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Thought I'd put up a couple of my round knives here in the "Show Off" category. I've been using them as a Maker for over 30-years, and became obsessed with making them myself a few years ago. I made my first one about 18-months ago with influence from everybody from CS Osborne to Danny Marlin, and everybody in-between. I chose to use AEB-L stainless steel for my blades as it was developed for razor blades, and it's got years of successful history. It's been around a LONG time. All of my blades are professionally heat treated by Buck Knives/Bos Heat Treating out in Post Falls, Idaho. The fasteners on these two are stainless steel Loveless bolts designed by the late knifemaker Bob Loveless. Handle material is DymaLux which I've found to be outstanding to work with, and provides a solid weight and density. It finishes nicely, too. Thanks for looking!

Hello all, Did C.S. Osbourne make a head/round knife with a silver colored ferrule? It has the shape of the #70, but is only 4.5 inches like the #71. Most of the knives I've seen, new and vintage, have a brass ferrule. Please share your expertise and knowledge about this questionable anomaly. Thank you, Maurice

Hello Everyone, I I have recently joined this awesome website( today) and usually used to visit occasionally and be in awe at the awesome tools shared on this website. Anyway here in India ( Mumbai) we have a very large leather export market and i usually visit these places to see their manufacturing techniques and tools used. Its kinda difficult to gain access to their manufacturing units but over the period have made some friends who show me around their workshops I was amazed at their skills with very basic tools. Most of the head knifes are made from used files and circular saw blades and work beautifully in cutting and hold an edge well. I also got to see the manufacturing of these head knives by local knife sharpeners ( sorry no pics this time) I thought of sharing pics of some of the headknives. I did not take pics specifically for posting but will take more pics next time i visit. Pls PM me if interested in headknives, punches, and other leather tools. This is not my business ( and neither intend to make it ) but thought of sharing as i hardly saw stuff from India on this fantastic site. The price range for head knives/ round knives is of 7-10$ and hole punches $1, the most interesting and which i picked up 4 for myself are the clicker knives for only 3$ each !!!!!! which is very cheap by Indian standards too. However, i must say these are not the rates all over Mumbai, as i was visiting the area engaged in exclusive leather manufacturing so the shops in the area are providing tools for the leather industry at very competitive rates and very functional. Let me know if anyone interested in buying any of below head knives or clicker knives or any other leather stuff and i can send you (i am doing this on non-profit basis).

I picked up a Horsewright round knife today with sheath made inTemachapi, Ca. In excellent shape! Does not have a ferrel and is dark hardwood about 4” tip to tip. Any idea of value? I found makers web site but no prices on round knives. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Rodney

So, I picked up a very old Blanchard head knife, cleaned it up, gave it a good sharpening (easily 8 hours of work), and realized it needed a good home. So I came up with this little number, designed to go in a drawer, or be hung on the wall. I hope you enjoy. YinTx

Hello all, Beginner looking for head knife to make small accessories (wallets, notebooks) up to 10oz leather pieces (bags, etc). I'm looking for a head knife in the range of 100mm - 160mm in width to get me through the learning years, nothing too fancy just something to get started that'll keep its edge better than the Al Stohlmans from Tandy. Willing to pay over paypal, I live in San Francisco, CA. Thank you,

Have some round/head knives for sale. They're sharp and ready to use. Prices are plus shipping, which should likely be $8 to $9. I'm only shipping to the U.S. at this time. #1 is a Gomph that measures 4 1/2 inches wide. Blade and ferrule are tight in the handle. $120. #2 is another Gomph. This one measures 4 7/8th inches wide. Blade and ferrule are tight. Someone lightly scratched the name "G.B. Sullivan" in the blade. Also, on that side in the ferrule are stamped the initials J.J.P. $120 #3 is a William Rose that measures 5 1/8th inches wide. Has a crack in the ferrule. Blade and ferrule are tight. $120 #4 is a William Rose that measures about 5 1/16th inches wide. The markings are mostly gone. You can just see the remnants of the "W.Rose" over "West Phila" Markings. Really just enough to tell that's what it is. I bought it believing from the looks of the blade, ferrule, and handle, that it was a Rose. Was pleasantly surprised to find the remnants of the markings while sanding the blade. It has a small crack in the handle, and the blade is a little crooked (by about 2 to 3 degrees) but the blade and ferrule are tight. If you'd like to try a crazy sharp Rose, here's a good opportunity. $85 #5. Here's a very rare Henckels round knife. It measures 4 7/8th inches wide. The ferrule has some movement fore and aft, but the blade is tight. $150 #6 is another Henckels (I've actually managed to acquire 3 Henckels over the years). This one measures 5 1/4th inches wide. The ferrule has some movement. There's also some very very slight movement in the handle. I've never felt it while cutting with it. The letter "W" is stamped on one side of the ferrule. $150 Paul

