# Help identifying this vintage carbon slicer? 56k warning :)



## jayhay

My uncle knows I'm a knife nut, and also shares a love for vintage carbon. He found this knife at a estate sale and grabbed it up for me. It's old, rusts like crazy (almost instantly) and has no markings.

It needs some TLC, as it has been used hard. But I was hoping someone here could help me with any info/history/brand. The knife itself has some hash-mark like imprints that runs close to the edge of the blade. The length of the steel is 11 3/4". I'd love to get it in working order. Thanks and enjoy!


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## add

RE: hash lines, scoring

Jaw marks from sort of a vice ?


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## jayhay

add said:


> Jaw marks from sort of a vice ?



That's a good thought, never crossed my mind. But why would someone clamp a knife so close to the blade?


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## add

Dunno.
Perhaps put in edge up so a file could be used to sharpen the thing?

That is an old tool with a lot of history.
History that may include other chores besides simple dedicated use in a kitchen ... 

Ever see the _Primitive Pete_ education films in Jr. High shop class? 

Er, sorry I can't help on the id. Lotsa good brains around here for that though.


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## jayhay

Never seen Primitive Pete, but thanks for your feedback. I'll try to find one of those videos 

Hopefully someone around here might just know a thing or two about it.


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## sachem allison

know not vice marks. A cook did that for better grip, it was very common to see back in the day. those marks on the blade was someone taking a bench grinder to the edge and screwing it up. I would say this is a vintage American probably 1960's. the profile was a little wider and the tip a little more rounded. It looks the way it does now, because it wasn't sharpened by someone who knew what he was doing and kept using the bench grinder and essentially ground off about 1/4 to 3/8" of the blade. it probably looked very close to this one http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Vintage-Full-Carbon-Steel-Chef-Carving-knife-Full-tang-15-folded-metal-nice-/00/s/MTYwMFgxMjAw/$(KGrHqZ,!ngE-5UJRT-wBP475wN5Qg~~60_57.JPG


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## jayhay

sachem allison said:


> know not vice marks. A cook did that for better grip, it was very common to see back in the day. those marks on the blade was someone taking a bench grinder to the edge and screwing it up. I would say this is a vintage American probably 1960's. the profile was a little wider and the tip a little more rounded. It looks the way it does now, because it wasn't sharpened by someone who knew what he was doing and kept using the bench grinder and essentially ground off about 1/4 to 3/8" of the blade. it probably looked very close to this one http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Vintage-Full-Carbon-Steel-Chef-Carving-knife-Full-tang-15-folded-metal-nice-/00/s/MTYwMFgxMjAw/$(KGrHqZ,!ngE-5UJRT-wBP475wN5Qg~~60_57.JPG



Thanks for your input. Bench grinder makes sense too. It does look a bit like the one you posted, but the handles are quite different. I'm just really curious if someone has a lead on the make. The steel itself is quite stiff and make a nice sound on the cutting board. It's also quite hard. This knife is going to take some work. I don't know if my stones would be up for it. 

But the knife kind of excites me in an old school kind of way. Super reactive, crude and tough. I need to show this blade, which is probably double my age, some love


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## sachem allison

jayhay said:


> Thanks for your input. Bench grinder makes sense too. It does look a bit like the one you posted, but the handles are quite different. I'm just really curious if someone has a lead on the make. The steel itself is quite stiff and make a nice sound on the cutting board. It's also quite hard. This knife is going to take some work. I don't know if my stones would be up for it.
> 
> But the knife kind of excites me in an old school kind of way. Super reactive, crude and tough. I need to show this blade, which is probably double my age, some love



I was going more for blade shape then handle. the steel is more then likely 1095, that was the predominant steel at the time for cutlery. You may never find the name of the maker. there were a lot of regional makers and a lot of contracted works from larger cutlery companies that never stamped their work. Most of them were made for hardware stores and dept. stores or groceries, these would in turn have there name stamp on the blade or handle or not. I have had thousands of vintage pieces pass through my hand that never had a makers mark. Many of them were Identical to the one you have the only difference would be the rivets or the wooden handle. If you were to take off the handle, the blade dimension are surprisingly uniform across the decades. It should be very receptive to the stones and take a scary sharp edge, The retention isn't the best, but a few swipes on the steel or on a strop and you are good to go. congratulations on your new knife, it will surprise you.


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## jayhay

Thanks again for the great info. This forum is the best!


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## jayhay

Hey Guys, just wanted to give you an update.

I cleaned it up, sharpened the bastard (bester 500-1200, rika 5000, chromium oxide leather strop), re-profiled the tip and sanded/oiled the handle. First time I've tried something like this. The results are far from perfect, but I'm happy with the end result considering it was done with just some elbow grease. And she is nice 'n sharp.

*Before:*





*After:*


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## Crothcipt

wow looks good.


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## jayhay

Thanks man, I appreciate the feedback. I think it came out pretty nice. Hoping others enjoy seeing the change.


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## bieniek

What a good job! 

You showed it more than just some love. 

Thanks for sharing I really enjoy to watch people take manners in their own hands 

Is that the very same handle?


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## jayhay

bieniek said:


> Is that the very same handle?



Thanks man! And yup, same handle. Just hand-sanded and rubbed with some tung oil :thumbsup:


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## WildBoar

Nice job -- looks like it's ready to go back to work for another 50 years!


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## chinacats

Beautiful job!


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## bieniek

jayhay said:


> Thanks man! And yup, same handle. Just hand-sanded and rubbed with some tung oil :thumbsup:



I mean it, great job!:knife:

Theres is special kind of satisfaction attached to projects like those, isnt it?


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## jayhay

bieniek said:


> I mean it, great job!:knife:
> 
> Theres is special kind of satisfaction attached to projects like those, isnt it?



Wow, I really appreciate it! I love these kinds of projects. You get to refirb some awesome vintage tools and you have that immediate satisfaction feeling. I keep looking at the knife every time I go into the kitchen. I'm happy to see it with a new pair of shoes.


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## sachem allison

that rosewood is nice, excellent work.


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## Miles

Love it! That's definitely ready for more use, and it'll look good doing it too!


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## Vertigo

Well played, sir!


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## DwarvenChef

I like the vintage slicers. I had one that I picked up for a song but gave it to my replacement at my old kitchen lol No clue what he did with it, more of a handing down the toarch  

Yours looks pretty nice all cleaned up, good work


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## jayhay

Thanks for all the encouraging feedback everyone, it's quite appreciated. Happy to share some knife porn with ya'll :thumbsup:

@Vertigo - Love the Jim Lahey avatar. One of my favorite shows. Know what I'm sayin'?


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