Guardians of The Lambsfoot!

Thanks Will, the Thomas Turner catalogue belongs to Mick Wellington

That's a great-looking pattern isn't it, love those old pistol-grip handles?

Cambertree said:

Greg, if you're thinking of a whittler with a wharncliffe main, like the 54 Geppetto, with a small lambsfoot, I agree, that would be an excellent variant.

Add the 'swoopy' little secondary clip shape from the early 25 watch pocket Barlows and that would be a pattern I could really get behind!

As a talented whittler who obviously spends a bit of time using different blade shapes, and modifying existing ones to your liking, I'm interested in what you find most useful about about the lambsfoot over a coping or sheepsfoot blade?

I'm guessing that tapered profile towards the tip might allow you to turn the blade more nimbly in tight cuts?

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My default main for a whittler is a clip, although I'd be plenty happy with a lambsfoot main in the right package.

I really like the small clip secondary on the Camillus #72. I haven't held one in person, but the small clip they used on some of the #57 Geppetto Whittlers also looks really nice.

But, we're here to talk about lambsfoot blades and I'm getting off topic.... Back to the subject of a Lambsfoot secondary for whittling, here is a comparison shot for discussion:



From top to bottom: A. Wright Lambsfoot, 34OT sheepsfoot (modified), #33 Conductor Whittler coping.

I didn't yet own a lambsfoot when I modified that sheepsfoot, but it turns out that the two have a nearly identical nose angle. I guess I was already seeking a lambsfoot profile, but just didn't know it yet... I've found that angle works very well for three-cut chip cuts where you are extracting a pyramid-shaped chip from the work. The only drawback of that particular sheepsfoot blade is that it is a bit large. I'd like it to be both shorter and narrower.

The coping blade on the #33 is just about the size I'd be looking for, but it has too blunt of a nose. A thin lambsfoot in that size, with its sharper nose angle for more effective chip cuts and its narrower profile at the tip for getting into tighter spaces and rolling through sweeping cuts, would really shine for the type and scale of whittling that I enjoy. If I could find a production knife with a lambsfoot secondary like that, I'd buy it in a heartbeat so that I could try it out. (Now that I'm looking at this comparison shot, I'm tempted to give that coping blade a lambsfoot nose angle, which would get me half way there...)

Here's another jack with lambsfoot secondary for you Guardians to consider.



This one is especially interesting to me as, although it's doubtless Sheffield made, it could make a claim to be an Australian traditional pattern.

It is a specialist veterinary knife, which also features a main blade shape which has fallen out of use: the "Baker's Sweep."

As Jack has noted, Australia was a big market for Sheffield bladeware, even more so after the US started to protect its local cutlery industry with trade tariffs, and this is an example of a pattern which was specifically designed for the needs of that market.

It's a pretty nice design, I must say. You all know how useful the lambsfoot is, and that needle-like point and eponymous sweeping belly of the main blade offer a very versatile blade combination. I daresay those tweezers and pick would have been very well made, too.

Sadly, I've never seen one either in a museum or a private knife collection...

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That's a neat combination! I, too, would love to see one in person, or at least a modern photograph. Thanks for sharing it.

Fellow Guardians, we are all fans of the Lambsfoot. What do you think of giving it an official day of appreciation? I propose that we make the 14th of each month Love for the Lambsfoot Day. Similar to Wooden Wednesday and Stag Saturday, you're encouraged to carry a Lambsfoot on that day and share your love for the Lambsfoot with others, whether here on the porch or in person. Anyone game?

Well, I received my first lambsfoot yesterday. I have to say, I really like the shape. Definitely something I'm going to look for in future purchases.

WhittlinAway said:

Fellow Guardians, we are all fans of the Lambsfoot. What do you think of giving it an official day of appreciation? I propose that we make the 14th of each month Love for the Lambsfoot Day. Similar to Wooden Wednesday and Stag Saturday, you're encouraged to carry a Lambsfoot on that day and share your love for the Lambsfoot with others, whether here on the porch or in person. Anyone game?

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I'm enjoying reading your whittling perspective Greg, and that sounds like a great idea to me, what does everyone else think?

netguy1999 said:

Well, I received my first lambsfoot yesterday. I have to say, I really like the shape. Definitely something I'm going to look for in future purchases.

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That is a beautiful SHEEPSFOOT John

I haven't carried my Arthur Wright Lambsfoot in oxhorn for a while. Just posted a pic in the EDC thread, so I thought I'd post it here too

I expect to carry mine more in the colder weather in my jacket pocket. In my pants pocket, it makes me feel a bit like the cover art on the Stones' Sticky Fingers.

Jack Black said:

I haven't carried my Arthur Wright Lambsfoot in oxhorn for a while. Just posted a pic in the EDC thread, so I thought I'd post it here too

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A beautiful knife in a lovely setting. The color gradient nicely accentuates the shape of the handle.

I haven't seen many knives handled in ox horn. Are—or were—they in regular production by Arthur Wright, or was yours from a special run?