Hi I just found out I owe the IRS a ton of money and I am looking around my shop for stuff to sell. I never use this knife the blade is 6 inches and it is way too big for me. I can't read the name on it, I know it is old I got it as part of a craigslist purchase years ago from someone selling her grandfather's tools. I don't know what it is worth. It is sharp enough to take hair off your arm. You can email me at lifttek@aol.com. Thanks for looking.

My collection is now complete (as far as I'm concerned for now). I started with the French style head knife over a year ago. Then a forum member sold me the long knife. Now I finally have the curved detail knife. Man what a cutter. Terry Knipschield, if you didn't know, is a custom knife maker. One of the few that build custom leather knives, period. There just aren't many out there. Terry makes a super sharp quality knife. He does a terrific job on every one I have seen, which are these three. It took about 3 months to get my first knife. It took 6 months to get the curved detail knife. And let me tell you right now, the are worth every minute of the wait. Every minute. Mr. Knipschield is a man who has been making knives for over thirty years. But, he is a one man show. He won't sacrifice quality for quantity. He just won't. And that's why I don't mind waiting for his work. I am a hobbyist and can afford the wait, and his prices are overly reasonable to me. Each order I have placed I politely let him know that I was willing to wait and I promised not to pester him. Things happen in small business that consumers just never consider. One man businesses get sick, have to have a day off at least once a month, and sometimes they just need a minute to get back to their bearings. Having been in business before I can totally relate to this scenario. I am very proud to have been blessed with some of Terry's work. Just wanted to share. Thanks.

Hello, everybody! Now I know this isn't much to show off, but I thought I'd show it anyway. I finally got an Al Stohlman head knife and made up a case for it. It's not a fancy showpiece, just a case to protect the blade. I didn't want to spend a lot of time making the edges pretty. Let me know what you think! Thanks for looking! -Ryan

C S Osborne Head Knife 4-5/8" forged steel blade and harwood handle - $42.00, shipping standard USPS $4.00, priority US mail $6.00, lower 48 only. I think Osborne advertises this as 4-1/2", but it measures 4-5/8, see pix. It cuts well if sharpened properly; I will ship it to with a sharp edge. I bought this 20 years ago, it is a good knife. I recently purchase a Buchman and this one now sits idle much of the time. Message me with questions or if interested. Thank you for looking, ~Bill

