Cheap crooked knife

[MartiniDave]

While on my hols near Wells in Norfolk I spotted a cheap knife with a crooked blade in a hardware store (Walsingham's), priced at £1.89. It was "Blackspur" brand and had a serrated blade. I think it was meant for cutting melons into balls or similar.
Anyway, I bought one, and after 10 minutes at a bench grinder to get rid of the serrations and some stoning with a round stone I have a passable crooked knife. I've used it on a spoon and it works well, the only thing I need to do to it now is extend the handle nearer the blade, or maybe just make a new handle.

Dave

 

[Keith_Beef]

I mentioned on BritishBlades a distributor of farrier's and general forge equipment. Looking at the paper catalogue a couple of days ago, I saw some farrier's hoof knives that look like they'd be very useful for spoon bowl carving.

Tweedale's book on the Sheffield knife industry has plenty of illustrations of this kind of knife.

I would think that Footprint Tools, or another manufacturer's of specialist knives, would do these things for around £7 to £10. Try Footprint first:
http://www.footprint-tools.co.uk/

I've seen hoof knives like the ones I saw in the Vaillant catalogue, made in Sheffield (don't remember if it was marked with a manufacturer's name). Around 1/4" thick at the back, full tang, handle is just two thick pieces of leather, rivetted. The same manufacturer might do the slender, hook shaped hoof knife as well...


Keith.

 

[philaw]

I just did a quick search, and couldn't see anything on http://www.footprint-tools.co.uk/, but http://www.farmrite.co.uk/category.php?cat=300&products_per_page=999 has hoof knives from £3-£13ish. The cheaper one could be good for a beginner like me.