Photos Wade & Butcher Boone fixed blade

K

kwackster

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Dec 23, 2005
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My most recent find is this Wade & Butcher "Boone" carbon steel hunting knife.
It was discovered together with several other vintage hunting knives in an old leather hunting bag from the 1930's somewhere in Amsterdam.
The steel has gotten a dark grey patina from being stored inside the sheath for decennia.

On the blade the letters "ILLWELL" are very faintly visible, and through Google i found that originally it spelled "GILLWELL", which is the 144 acre site North of London given to the Scouts in 1919 and now the worlds historical site for scouts.
It seems that the change from "GILLWELL" to "GILWELL" took place when Baden Powell was made the first Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell in 1929.
So in 1919, when the first Wood Badge course was held, it was Gillwell Park.

If the info from Google is correct that would date my knife to have been manufactured between 1919 and 1929, although the sheath is probably not original to the knife but most likely from Scandinavian origin.

What do you guys think ?













 
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Nice knife! Looks like the sheath fits the knife well, but to me it looks like a very Scandinavian style sheath, not English, and the belt hanger/retention strap look added to the sheath. Can you read the stamping on the back the sheath? John
 
That the sheath is most likely of Scandinavian origin i already wrote in my original post :)
I don't know about the belt hanger, as i've seen that on more Scandinavian sheaths, but the retention strap definitely seems added later.

Currently i'm doing a bit of online research on what kind of steel was used in these knives, and according to this old ad the Boone blades were made from (the famous) Wardlow steel.



Then i found these posts from 2017 on a forum:

Question: "What type of knife was used by Camillus in the early years, was it 1095 ?
I have a stockman made between 1920 and 1930 use it every day for carving sharpest pocket knife I every had I am 64 years old this steel beats them all.¨

Answer: "Camillus forged their blades from Wardlow's best crucible steel from Sheffield England."

Reply: "All I known this blade steel is great I carve 4 to 6 hours a day, sometime just strop and keep cutting.
My new pocket knives will not do this no matter the brand."

And from Bladeforums: "The S. & C. Wardlow steel that Camillus imported from Sheffield, England, was derived from about 8o percent pure Swedish iron ore; wide variation in heating did not injure it."



 
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This Pathe footage from 1949 shows the actual making of the crucibles and how they were used to produce cast steel:

https://www.britishpathe.com/video/hand-made-steel-handmade-steel/query/foundries

The first reaction below almost the same footage on Youtube (but without sound) reads this:

"George Goodwin, puddling clay for the making of pots for melting crucible steel, looks like the old Benjamin Huntsman works on Coleridge Rd.
I started work there in 1968 as a lad in the forge, George by then was much older and working in the warehouse, he told us lads of these days making pots, and was still a very fit and muscular guy, bulging biceps for a pensioner a fantastic bloke.
A piece of Sheffield history here..... Bob."
 
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What I like about it is that it looks nothing like Wade & Butcher knives I am used to seeing.

Cool!
 
Originally the blade used to be full convex ground, but sometime during it's existence a previous owner had sharpened a bit of a rough secundairy bevel into it.
So i reground the blade by hand to full convex again on 400 grit wet & dry using WD40 oil as a lubricant on a medium hard rubber backing (old piece of fiber reinforced conveyor belt)

The old blunt "edge" measured between 35 and 40 degrees inclusive, while the new edge apex fits almost exactly in the (specifically aimed for) 30 degrees inclusive slot of my Tormek WM200 Angle Master.
I do consider this a bit on the conservative side, as i think the steel can most likely handle a thinner edge geometry just fine, but for now i want to play it safe with this rare & valuable knife (to me anyway)
If need be further thinning can always be done later.

There is still a tiny burr on the apex, next step will be to refine the scratch pattern with probably 800 grit wet & dry.
After that the plan is to recut the swedge with a small diamond file followed by wet & dry paper & some WD40.
The handle has already been smooth sanded with 400 grit wet & dry and treated with several coats of warm Granger's wax.



