Making An English Trade Knife

On this episode, I show you how to make a period correct 18th century English Trade Knife.

[@Kit-vb5rm]

A very nice video, instructive and cool presentation. Thank you.

[@JakobZinkowski]

Very cool thank you for sharing this

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@georgerobartes2008]

English Carving knives like this were produced in their 10s of 1000s and exported around the world. Those made for British d8nner tables during the period were of higher quality in general Generally Sheffield but also Birmingham and Harrow . Same blade form for hundreds of years .Usually 7 or 8 " long . Generally paired with a forged 2 prong fork and sometimes a sharpening steel . Full length wire tang to suit any wood ,bone and antler with a flat cap pommel . Blades are thin and designed to slice roast meat and not robust enough for military use an old ones unless well cared for will snap easily at the firsr rivet or at the handle if bone or antler as the resin promotes rust . You can buy these at boot sales and market stalls in the UK for a few quid if you are 18 + . I have quite a collection of these with mahogany , ebony, walnut , box and holly , bone is common and several antler with polished steel cap pommels , but we call them carving knives . Unless very ornate with precious metals and detailed blades , value is ' low ' . Interesting to see that you use the old English penny weight for nails . 4d ( or fourpence ) is 4 pennyweight . Knife makers in England linished the blades on finishing . I have a cast iron Sheffield made belt linisher called " The Linisher " .

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Thank you for sharing!

[@2gpowell]

Hi Ben, great educational video. I enjoyed the detail you explained throughout the process. See ya on your next 18th century adventure👍

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Thanks so much!

[@chopsddy3]

Very nice. Useful too. The blade thickness is about perfect for the normal tasks expected of a knife that size. I think the most profitable way to produce those would have been hot stamping out the blanks. I’m going to go digging to see if that’s what was being done.

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Thank you!

[@kevinmorrice]

my rule for trade knives is the rule of three, it has to be the right size and shape for three things cutting meat and vegetables scraping wet bark off wood for firewood when camping and it has to be good for self defence that to me encapsulates a good trade knife, something that can do everything from peel potatoes to butcher small game, as thats what most people from that era would be using it for, unlike modern day when theres a tool for everything, there was a time when you had people that could only afford a single knife, so it had to do everything you would need a blade for. tod cutlers trade knife is the perfect one for me, everything about it is just right

[@ChacoteOutdoorRecreation]

The knife is an instrument & so takes its identity from the purpose of the hand that uses it. The one who crafts it leaves within it a portion of his inner being.

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Very true.

[@michaelban7354]

Very nice 👍

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Thank you 👍

[@pcooper4976]

Feric chloride to antique the steel? I'd be interested in seeing the other common handle shapes.

[@HoffmanReproductions]

I use a period correct browning solution on mine. If I'm in a hurry, I use liquid gun bluing that is placed on the steel then buffed back off. We have another video on trade knives you look at our home page. Old video but the info is good.

[@normanweidel4285]

Sweet

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Thanks!

[@paulwiggins183]

Distal taper on the tang?

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Yes Sir as the originals had.

[@johnauberry1500]

So want would that have cost? One beaver pelt?

[@HoffmanReproductions]

They appear on many trading ledgers but not sure of the cost.

[@DaryooshF.Sh.P-vq6mu]

Weirdest video about knife making. You just talked and told the story without showing any of stages clearly.

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Did you watch the whole thing? Showed quite a lot of the process here. If I fully showed all the steps, this would be a 12 + hour video. No one watches when I make them that long. If you need clarification on one or more steps, just let me know and I do my best to help. Thanks.

[@DaryooshF.Sh.P-vq6mu]

@@HoffmanReproductions I have watched hundreds of knife making videos and first time writing such a comment so 🤷🏻

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Well, can’t please everyone. Thanks for watching!

[@brancroidubh5996]

Appreciate it. Lovely vid.

[@HoffmanReproductions]

Thank you!

[@bobbobmonclova5359]

What is your music in the background?