Curio knives - what are they?

[British Red]

I was given a workshop haul of old knives today. Very much working knives not belt knives - at least half a dozen putty knives in various sizes! There's one tiny knife that I suspect is hand adapted unless anyone knows better?

Small knife with thumb plate by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Small knife thumb plate by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Small knife thumb plate by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Clearly meant to bear down with thumb pressure. I will use it for grafting trees when made razor sharp but I wonder if it was for leather originally - there were leather working knives in there

There was this cobblers knife

Cobblers knife by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Then these three

Vintage knives by English Countrylife, on Flickr

The wee skiving knife is clearly marked

Skiving knife by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Now there's this

Leather working knife by English Countrylife, on Flickr

Knife maker by English Countrylife, on Flickr

George Barnsley made lots of knives including leather working knives....is this one I wonder?

Lastly we have this thing. I fancy it could be a scraper rather than a knife ? I feel I've seen something similar but blessed if I know where! Any input welcome

Mystery knife by English Countrylife, on Flickr

 

[Wildgoose]

First one looks a bit like an oyster knife. Used in a stab and twist motion to open the shell

last one looks very much like a scraper, there are certainly modern examples sold as such

 

[Wildgoose]

 

[JonathanD]

I’d go with oyster knife too.

 

[Toddy]

Oyster knife, or (now utterly illegal) freshwater mussels, though I know of someone who used it to slice up the thick rope of tobacco for his pipe too.

 

[demographic]

The last one with the half circle cutout is for cleaning paint off a roller.
Well, that and scraper and a few other uses.

The one with the thumb part? Not seen one like it but I reckon I'd use it for thick leather.

 

[British Red]

View attachment 68520

That's definitive - outstanding!

 

[British Red]

The last one with the half circle cutout is for cleaning paint off a roller.
Well, that and scraper and a few other uses.

The one with the thumb part? Not seen one like it but I reckon I'd use it for thick leather.

Brilliant, good to know!

 

[British Red]

I’d go with oyster knife too.

Could be, I'm stumped but it's big for an oyster knife. I have no better ideas

 

[JonathanD]

Clam knife

 

[British Red]

Clam knife

Could be . I'm looking for an image of a similar blade shape but coming up short. Most shellfish knives seem shorter, handier and pointier. It's as good an answer as any

 

[grip]

The downward curving hooked knife is a lino knife.

 

[Toddy]

The downward curving hooked knife is a lino knife.

My brother said that about my one that looks almost identical to that one, but mine's a basket maker knife. Like this.

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