An old Rose head knife I picked up for next to nothing. You can see why from the first picture, she was a little rough. That being said I'm a firm believer that if it's beyond repair you may as well try and repair it because it can't get any broker! I know that's not proper but broken won't work and broked ain't a word for that sentence either. The first picture shows the knife as it was when I got it. The second shows the handle removed. It's a 5/32" steel pin for those interested in knowing the pin size. Picture three shows it back together. Picture four is just closer so you can see I did not remove every pit down flush from the blade. It is also not sharpend yet. The inlays are Ivory from a late 1800's piano keyboard they are 3/8" and cover a repair to the handle. The pin holding the blade has been replaced by a 5/32" brass rod. The missing wood around the pin was replaced with epxoy mixed with sanding dust from the handle. The handle is walnut and I chose to repair it rather than replace it. I tried to keed everything as original as I could on this. Total time invested was about four hours. That's actually working on it, not drying time or breaks from sanding out rust pits. I have a lot experience with restoring old woodworking tools and I am a woodworker with all the tools to build whatever I need. I'm saying that because doing this sort of thing can overwhelm folks who are not prepared. It's also not a cheap way to get a tool if you charge an hourly rate for your time. Having to buy all the tools would really make the price jump. I used Ivory key from piano Two 1 x 30 belt sanders 120 through 2000 grit 1 drill press 4 sizes of drill bits Shims and scrap boards to level handle for drilling I 3/8" drill hole punch made from pipe to cut inlays Wet/dry sandpaper from 80 grit to 2000 grit Mineral oil for sandpaper lube Bolt cutter Dremel tool Dremel grinding stones 5/32" brass rod Buffer 4 different buffing wheels with different compound on each wheel Epoxy Bodied linseed oil/varnish/mineral spirits 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 mix Rubber gloves Lots of blue tape on edges ( even dull they cut flesh) Band-aids Safety glasses A bunch of other stuff I forgot Lots of patience The last one is the most important. Stop and leave it alone. Think through the problem and go back to it. I'm working on a few more. Each manufacture did things in their own way. I'm sure over the years the methods vary within the same manufacturer. The Dixon I'm working on has a rosewood handle that is simply driven on the tang. Two brass tacks hold the ferrule on and have caused the wood to split out over the years. You can see that handle in picture three in the background. I'm pointing that out so anyone who wishes to do this will take the time to figure out how to take the one they have apart.

Hello everyone. Long time lurker and first time posting. I had wanted to by a head knife and sort of jumped the gun on this one on eBay. The writting on the blade does not look like any other CS Osborne that I have seen. I'm thinking maybe a fake. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Found this at an estate sale and paid $15 for it. They didn't know what it was. Any one have any info on it? Link to gallery https://imgur.com/a/Z9taA

I've decided its time for me to get a head knife. I want a really good one that will work well and last, not make me trade in for another one down the line. I've heard that size is really important. I have lady's hand, and I don't want to order one off the internet that's too big.

So you can't afford much for a Head Knife? Don't worry, get an Abetta for $11 or so shipped. Or don't. I saw this and said, "I gotta see this!", and I did. This is what I received. Please note the rather large ding around the tip. Because of the way the metal crinkled, it took a pretty good wack. The black marks could have been generated by what it ran into or vice versa. HorseLoverZ was good about it and another is on it's way, they didn't want the damaged one back, so I decided to repair it. The handle is a little big, but is fine for my Hulk Hands (they are not green though). A lot of folks would want that trimmed down, and there is plenty of wood to sand down. Looking at the blade, we see the ding of the century on the edge near the tip. Another important factor are the words Pakistan and Stainless rolled into the blade. They (whoever they are) are obviously proud of that. Pakistan and stainless are usually synonymous with (often) a 300 series steel, so I pulled out the magnet, and voila, it is Martensitic, which is a plus, probably 420, they have been using that stuff for years, either theirs or the Chinese stuff. Now, on a very good day, with the best 420 (even 420J2), the best technician, using the best furnaces, will only be able to get this steel up to HRc 55. I've ground J2, and this ain't J2. Realizing this steel is going to be in the neighborhood of HRc 52 or below, I decide to tread lightly. I passed-up a P120 belt as being too aggressive, and boy was I right. I put-on a P220 belt and proceeded to grind new bevels that eliminated the ding and a little more using a 10° bevel angle for each bevel (this gives a 20° included angle), which is kind of my standard head knife grind; screaming sharp. I pulled up a burr on the first pass. Surprisingly, it took about 3 minutes to do the full grind back at the slowest speed, no sparks; this is 420, Boy Howdy. The way things were going, if I ran up through the grits, I wouldn't have any knife left. So I put-on a 6000 finishing belt, made a few passes and stopped. I got out the trusty strop (the very one I made in another DIY) and worked for a minute on that with .5 micron green compound. No cleanup on the blade, just treated like a user. Here is the result. Not great, but not bad for $11 and a few minutes time. But does it cut?????? Yea, it cuts, keep the strop handy and it will last a little while before a re-honing. All in all, it's $11 delivered and a little time, even with the ding. Is this a good head knife, not by some margin. But this knife can and should be used to teach you to sharpen, hone, and strop. Out of the bag, it won't cut leather or darned near anything else for that matter. You can buy one of these, and learn. If in the learning process, you destroy it, or grind it all the way down, what are you out. Try some new sharpening technique, or just practice your skills. If you are not having fun and learning, try something else. Art

