Joseph Rodgers & Sons Lg Carving Knife Carbon Steel Sheffield (Argentine Export?) 1880s-1900

Joseph Rodgers carving knife with un re-sharpened 100% full blade from the late 19th or early 20th century.

Joseph Rodgers (est 1682) and Geo Wostenholm vied for top spot in Sheffield knife making by many estimations. This knife is testimony to the quality of Rodgers work. Blade has some pits from rust and a few dings on the edge (and one small dent on side of blade) but is 100% full having never been re-ground on the edge, possibly honed with a steel but otherwise in its original shape. Very hard to find like this.

Made between 1880s and 1900 most likely for export to South America / Argentina (a major export market for Sheffield) with the mark ‘El Trinchante Incomparable’ (the incomparable carver )which is acid etched while the Rodgers mark is hot stamped.

The stag handle with silverplated ferrule and buttcap are in very nice condition as well, the joining of the blade and ferrule is super clean and with the original polish. 

10.5″ blade (tip to ferrule) with 9″ cutting edge 16.25″ overall length

While not marked ‘shear steel’ it most likely is made with shear or ‘cast steel’ (shear steel melted in a crucible then re-worked) it shows a ‘puddle weld’ near the bolster at the beginning of the blade opposite side as markings, almost looking like a faint thumbprint, this is where hard shear steel is forge welded to the mild steel or iron bolster and tang. These process were in use for hundreds of years in Sheffield and this knife is a great example of the finer work done there despite the scattered pits. 

Shear steel was a 19th and early 20th century steel that was made by case hardening bars of iron in ceramic boxes packed with charcoal, large numbers of these were heated for days on end at high temperatures and the resulting bars were broken up (it would break or shear rather than bend once carbon added hence ‘shear’ steel) and forged welded into a larger mass. This process was done twice on double shear steel creating a steel with a higher carbon content. 

Like all other culinary knives this should never go in the dishwasher, carving knife handles will come loose with high heat (dishwasher, stove top etc), carbon steel can rust if left wet or dirty, expect a patina to form with use.