I remember That one Chin when you got it- darn it looks even better now!
Charlie's bringing out the Bad Boy Lloyds now eh?
Thanks Duncan.
Oh yeah, when Charlie brings out those Lloyds and Esnyx sets...well, where do we go from there?!
Between the beautiful old Sheffield Ettricks and those magnificent customs, we’ve got the Alpha and Omega of this pattern covered over the last few pages!
That Shadow Lloyd is a whole experience in itself
Cambertree
Thanks Chin for the interesting analysis of Stag types, I'm rather surprised that your Ettrick is not Sambar but you know better as you handle it all the time
I've seen some Sambar with pithy aspects, I believe it depends on the place the antler was cut from. However, Red Deer is usually very pithy and has less 'topography' in my experience . Nevertheless, yours is a remarkable specimen, coveted by one and all
Regards, Will
Thanks Will, yes it’s a lovely example of the pattern, which I’m glad to have.
Thinking about your comments, I wonder if part of the reason for the continuing prescence of the pattern in Sheffield lineups over the years, is that an Ettrick is a convenient way of utilising the narrow, curved tine ends of antlers and the end tips of cattle horn, which can’t be used for much else?
The best, thick pieces of deer antler near the base coronets are actually properly matched by taking a piece from one antler, then taking the second piece from the corresponding area on the opposite antler.
These pieces would be used on the most expensive knives, to ensure maximum return - large bowies, custom pieces etc.
Then the antler would be progressively slabbed out for other kinds of knives, but you can see in this pic of a Sambar about to be cleaned and hung for the meat to age, that you would always end up with some small, curved tine ends, which can’t really be used for anything else.
Anyway, just a thought. I wonder if the cutlers at A. Wright could confirm whether it’s these end pieces which are utilised in Ettricks?
Despite its probable contemporary marketing niche as a ‘gardening knife’, it really doesn’t seem like a perennial best seller among the English patterns.
In this
Youtube review of three traditional knives by the staff of a UK gardening magazine, it doesn’t sound like they’d ever seen the pattern before!
More pics of Evan's set. I dismounted the Horn knife from a display case to have the complete set in one picture. So now the list is Ram's Horn, Elephant, Cocobola and Stag!
View attachment 1068744 View attachment 1068745
Magnificent Charlie! I love the swedge on the stag knife. I recall that Evan ground a more pronounced swedge on that knife in response to a suggestion from Tony Bose.
Cool thread, beautiful knives all
- Charlie you have really shown some real stunners
- I also find something intriguing about the Ettrick knife … Here’s another Ettrick that I would like to share in this thread… All metal and made by Christopher Johnson ( Johnson Western Works / Sheffield)…. 3 7/8” closed and a nice hefty blade & knife, abit tarnished and needs some TLC but not anything aggressive.. Nice advertising on the mark side - “FH McLeod & Sons Glasgow” and their product: “McLeods Sheep Dip”… They must have been a competitor of Youngs Sheep Dip
.. Anyway given the rich patina on the blades of this knife I am guessing sheep dip must put one heck of a patina on the blades
… Interestingly the blade is deep etched “Ettrick –CJ – Knife” (the CJ was inside a flag and was the Tm of C Johnson) - see photo… so no doubt an Ettrick with what seemingly looks like a curved edge rather than straight (unless some major sharpening was done on the blade which I don’t think was the case)… anyway just wanted to share this one as it is abit different..
Easier to read photo
Cheers!
Lee
Fantastic example, Lee, thanks for showing it!
Yes, as far as I’m aware, the differentiation between the ‘Ettrick’ as a straight bladed pattern, and the ‘Peach Pruner’ with a curved blade comes from A. Wright and Sons, and may just be convenient marketing nomenclature.
Looking at the abundance of varied patterns in those late 19th century Sheffield catalogues, many of which may never have had names, I don’t think it’s a stretch to think that in the past, Ettricks may have been made with both slightly curved
and straight edged blades.
OK - I'm in! A utility Ettrick in HORN is now on my short list. It's a short list that could take a year to fulfill but it's on the list nonetheless
I am quite smitten with this elegant profiled working knife.
With or without sloganeering
On the hunt... oh what fun
Ray
Nice one - good luck on your hunt!
