| Last week I was invited to have a tour of the Cutler's Hall by one of the Freeman. We are developing a prototype hunting knife to compliment high end shotguns. As I will be representing Sheffield knife making when I design these blades I thought looking at some of the Culters collection would help me find out what makes a traditional Sheffield knife. 
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Here I am on my way in. (Photo taken by a kind old lady who was passing by!)
Managed to get a nice reflection of the Cathedral over the road in the plaque metal.
Managed to get a nice reflection of the Cathedral over the road in the plaque metal.
The multi blade pocket knife shown here was made before Switzerland existed so is a Sheffield forerunner of the Swiss army knife. It was designed in a time when people carried their own personal cutlery with them. There are many forks and spoons included in these travelling knives. | Here are the other plaques. Click on the left one to read. 
Here is a boring bit of panelling BUT it used to be part of the Titanic's sister ship The Olympic which was broken down in Hull. Ok, now the knives ... 
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The Stag handled pocket knife is also a pocket gun!
The knives with tiny blades are pen knives - for trimming up quills when writing.
This style could now be called a pencil knife I suppose.
The knife in the middle with 14 blades and mother of pearl scales is for when your blade is blunt and an oil stone isn't handy - next blade - until you have 14 blunt blades, then its time to get sharpening.
Of course most of the blades will have started life bigger before enthusiastic sharpening. My Grandad gave me a pen knife which he had sharpened the 2 blades down by over an inch!
The knives with tiny blades are pen knives - for trimming up quills when writing.
This style could now be called a pencil knife I suppose.
The knife in the middle with 14 blades and mother of pearl scales is for when your blade is blunt and an oil stone isn't handy - next blade - until you have 14 blunt blades, then its time to get sharpening.
Of course most of the blades will have started life bigger before enthusiastic sharpening. My Grandad gave me a pen knife which he had sharpened the 2 blades down by over an inch!
Old carving knives. And forks. Apparently the 2 pronged fork is a Sheffield thing. Along with using ivory. The cutlers hall was in a way built on the back of elephants - they used to use ivory handles for everything so they have a couple of elephants on the top of their heraldic shield and sign.
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Sheffield 'Cut Throat' straight razors.
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Each blade in this literally man sized party piece is beautifully acid etched with scenes from around the world. The inside is full of intricate file work, and there are scissors, a saw, and all kinds of curiosity blades. Lacking in function but excelling in skilled craftsmanship.
From the biggest to these handy pocket tools custom made for hamsters. Who wear trousers.
The smallest is about 10mm long with mother of pearl scales.
The smallest is about 10mm long with mother of pearl scales.
Here are some big boy's Bowie's. The top one is based on a Roman gladius - same size blade, about a foot and a half. These are the must have combat accessory for fighting the French, American or English. Again really intricate acid etching - a bit of a lost art.
Thats it.
Going to be making my own damascus in the next couple of weeks and drawing up the first designs for these hunting knives. Looking forward to folding some steel and firewelding.
Going to be making my own damascus in the next couple of weeks and drawing up the first designs for these hunting knives. Looking forward to folding some steel and firewelding.
