Get Your Knives Out

[Mom]

I have an old knife, it is one of two.

I have had an edge put back on it. It is well balanced and very, very sharp. It is also special. It has a wicked steel blade, embeded in a wooden handle complete with some really interesting brass? inlays.

The manufacturer is Friedr Herder Abr.Sohn (?Solgen) - Germany.

I have had a brief google (as you do) for value, but I am keen to know age etc. I have not found a pic of the same. This knife could be as little as 80 years old, or as old as ....

Any of our German members able to shed some light?

[pete376403]

Solingen - pretty famous for knife steel , cultery, etc
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solingen

[Laava]

Looks like it will have a good stabbing action. You should try it out. Esp with the number of wild critters running about loose in your house!

[swbarnett]

Looks like it will have a good stabbing action. You should try it out. Esp with the number of wild critters running about loose in your house!

And then there's the uninvited callers...

[Maha]

It has a decent blade, it's 230mm long and 4mm wide at the top by the handle, we use a steel to keep the edge on it sharp.
Glad it's not a Ginsu.

[blue rider]

Ok,that is a really nice knife you got there....

Friedrich Herder Abr. Solingen (Solingen is known for its Knife Manufacturing), established in 1727.
best is to email a picture of the handle (as the brass inlay may say something about its age) to the company and see if they can trace it back.

This is an awesome little kitchen tool. Keep it. If not you give it to me, yes?


info@herder-solingen.com



this is the towns Standard (?) - in German it is called Wappen - as you can see it contains swords/blades. (so predictable)
The first time the city was named for the good quality of its swords was 1363. Blades made in Solingen around the 17th century would contain a "me fecit Solingen", roughly translated to " i was made in Solingen by".
Having a knife from Solingen is first class quality stamp.

[blue rider]

should have added this

1727 Um die Produkte unverwechselbar zu machen, wird das Zeichen, "Pik As" als ältestes Warenzeichen Solingens eingetragen.

the enblem is a PIK AS (Ace of Spade) which has been used on all their knives to identify it as a Product of the company. It is Solingen oldest Logo.


ding ding you have a original. some of them go quite expensively in auctions.

[Dogboy900]

Wow! My mother has a couple of knives with the same brass pins in the handle, I should check them out next time I am there... I am pretty sure she uses one for trimming plants in the garden!

[Mom]

Wow! My mother has a couple of knives with the same brass pins in the handle, I should check them out next time I am there... I am pretty sure she uses one for trimming plants in the garden!

We found this knife under Moms house when we were clearing it out after she died. I am picking it belonged to my stepfather as I do not recall it in my childhood. The house was brand new when they moved into it so it has to have been Harrys.

We asked an old friend to put an edge back on it and it is leathally sharp and really nice to carve with.

There is another one too, not in such good shape but amazing all the same. Will post a pic of that soon.

[Dogboy900]

From memory we had one similar to the one you have and also a bread knife. As soon as I saw the handle I recognised it. I beleive my parents were given them as wedding presents and brought them out from Holland with them when they immigrated around 55 years ago.

I am probably due to drop in on her again soon... Of course according to her I am always overdue to drop in

[Akzle]

solingen are renowned for cut throat razors, the steel is usually high chromium, (in the order of 4120) but, depending on the blade, may be high carbon (looking at photo, yours is more carbon than chrome), which will need lubrication/oiling so's it doesn't rust, but it also holds an edge much longer.
the brass bits in the handle are rivets.
the blade design is a skinning, boning/rolling type.