Posted 9 years ago
bobbee
(105 items)
Hi, badly in need of help with these two!
They are both made by Taylors of Sheffield, England, have "EYE WITNESS Sheffield England" on the blade base (the "EYE" is a picture of an eye!), and look to be very old.
The left one has "Mastabar Hull" engraved on one side of the blade, and "COMET" on the other. Research shows the company as makers of mining equipment. This knife's scales are made of horn, the others are bone scales.
They measure 9cm. closed and 15.5 open. The blades are 6.5cm, and look like either sheepsfoot or lambsfoot style.
What I really need to know is why are the blades angled backwards? I can't find any other examples like these anywhere. Wonder what they were used for?
Would also like to know the age, if anyone can help.
Cheers, Bob.
I would think Comet refers to the HMS Comet and Hull the port where she was built or anchored.
Doesn't look like they idea completely figured out.
Just my guess. Rope rigger knives commonly had a blade like these.
Chip carving knives
There were at least a half-dozen "Taylor(s)" trademarks for Sheffield knives over nearly two centuries. The "Eye Witness" mark dates from 1856 through 1975 and was owned by several mfgr's. These look like fairly ordinary jack knives with bone handles. (The bumpy texture is called "jigging" and is done by grinding the little hollows on the surface.) These blades appear so worn that it is difficult to tell what they originally looked like but I suspect that they had hooked blades which were intended for pruning and other rough work. Both blades seem to be much too far open (hyper-extended), an indication of long, hard use which has damaged the blade tang and/or the pivot pin allowing the blade to swing out too far. The "Comet" branded knife was probably produced by Taylor especially for the mining supply co. in Hull.
Thanks UncleRon, I too thought the knives must be worn, but the tang is undamaged, the pivot pin is not loose, and the blades lock tightly into place with a nice "snap". W hat are the chances that two knives from the same company of the same design, with similar blades would be worn at exactly the same angle? The tangs are not raising or lowering the tension spring on the back, they are both "tight". This makes me think they are made just like this, with that strange angle.
BTW, I live about twenty miles from Sheffield, so it is fairly local. Possibly custom design?
Maybe I'm reaching.
I also agree that the blades are very worn, and when closed both blades are not touching the inner back as they should, so your surmise that they were of a "billhook" shape is probably correct.
Thanks, Bob.
COMET was a brand name for mining belt grips, for joining the ends of the belts together.