My two tiny two-bladed two-toned teeny little antique pen-knives... Mother of Pearl and Ivory... To display how teeny-tiny-titchy they really are...
I bought this a few months ago at an Antique Fair - the makers mark is Wadkin Leicester who make woodworking machinery. I’m wondering if this is a wartime item produced for the military? It has an unusual slot cut through the blade. I’ve contacted Wadkin for info on the knife.
Update -Wadkins got back to me. As usual these days the current owners bought the name and the business some time ago and don’t have an archive so I’ve reached a dead end on that line of enquiry.
Well, after a bit of research it seems to be solved. Military knives and bayonets often had such a slot to act as a pivot point with a protrusion on a metal sheath. This converted the back of the blade into a barbed wire cutter. So given that Wadkin made and make woodwork machinery but in wartime made weapons it seems that I bought a survival or fighting knife missing it’s metal scabbard. YouTube has a few videos of the M9 bayonet being used as a wire cutter.
No offence intended but isn’t that a ‘sledge hammer to crack a nut’ situation? It’s a great knife for chopping said pumpkin into lumps for roasting but you might be neater using a short (6”) length of broken hacksaw or coping saw blade with a handle made from a wrap or two of sticky tape - gaffer tape insulating tape etc. to carve it artistically and surgically.
Hehhe, no offense taken. I was just trying to be a little seasonal. I used a serrated paring knife to carve up my jack o'lanterns. Though, I'll admit my pumpkins do tend to end up less on the surgical side.
While not vintage, this is the true work of an artisan. My brother-in-law gave me this as a Christmas present. The handle is Red deer antler, the blade is forged 1095 steel, with steel and brass ring, and a floral eteched pattern too. It is a super little knife that I am sure will a reliable tool for me to use as well as an object of beauty for me to admire. It was made by Oliver from Ord Knives.
Two Boker knives that I have had for a while. The larger one has micarta handles and it’s probably one of my most used/ carried knives.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Buck knives. I got this probably 30 years ago and still have the sticker and patch that came with it.
My latest EC knife, a vintage German stockman... Bought it from a local antiques shop. Great knife, but it took 2-3 days to clean it up properly... Had to polish the rust off the blades and restore the shine... ...then I had to flush out all the crud and dust inside the springs and hinges. That took the most time, and the most patience. But, with loads of oil, loads of rubbing and polishing and cleaning, and a few trips through an ultrasonic cleaner, I can now open, close, use, and sharpen the knife, without feeling like I'm gonna rip my fingernails out by the root... Here it is with some of my other knives: In case you're wondering, the knife is 4in. long from bolster-to-bolster.