We get a lot of interest on leatherworker.net about the subjects of knifemaking and sharpening. This applies to pretty much all leather edged tools. This forum is here to collect all of this information for use by those who want to know sharp from dull, and from screaming (or bleeding) sharp to just adequate. I will be your forum sponsor and moderator, as such, I am pretty freewheeling, and will participate as much as needed and also as much as possible. We have a lot of well known knifemakers and sheathmakers who lurk in the other forums and who I hope will find a home here. I got into leatherworking because I needed sheaths for my knives; and nobody ever made one for me that I liked. I also got into sharpening when a few of my friends in the food service industry asked me to teach them how to sharpen; it went crazy from there. I was doing that after work and on weekends to the point where I couldn't take on any more work. So come on aboard and ask questions or whatever, help when you can, everyone needs to learn. Art

Just started cleaning this one up. Got the layer of rust removed and found the name Francis & Ward on the knife. Only information I can find is a little bit on Bruce Johnsons tool site. As you can see she's been used and sharpened quite a bit. Looking for any information on the maker. As always Thanks.

I just received and began working on another set of three Rose knives from W. Philadelphia. I thought I would do some informational posts as I rework them. The pictures show close ups of the edge and part of the face where the knife is etched Rose. This edge shot is a good reason why rust pits do not allow for sharpening to the level you want in a knife for cutting leather. The edges must come together to form the sharp edge we all need and as you can see a pit will prohibit that. All of that has to be ground out in order to obtain any sort of cutting edge. It takes a lot of time and patience to remove all of that even on a small knife like this one. The Rose knives are very hard tempered and that adds more to the work required to bring one back to life. They hold an edge really well but they are a bear to sharpen because of the temper and that makes getting pits out especially difficult. Some of the knives by other brands I've worked on are easy to clean up and that comes as a trade off because then you have to strop it of sharpen it all the time. I thought perhaps the first one of the Rose knives I bought was an anomaly and was unusually hard. This one is my seventh and they have all been hard tempered and challenging to bring back to user level when pits are present. I really like fixing these old tools up and using them. I'm not much on the Patina (rust) adding value to tool. I really doubt many of the craftsman who bought these tools a hundred years ago considerd rust an added value. I'm betting they took pride in keeping them in working order. Clearly you can see from the pit on the edge of this knife caused by patina that's just not going to happen until the patina is removed. The close up on RO part of Rose is interesting, looks like it may have been etched not stamped. It makes sense to me since the blades are so hard. I imagine pounding a steel stamp into a blade that hard might be a bad thing.

Hi there, So I just received this head knife and it has obviously seen some years and could use a little restoration. I was kind of surprised that the knife still had a reasonable edge and it should turn great with a bit of sharpening. I also want to clean and polish the blade to bring the shine back, but I've never restored a tool before and I'm not sure where to start and with what. Can I do this by myself or should I pay to get it done professionally? Another pic:

I have two Tandy / Stohlman Round Knives For Sale or Trade $40 each OBO plus shipping or $70 plus shipping for the pair. I am open to trades, let me know what you have. They are Tandy item 35014-00 for the bigger one and 35017-00 for the smaller one. Both have very limited use and look brand new. I got them with a set of tools I bought and didn't need these.

So, I'm planning to purchase a head knife, and I saw that they were rather expensive in comparison to the other knives I've been using. Can somebody vouch for their usefulness vs. cost? Also, has a head knife helped anybody else here substantially?

I'm looking for a nice and decent full round knife. I don't want a new Osbourn or Dixon, they are a bit thin and not high quality steel. Something a little different and a bit of a show piece, whilst being practice and functional. 4.5 to 6 inch, and in good condition. I'm in the UK so if your accross the pond, let me know what the shipping will be. Any and all considered, I'll even look at a half round if its nice. Nigel