Jack Black said:

That is a beautiful SHEEPSFOOT John :thumbup:

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Point taken, I'm still learning. I will endeavor to find a true lambsfoot to acquire.

netguy1999 said:

Point taken, I'm still learning. I will endeavor to find a true lambsfoot to acquire.

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So after a little hunting online, I found a lambsfoot that I really like. It is on it's way, straight from England.

scrteened porch said:

I expect to carry mine more in the colder weather in my jacket pocket. In my pants pocket, it makes me feel a bit like the cover art on the Stones' Sticky Fingers.

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WhittlinAway said:

A beautiful knife in a lovely setting. The color gradient nicely accentuates the shape of the handle.

I haven't seen many knives handled in ox horn. Are—or were—they in regular production by Arthur Wright, or was yours from a special run?

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Thanks a lot I bought that knife about 3 years ago, and they were not in regular production then. However, when I called in at the A.Wright factory earlier this year, they had them available

netguy1999 said:

Point taken, I'm still learning. I will endeavor to find a true lambsfoot to acquire.

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Good stuff

netguy1999 said:

So after a little hunting online, I found a lambsfoot that I really like. It is on it's way, straight from England.
View attachment 670844

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Fast work, and that looks like a nice one, hope you're happy with it Look forward to seeing more

WhittlinAway said:

What do you think of giving it an official day of appreciation? I propose that we make the 14th of each month Love for the Lambsfoot Day. Similar to Wooden Wednesday and Stag Saturday, you're encouraged to carry a Lambsfoot on that day and share your love for the Lambsfoot with others, whether here on the porch or in person. Anyone game?

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Sounds like a great idea, I'm all for it. I guess that means *cough* I'll need to get a Lambsfoot and apply for Guardians membership first!

I've been on the verge of getting one a few times, as they're available locally here by mail order, but based on Jack's advice, I've decided to hold off and hand pick a really nice one when I have the opportunity. I'm actually going to be visiting Ireland in January, and will make a pilgrimage across to Sheffield then (and hopefully catch up for a pint with Our Man In Yorkshire ).

Originally Posted by Jack Black
I haven't carried my Arthur Wright Lambsfoot in oxhorn for a while. Just posted a pic in the EDC thread, so I thought I'd post it here too

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That's exactly what I'm talking about! A lovely example.

Thanks for your detailed and thoughtful answers to my earlier post, by the way, Greg and Jack, and sorry for my delayed acknowledgment.

I have been traipsing back over the last few days and reading again through the old Silence of the Lambsfoot thread, and Carl's spinoff thread on why the Lambsfoot didn't become popular in the US. Although it does seem to turn up in smaller numbers in Australia (and Canada).

So I've been putting together a post on why that might be, and speculating on the origins of the pattern and name. It's turning into a rather extended one I'm afraid and I'll need to return to it this evening and edit it down a little, so in the meantime, here's another interesting Lambsfoot variant to look at.



This one's a boy's sports knife from the 1939 catalogue of Sydney cutler William John Baker.

Cambertree said:

I've been on the verge of getting one a few times, as they're available locally here by mail order, but based on Jack's advice, I've decided to hold off and hand pick a really nice one when I have the opportunity. I'm actually going to be visiting Ireland in January, and will make a pilgrimage across to Sheffield then (and hopefully catch up for a pint with Our Man In Yorkshire ).



That's exactly what I'm talking about! A lovely example. :thumbup:

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That will be fantastic my friend, it will be a pleasure to show you around Thank you for the kind comment, I'm looking forward to reading your forthcoming post

Jack Black said:

That will be fantastic my friend, it will be a pleasure to show you around

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Fantastic news Jack, that's very kind of you. That will definitely be a highpoint of my trip - to raise a glass with you and get an understanding of the real Sheffield and its ancient cutlery culture.

I'll be looking forward to it Chin

As per Greg's proposal above, I'm carrying the William Rodgers Lambsfoot Charlie gifted me for the inaugural Love for the Lambsfoot Day Hopefully, I'll be able to show it to a few people in person today, and so spread the love of the Lambsfoot Great idea Greg, do you intend to post a separate thread?

Jack Black said:

As per Greg's proposal above, I'm carrying the William Rodgers Lambsfoot Charlie gifted me for the inaugural Love for the Lambsfoot Day Hopefully, I'll be able to show it to a few people in person today, and so spread the love of the Lambsfoot :thumbup: Great idea Greg, do you intend to post a separate thread?

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That's a wonderful one with which to kick off the day! :thumbup:

I had not considered the possibility of starting another thread dedicated to Love for the Lambsfoot Day. I think that, between here and the Totin' thread, word will get out and it would be nice to keep the Lambsfoot related discussion here in one easy-to-find place. So, let's see how it goes without one.

I'll be carrying the one that sparked my Love for the Lambsfoot today, a buffalo horn A. Wright.

Thanks Greg, and that's a beauty you have there yourself my friend

The lambsfoot has been getting a lot of love and has developed a nice patina. Needless to say, I have a few more on the way from a Mr. Malcolm Carpenter... Hopefully they'll be here next week... Till then, enjoy this lambsfoot...