Help identifying old British traditional knives

[chip]

I am hoping to attend as many bootsales  and second hand shops as I can in the hope of finding some good old traditional knives.
I am hoping to not pay a lot for each knife as I am not knowledgeable enough to recognise the wheat from the chaff.
So can anyone please recommend the names of some good traditional knife makers to look out for, either still in business or long gone.

Any info will be greatly appreciated.

[IMR4198]

   High quality knives look and feel like high quality knives.  Rather than memorizing a list of names, maybe you should trust your eyes and hands.  I think you can make the right choices and strike a deal on the spot.  Best wishes.  G
 

[chip]

Thanks I  think (hopefully) I know a little to recognise a well made knife. But  as  not having a lot of disposable cash I will have to limit my spending, as as much as I would love to buy anything and everything that took my fancy . as the great Kenny Roger’s said, you got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them, know when to walk away.  And I would not want to walk away from what is a rarer or more sort after knife because the seller wanted a couple of pounds more than I decided was my limit.

[SteveC]

 For British makers there are a few that come to mind.  George Wostenholm I*XL,  Joseph Rodgers, Taylors Eye Witness, Lockwood Brothers,  Albert Oates.

[chip]

Thanks Steve, 
I am also keeping an eye out for any books on pocket knives in charity shops as secondhand knife books seem to cost a tidy sum too from book dealers. I’m guessing because they probably had small print runs.

[David]

Thomas Turner, W Saynor, C Johnson, William Rodgers, Venture by H M Slater, Needham, Wade and Butcher, Ibberson, Harrison Brothers and Howson, are some more to keep an eye out for. W Saynor pruners usually bring good money. Unless the seller doesn't know what they have.

[David]

I am also keeping an eye out for any books on pocket knives in charity shops as secondhand knife books seem to cost a tidy sum too from book dealers. I’m guessing because they probably had small print runs.

If you can find a copy of this book it would be worth your effort to get it. It's a great book on Sheffield Cutlery

[Gareth]

Richards is a name you'll come across most often.  Lets call them...made to a budget.    If you like one then absolutely buy it, but don't pay a lot. 

Everything else I would look at on a case by case basis.  Condition matters a lot.  The finest Thomas Turner that is basically broken isn't worth much of anything, but if it's just a bit grubby or scuffed then it might be a hidden gem.

[chip]

Thanks all, hopefully going to a boot sale tomorrow.
Fingers crossed something will turn up. If not I would have got some exercise at the very least.

[chip]

Well, I went to the boot sale and I did over 11,000 steps walking around it so it was pretty big as boot sales go. I was looking for pocket knifes and/or an old well used carbon steel butchers knife I could grind into a nice fixed blade.

Not a dickie bird, zilch, Nada. I looked over every inch and apart from a couple of incomplete canteens of cutlery there was not a knife in sight.

If I wanted what I think are stolen power tools I would have been spoilt for choice.

There is a large undercover antiques fair I know of held once a month that I will check out next. But so far old knives appear to be rarer than hens teeth.

[Gareth]

Well, I went to the boot sale and I did over 11,000 steps walking around it so it was pretty big as boot sales go. I was looking for pocket knifes and/or an old well used carbon steel butchers knife I could grind into a nice fixed blade.

Not a dickie bird, zilch, Nada. I looked over every inch and apart from a couple of incomplete canteens of cutlery there was not a knife in sight.

If I wanted what I think are stolen power tools I would have been spoilt for choice.

There is a large undercover antiques fair I know of held once a month that I will check out next. But so far old knives appear to be rarer than hens teeth.

  that's a shame.    Hopefully the antiques fair yields better results.