 
I like these knife restorations.While I believe a knife that has honest wear and patina is usually best with minimal cleaning, one that's seen some prior abuse should be restored as best as possible. Some knives that have had bad sharpening, treated to a grinder, poorly re-handled have already been altered from original. I see no harm in bringing back some dignity to the piece.
Great job on the restoration K kwackster
 
Some more vintage footage about old school knife making in Sheffield:

Bridlington, October 1978
After 72 years as a blade forger in Sheffield, Albert Craven has finally decided to retire.


Two knife grinders at work:


A website dedicated to various things Sheffield, among which several clips related to knife making:

http://www.alexglenwilson.com/2018/05/10/little-mesters/

Footage from the 1960's where the same George Goodwin (now 77 years old) shows how he makes the crucibles:

Also this fascinating color documentary made in 1945 about large scale steel manufacture in Sheffield.
In the beginning there is even some footage of crucible steel manufacture.

http://film.britishcouncil.org/steel
 
Hey Kwackster. Noticed your post a while ago but have only now had a chance to respond. The week I saw your original post I was gifted this by a kind volunteer at work. He, knowing of my interest in knives, said he had a "Gillwell" knife I could have. When he eventually gave it to me he said "...oh its not a Gillwell knife it's a Bukta". It was only when I saw your post that I realised the connection. Bukta was a company of scout outfitters dating back to the 30s and, like yours, the knife carries the Wade and Butcher marks. :thumbsup:20181204_125819 by Blake Blade, on Flickr20181204_125940 by Blake Blade, on Flickr
 
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Oh I'll do it myself I guess, but I'll keep it simple as I lack the skills and tools to do a full restoration job. It'll end up with a secondary bevel. Out of interest, does yours have the serated section on the spine? And what is the hollow strip on the side of the blade for? Many thanks.
 
Blake the Blade said:
Hey Kwackster. Noticed your post a while ago but have only now had a chance to respond. The week I saw your original post I was gifted this by a kind volunteer at work. He, knowing of my interest in knives, said he had a "Gillwell" knife I could have. When he eventually gave it to me he said "...oh its not a Gillwell knife it's a Bukta". It was only when I saw your post that I realised the connection. Bukta was a company of scout outfitters dating back to the 30s and, like yours, the knife carries the Wade and Butcher marks. :thumbsup:20181204_125819 by Blake Blade, on Flickr20181204_125940 by Blake Blade, on Flickr
Click to expand...

I remember seeing Bukta knives when I was a kid. Interesting jumping on the spine, reminds me of this Maleham & Yeoman 'Scout's Woodcraft Knife' :thumbsup:

vKi0m4I.jpg


94bw854.jpg


I gave this one to John Maleham at Arthur Wright's, who is related to to the Maleham of the firm :thumbsup:
 
Nice Jack. Sad to think that scouts today are denied the pleasure of owning such a thing, or even a penknife for that matter. I did, however, meet a Scout Master recently who was converting a dozen hard wall hammers into tomahawks for his group of lads. Glad to see the spirit of adventure is not completely stifled in the name of health and safety. I, for one, plan to give my nephew, who has just started work, a small folder for Christmas this year, along with an appropriate lecture...street legal of course. :thumbsup:
 
Blake the Blade said:
Nice Jack. Sad to think that scouts today are denied the pleasure of owning such a thing, or even a penknife for that matter. I did, however, meet a Scout Master recently who was converting a dozen hard wall hammers into tomahawks for his group of lads. Glad to see the spirit of adventure is not completely stifled in the name of health and safety. I, for one, plan to give my nephew, who has just started work, a small folder for Christmas this year, along with an appropriate lecture...street legal of course. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

It's very sad my friend, back in the day, the Sheffield cutlers must have produced Millions of fixed-blade knives for Scouts. I gave my pal's lad a Lambsfoot for his birthday, after he had asked his mum and dad if he could have one. He loves it of course, and enjoys whittling with his dad. He's getting a ferro rod and a tinder tin for Christmas :thumbsup:
 
Jack Black said:
It's very sad my friend, back in the day, the Sheffield cutlers must have produced Millions of fixed-blade knives for Scouts. I gave my pal's lad a Lambsfoot for his birthday, after he had asked his mum and dad if he could have one. He loves it of course, and enjoys whittling with his dad. He's getting a ferro rod and a tinder tin for Christmas :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Lucky lad. He'll be set for any eventuality. ;)
 
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