I have a couple of projects on my workbench. The first project is a modern material rendition of an 1840’s pattern Sheffield Bowie Knife as produced by the English maker George Wostenholm. This pattern is called the Cougar Claw and was part of his IXL series of knives.
Here is a little background on Wostenholme and his influence on the import market for Sheffield made Bowie knives to the U.S.
GEORGE WOSTENHOLM 1800-1876
The third George Wostenholm (b1800) served his apprenticeship under his father at Rockingham Works. The first entry in The Sheffield City Directory (which incorrectly spells the name!) confirming the father and son partnership comes from 1825;
"WOLSTENHOLME, GEORGE & SON, manufacturers of table knives and forks, pen, pocket and sportsman’s knives, and general dealers in cutlery, 78 Rockingham Street"
In 1834, following is father’s death, the third George Wostenholm took the company reins. Although the company had achieved considerable success under his father, it was the third George that catapulted Wostenholms to the head of Sheffield knife making. He was an incredibly astute and fiercely determined businessman.
WOSTENHOLM AND THE USA
Wostenholms were selling knives to America as early as 1830 through a partnership with a William Stenton. George’s sales trips to America began soon after, and subsequently he established offices from New York across to San Fransisco through which he could service growing demand for his craftsmen made I*XL knives. George himself is reported to have made a great many visits to America at a time when trans-Atlantic passage would have been arduous to say the least.
The blade I’m working with was made from the Wostenholme pattern by the late knifemaker Bob Engnath of San Pedro CA. The material is Japanese ATS 34 Stainless. I’m planning to mill the an elongated oval cross guard from a block of scrap tool steel and I have on hand a very nice piece of antler for the grip material. I haven’t yet decided whether or not to add a steel pommel cap.
This project will take a while so I’ll post more pics. later as the work progresses.
My second project is a build of a BSA Martini .22 Target Rifle which I’ll discuss in another thread.
