"The Library" -show/discuss your traditional knife reference books

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Jun 9, 2010
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I thought it would be fun to see and discuss your library of knife books!
Here are some of mine.

Levine's Guide to Knives
probably cover the broadest range of content. If you only want one reference book, these books fit the bill . All 3 editions, that I have, are very similar in content.

Collecting Case Knives
by Pfeiffer has great color photos and loads of info on Case knives.

Goins Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings
is great for small bits of info on vintage knives and their markings.

Counterfeiting Antique Cutlery
by Witcher is eye opening and a must have for vintage knife collectors. imo

Lets see your favorites!

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I don't have time to add a picture, but Levine and Goins are sort of my go to references. I've found Bruce Voyles' "Antique Knives" to be a great resource as well. I have neither of the GEC books that Railsplitter Railsplitter mentioned above. Thanks for pointing them out. I'm definitely going to have to pick them up.
 
I rarely use the two reference books on the left but I'm glad I have them. The two on the right are my favorites and I'm about ready to read them both again soon.

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Nice Railsplitter Railsplitter ! Thanks for reminding me, I need to get the Tidioute book!


Thanks for sharing Jolipapa Jolipapa ! Does that translate to "pocket knives"? Very interesting and I will keep an eye out for that one!

I don't have time to add a picture, but Levine and Goins are sort of my go to references. I've found Bruce Voyles' "Antique Knives" to be a great resource as well. I have neither of the GEC books that Railsplitter Railsplitter mentioned above. Thanks for pointing them out. I'm definitely going to have to pick them up.

Thanks huelsdonk huelsdonk ! I will be on the lookout for Voyles' Antique Knives! The GEC books are well worth picking up. @johnnytwoshoes sent me a copy of the Great Eastern Cutlery by Anthony and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
 
I could not pass up this book, authored by Adrian Harris in 1981. He was the maker of the original Colonel Coon Knives.
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Here is a book from the late Robert Anthony Paolantonio. This one is about the Colonial Knife Co and came out in 2012. Very interesting perspective.
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Nice Railsplitter Railsplitter ! Thanks for reminding me, I need to get the Tidioute book!



Thanks for sharing Jolipapa Jolipapa ! Does that translate to "pocket knives"? Very interesting and I will keep an eye out for that one!



Thanks huelsdonk huelsdonk ! I will be on the lookout for Voyles' Antique Knives! The GEC books are well worth picking up. @johnnytwoshoes sent me a copy of the Great Eastern Cutlery by Anthony and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

:thumbsup: Yes that's the translation. I think it is currently available on the French amazon.
 
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Here is The Pocketknife Manual authored by famed knife designer Blackie Collins. In the book Collins interviews Felix Mirando, then Chairman of the board, Imperial Knife Company. Really great book and one of my favorite smaller publication knife books.
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Cool idea for a thread Ramrodmb! I just found and ordered a copy of The Pocketknife Manual. I'll have to take a picture of my small but recently growing library at another time. Surprised no one has shown The Best of Knife World volumes yet, but it's early.

My current favorite is A Primer on Folding Knives by Steven Roman. With only a wink and a nod to traditionals the first 1/4 of the book is about knife construction (primarily modern folders) while the remainder deals with steels and sharpening. A pretty good read.
 
Cool idea for a thread Ramrodmb! I just found and ordered a copy of The Pocketknife Manual. I'll have to take a picture of my small but recently growing library at another time. Surprised no one has shown The Best of Knife World volumes yet, but it's early.

My current favorite is A Primer on Folding Knives by Steven Roman. With only a wink and a nod to traditionals the first 1/4 of the book is about knife construction (primarily modern folders) while the remainder deals with steels and sharpening. A pretty good read.

Great B BigJim2x !:thumbsup: I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for your recommendation.

The only knife book I own.


