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mentalnurse

Full Member
Apr 4, 2007
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ashton-in-makerfield,wigan
hi, as a uk member i am looking for an "old hickory" 8inch butchers knife but the prices over here arnt great and when i look on the usa sites the postage is a rip off.

do they sell "old hickory" knives all over the US ie hardwear stores etc or is it limited to mail order as well?

thanks carl
 
It used to be that you would find Old Hickory knives at most hardware and household goods stores in the US. And lots of general stores as well.

These days, because they're still very inexpensive, they tend to be regarded as too downscale for many stores. It's a pity because they're fabulous knives and rate very highly on the price vs. quality scale.

Normally, now you have to get them online. However, I'll keep an eye out for you if you like.

Another option to consider -- you can buy Russell Green River knife blades (and sometimes Old Hickory knife blades) at several places online. Since many people re-handle them anyway, that might be a viable alternative that isn't too bad from a postage perspective.

The Russell Green River knives are a central part of the American past -- they were the favored knives of the mountain men and fur traders. Cheap, great steel, wonderful knives.

You can see them here:

http://www.crazycrow.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=841-200-010

and here:

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(ay...es/partList.aspx?catID=9&subID=56&styleID=201

(I've bought from both CrazyCrow and Track of the Wolf, but I like the Track of the Wolf people better -- my guess is that they'd work with you on the postage..)

Hope that helps!
 
Thanks for the post Dogwood, I've been looking for these too!

According to the website Crazycow doesn't ship international orders under $200 :eek:

Track the Wolf has shipping for the UK at $13.50 (on the blade I picked as a test) which is $5.55 more than the blade, but still doable IMO. Only £15 all in all!
 
Track the Wolf has shipping for the UK at $13.50 (on the blade I picked as a test) which is $5.55 more than the blade, but still doable IMO. Only £15 all in all!

The Track of The Wolf people are nice folks, I expect you'll have a good experience with them.

Which blade did you get for a test?

I really like the Russell Green River blades -- they are pure Americana as well as being really nice steel. Please post your reaction when you get the blade!
 
The Track of The Wolf people are nice folks, I expect you'll have a good experience with them.

Which blade did you get for a test?

I really like the Russell Green River blades -- they are pure Americana as well as being really nice steel. Please post your reaction when you get the blade!

Not ordered it yet, I meant a test to go to the checkout and see shipping :p Reckon I'll get the Camp knife first though, then the Classic :D

I know what you mean about American knives - the classic American knives, based on pure functionality have been lost to a lot of people for 15" bowies!

Atb
Pete
 
thanks for the links, i have looked around my knife box and found an old 7inch victorinox butchers knife that must be well over 40years old, think a little work in my shed is called for.
01022009720.jpg

any usa members if you could help me out with a shop bought "old hickory" or "greenriver" knife please pm me and we can sort something out, i am looking an old style looking camp cooking knife for veg and meat prep, nice and sharp and thin blade.
 
How about these? They have inexpensive butcher's knives in fairly similar style.

Personally, I'd go with the Sheffield's. A couple years ago Ontario started making some of their butchers out of thinner stock. Fine for the kitchen but I like the heavier ones for the outdoors. The Sheffield's are about the same thickness as the older Old Hickories. I'd bet they are a little higher on the Rockwell scale as well.

Here's a couple comparison shots. The Sheffield is the one at the top in this photo. The bottom knife in the photo is a modified butcher.

old_hickories_flat1b.jpg


Sheffield is far right. The newer, thinner Old Hickory butcher is the second one in from the left. On the left is an older, Old Hickory and just to the right of the thin Old Hickory is a very old, Old Hickory. :)

old_hickories_spine1b.jpg
 
The John Nowill Sheffield ones are really great value. Nice steel and hold a pretty good edge. You might need to tidy up the handle and peen over the pins to tighten it all up but it's a simple job. I've a 5" butcher knife that I use loads in the kitchen. I'm thinking of geting a 6" one for a general camp knife.
 
On the Sheffield Knives pages, that 6½ inch Replica Scalping Knife looks like quite a useable bushcraft knife. Hmmm.

Gareth
Although it isn't a proper replica of a scalper. I actually use the 5" butcher knife for alot of bushcraft. OK, it's not great for woodcarving but for general camp chores and cooking it's great.
 
There is an excellent history of the J. Russell & Co. knives (he made the so-called Green River knives favored by the buffalo hunters.) to be found at: home.att.net/~mman/JRussellCo.htm. It describes among other things how he used English steel, and how he had difficulty getting established in the market as all Americans wanted Sheffield made knives. If this link does not prove to work, just google "green river knives" and it is one of the first sites offered. As far as Old Hickory knives go I think they are great, my mother had a set of them but they went to my sister and now I have none. lol. The butcher knives, 7 or 8 inch ones, just sell for 7 or 8 dollars U.S. If you want a stainless butcher knife, Chicago Cutlery is a good company. They been around since the 1930s and sell for about 15 dollars U.S. It used to be easy to buy just one knife but now they are usually encountered in sets of six or eight different knives in a wooden block. I have seen them show up at household auctions, garage sales, and antique stores fairly often. I'm going to start looking and see if I can turn any up. Good luck locating one, If, I find a good one, cheap, MentalNurse, I'll let you know. If I were to mail you anything, It can be called a "gift" and come to you duty free (I believe).
 
Yes, the Smoky Mountain Knife Works is a great place to buy a knife, I don't know why I didn't think of them, I have bought several knives from them and they were always prompt with the shipping. In fact one of my most favorite knives is a Buck "bird" knife. This is a small, graceful knife made to clean pheasants, quail, etc. Many of their products are deeply discounted.
 

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