The GPO knife

M

martineden

Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Messages
621
Hello guys, today I want to show you this very humble knife



Its’ a really “poor” knife, the handles are in some kind of plastic, the steel is unknow (some stainless anyway)



The fit and finish are not at the higher level too, I’m afraid


Anyway I’m interested in it, for several reasons. This knife was made on 1978 by a very old British cutlery, the “Joseph Rodgers & Sons Ltd, Sheffield, Cutlers to Their Majesties”, born on early 1700. The mark of the Star and Maltese Cross was originally registered in March 1682 by a Benjamin Rich; however, it is with Rodgers that this mark will forever by associated, and they registered it in 1764. This knife was made by Rodgers Cutlery for the employees of the General Postal Office (pre-BT); unfortunately I can’t say if was used to open packages, or for some engineer's use, the first option seem more reasonable to me anyway due to the shape of the blade.


Hope you enjoy it, despite is humble and maybe poor look, fit and finish.

Ciao,
Alfredo
 
Great looking hawkbill knife from a very old cutlery company. There has been a thread about hawbill knives in the past. This one would make a nice addition to that gallery :) A nice journey into knife history.

Great looking classic knife, Alfredo. Great pics, too!
 
I have one of those knives too. I think by 1978 the name and trademark were owned by the US based Imperial Knife Company, although the knives were made in Sheffield. The old firm of Jos Rodgers and Sons ceased to exist in 1971.
 
Interesting knife Alfredo, do you mind me asking how you came across it? I think that by 1978 Rodgers had already been bought out by Imperial. The GPO are now just called The Post Office, with British Telecom split off many years ago. I've never heard of 'postie's being issued with knives, but telephone engineers (later employed by BT) may have been. The blade looks like a standard Sheffield pattern, and unfortunately the poor quality control is rather standard too, particularly for that period. Thanks a lot for sharing it. I dare say you could find out more information in Mr Levine's forum, where you can also find out about that period of Rodgers history.

Jack

Sorry S-K, I've got a bad internet connection and it took me so long to post, I started before your own post appeared! That's interesting you have the same knife :)
 
Thanks for sharing Alfredo! As uncle Andi said a common name for that blade shape is a hawkbill or pruner. I believe it's original intent was for pruning trees, shrubs and plants. You know gardening stuff!! :thumbup: But perhaps you already knew that, in which case I'm just whistling in the wind!! :rolleyes:

Dave
 
Knives with the same blade are also still made and sold locally as Plumber's knives (as well as Pruners) eg

101-plumber-nothblk.jpg
 
Thank guys!

@jack black: I had it in a trade whit a british guy. If you want it I'll be glad to give it to you, for free of course (I just ask for shipping cost). Just let me know via PM your address mate!
 
martineden said:
Thank guys!

@jack black: I had it in a trade whit a british guy. If you want it I'll be glad to give it to you, for free of course (I just ask for shipping cost). Just let me know via PM your address mate!
Click to expand...

That's an exceptionally kind offer Alfredo, but I think it's nice that this knife found its way to you :thumbup: I'm very touched though :)

Jack
 
Jack Black said:
That's an exceptionally kind offer Alfredo, but I think it's nice that this knife found its way to you :thumbup: I'm very touched though :)

Jack
Click to expand...

You're welcome :-) Don't want to insist, but the offer is still valid. I'll be glad to move this (humble) knife to another person, I had the pleasure to watch and handle it directely, and this is enough for me.
I was curious about this knife, but from now it will be in a drawer: this is a pity, eh? If you think to use it, just take it, mate :-) At the end of the day, it's nearly Christmas, no? :-)
 
Thanks again Alfredo, it's a knife I'd like to look at, but I'm not sure I would carry it so often as I don't do any gardening. It's very kind of you, and I feel as if I have received a present already :)
 
Cool knife Alfredo, thank you for sharing it. My dad always carried a linerlock hawkbill in his tool pouch. As an electrician he always had a TL-29, but for whatever reason he preferred a hawkbill to strip the outer jacket from multi-conductor cables. The British Telecom thing jostled my memory, it could have been used by a lineman or other technician to strip large cables. Interesting!

Cheers,
Griff
 
Here in Italy the "pruning knife" has several different names "roncoletta" "britola" ecc. depending by the different regions


Anyway the use of the GPO knife for strip large cables or similar make sense to me now, tnahk you.
 
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