Tang " Abram Brooksbank " Sheffield.

The Integral Bolsters help guide us to the late 1800's era where this was more common, but I am sure this isn't always the rule but in this case I wouldn't mind betting.

A bit of use, but still a very respectable Big, Heavy Pruner, who may be new to the "Go Big or Go Home" Pruner gang, this formidable Knife has already work it's way to the Council of the Gang!

 

Beautiful Primble, Charlie! I believe you have a great many knives in your collection of which the same "why" question could be asked. I assume the shadow of the blade etch is an illusion created by your scanner?
Lovely Southington whittler, Lee! I like the long pulls through the tang.
Great old pruner, Duncan! That one would also look good in the Sheffield thread.

 

I doubt it's been rehandled, but I'm willing to bet those notches were added by the owner when he lost some of the original scale.

 

Amazing!

 

Thanks for the kind comments Dan, Eisman and R8shell
Eisman - That discussion was held before sometime ago - you will see these grips added in quite a few of the older knives and they are or should I say we’re done by the
Cutlers.
There has been no Handle material lost on the knife - the Stag has been taken down as they do to the Liner.

 

Thanks, Dan!! Yes I couldn't get a good scan of that iconic logo etch!!

I have some handles with the same notches; they look like a strike on a coarse wheel, or with coarse sandpaper, filling in the lack of grippy texture! A true working knife, built that way, IMO!!

 

Great old hawkbill Duncan ... That stag screams character - the notches are cool to me - and interesting that Charlie has a similar knife with those marks!! Love those old knives made to work and as we know those hawkbills were hard used knives ...

@waynorth - Charlie - I should have noted above that your mint Primble is awesome - I was busy answering the "why" questions in my post above and forgot ...

 

Fantastic original example from the 1800s my friend. That beauty belongs in at least three different threads!!!

 

Duncan, yeah I guess it's kinda nice IT'S AWESOME my friend, you know I love dem Pruners did you tell me about that one??? or just keep it a secret, hmmmm

Seriously, an awesome knife my friend and I do recall that conversation about those handle marks, as I have an old Turner that has those same marks

 

I have to jump when I see a Union Cutlery Era KA-BAR in nice shape in gnarly stag with a pinned shield.

 

Nice find, North Shore, lovely aged stag!