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Thanks for adding that one donn donn !:thumbsup:
 
Very nice collections :thumbsup: Most of my knife paper stuff (books, reprints, catalogs, xerox copies, loose bits of papers and notes) is in boxes :oops: but here are some:
Cataraugus catalog reprint by Dewey Ferguson
Counterfeiting Antique Cutlery by Gerald Witcher (ISBN# 0966102800)
Coutellerie de Poche by Dominique Pascal (ISBN# 2-84567-289-6)
Goins' Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings by John and Charlotte Goins
Levine's Guide to Knives and their Values 4th Edition by Bernard Levine (ISBN# 0873491890)
Pocket Knives of the United States Military by Michael W. Silvey (ISBN# 0965554422)
Pocket Knives: The new compact study guide and identifier by Bernard Levine (ISBN# 0785810269)
Sheffield Exhibition Knives by Bill Claussen, Bill Adams, Brad Watts, Pete McMickle, Terry Moss, Kelly James, and Joe Dennard (ISBN# 9780967091402)
Stan Shaw, Master Cutler: The Story of a Sheffield Craftsman by Geoffrey Tweedale (ISBN# 1874718202)
Swiss Army Knives a Collector's Companion by Derek Jackson (ISBN# 1840922354)
The Knife and Its History: Written on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Victorinox
The Knife Guide: Identification and Value
by Bernard Levine (ISBN# 0940362007)
--> This is a collection of "Whut Izzit?" articles from Knife World Magazine
The Old Knife Book
by Tracy Tudor
--> collection of catalogs
The Sheffield Knife Book A History and Collectors' Guide by Tweedale, Geoffrey (ISBN# 1874718113)
The Sword and Knife Makers of Germany 1850-2000, Volume I, A-L by Anthony Carter (ISBN 0946696314)
U.S. Military Knives Bayonets & Machetes Book III by M. H. Cole
Voss Cutlery Company catalog reprint by Joe Dennard
 
Impressive list supratentorial supratentorial ! Thanks for putting that together here.
I will be looking for this one first- The Knife and Its History: Written on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Victorinox. Thanks!:thumbsup:
 
Here's a list of a few Sheffield knife books I posted in another thread a while back :thumbsup:

Sheffield Exhibition Knives, edited by Bill Adams, Old World Publishing, 1999.


Forging History: The Story of George Barnsley and Sons..., Pauline Bell with Colin Barnsley, 2010.


Mesters to Masters, edited by Clyde Binfield and David Hey, Oxford University Press, 1997.


Sheffields Cutlers World of 1884 AD, Compiled by Michael D Everett, MDE Publications, 1986.


Robert Fead Mosley, First Manufacturer of Stainless Knives, Anna de Lange, Portland Works, 2013.


The Cutlers of Hallamshire 1624-1699, edited by David Hey and Joan Unwin, University of Sheffield.


Back to the Grindstone: Personal Recollections of the Sheffield Cutlery Industry, Herbert Housley, Hallamshire Press, 1998.


On The Knife Edge: The Inside Story of the Sheffield Cutlery Industry, Clare Jenkins and Stephen McClarence, Sheffield Libraries and Information Service, 1989.


Penknives and other folding knives, Simon Moore, Shire Publications, 1988.


Table Knives and Forks, Simon Moore, Shire Publications, 1995.


Cutlery For The Table: A History of British Table Cutlery, Simon Moore, Hallamshire Press, 1999.


A Sheffield Heritage: An Anthology of Photographs and Words of the Cutlery Crafsmen, C.A.Turner, Sheffield University, 1979.


Stan Shaw, Master Cutler, Geoffrey Tweedale, Interleaf Publications, 1993.


Tweedale’s Directory of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers 1740-2013, Geoffrey Tweedale, 2010.


A Cut Above The Rest: The Heritage of Sheffield’s Blade Manufacturers, Joan Unwin and Ken Hawley, Hawley Collection Trust, 2003.


They Lived in Nether Edge, Nether Edge Local History Group, 1988.


Earning a Living: Memories of Work in and around Sheffield (2 volumes), Workers Education Association, 2008.
 
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