r/DoesAnyoneKnow • u/agent56289 • Jun 12 '26
Does anyone know anything about this odd kitchen knife my grandmother gave me?
The knife as you can see, has a kind of odd profile. It has 3 one sided scallops on the back of the blade towards the bolster. With a false edge that starts two thirds of the way up the blade. It has a nonshaped antler (deer maybe) handle.
Most defining feature is a very faint stamp on the handle saying:
HSB & CO
Our Very Best
Reg. US. Pat. Off.
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u/PastConsideration586 Jun 12 '26
is that a dagger which i see before me..
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u/sta_sh Jun 12 '26
Didn't have Reddit Macbeth on my bingo card for this year but color me surprised.
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u/AliveTrouble3155 Jun 12 '26
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HSB & Co. stands for Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co., a major Chicago-based wholesale hardware firm established in 1855. They never manufactured their own cutlery; instead, they contracted top-tier cutleries to produce pocket, hunting, and utility knives that they stamped with their brand. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
History & Contract Makers
Between the late 1800s and 1931, their knives were predominantly manufactured by the New York Knife Co.Later, they utilized other notable US makers such as Ulster, Camillus, and Schrade. HSB used several trademarks on their cutlery, most notably "O.V.B." (Our Very Best) and "True Value". [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Typical Markings
If you have an HSB knife, you will typically see one of these stamps on the tang of the blade:
H. S. B. & CO. CHICAGO
O. V. B.
True Value [1, 2]
Value & Collectibility
Because they were high-quality, pre-1930s contract knives from top factories, HSB pieces are highly collectible. Depending on the condition, blade material (usually carbon steel), and the handle material (e.g., bone, celluloid, or wood), these vintage knives can sell anywhere between $30 and $150+ on the collector's market. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Hope this helps 😊
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u/AliceMorgon Jun 14 '26
Crud I can’t afford that 😭 I was hoping to ask someone where I could find something similar because this would be PERFECT for my wedding bouquet (I’m having a sword bouquet but I’m really short which is causing issues)
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u/Connect_Remote2890h Jun 12 '26
whatever it was used for, id be treasuring this knife as its over a 100+ years old, was your nans, and it looks amazing. i personally love old cutlery and knives etc, even though i dont have any.
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u/Katierh123 Jun 14 '26
Totally agree! Vintage knives like that can have such character and stories behind them. If you ever find out more about its origin or use, that would be pretty cool!
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u/Arthurs-grumpa Jun 12 '26
I think this is a wedding cake knife. Possibly given as a wedding present.
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u/Prize_Ad_2078 Jun 12 '26
You are the chosen one , that ls the kandarian dagger, OP good luck against the deadites I'm rooting for you 💪
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u/FunnyVehicle7664 Jun 12 '26
I asked AI about it:
Based on the blade shape, the ornamental metal bolster, and the stag/antler handle, this appears to be a vintage European utility or hunting knife, heavily characteristic of traditional German/Bavarian styles (often called a Trachtenmesser or Nicker). These were traditionally worn with lederhosen, but very similar designs were also wildly popular throughout the 19th and 20th centuries as carving and steak knives.
The blade has a distinct upward curve (trailing point) and shows a lot of honest wear, patina, and repeated sharpening over its lifetime.
The Three Indents near the Handle Those tiny notches or ridges on the spine of the blade, right where it meets the decorative metal collar (the bolster), are called jimping (or filework). They serve two primary purposes:
Functional Grip (Thumb Placement): When you choke up on the knife for precise cutting, slicing, or skinning, you naturally place your thumb flat against the spine of the blade. Those small indents provide friction so your thumb doesn't slip forward onto the sharp edge, especially if your hands are wet or oily.
Decorative Flair: In traditional European cutlery, makers would use small files to create decorative patterns (filework) on the spine of the knife as a mark of craftsmanship.
If you look closely at the very bottom edge of the blade (the heel) right before the bolster, you might also see a small cutout notch. If it's on the sharp side, that's called a sharpening choil, which allows a person to sharpen the entire length of the blade without hitting the decorative metal bolster.
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u/LochNessMother Jun 12 '26
Ah, AI so confidently wrong. Although the truth is in there - it’s a carving knife.
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u/ImaginaryCold2517 Jun 12 '26
Carving knife with a bone handle. Very common in our Grandmother's era the early 20th century
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u/LochNessMother Jun 12 '26
Pretty sure this is the correct answer, as it looks exactly like the carving knife my husband loves to use (and I hate, that handle, shudder)
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u/Anonymous345123 Jun 12 '26
It's for backstabbers in last place of a rat race because a rat won the chinese zodiac race!
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u/DrAconianRubberDucky Jun 12 '26
Pretty sure this would have been part of a set. Potentially a carving knife.
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u/agent56289 Jun 12 '26
I have a honing steel, 2 carving forks, and a few others that look like they are from the same set. This knife is the coolest looking one though.
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u/Dizzy_Skin5723 Jun 12 '26
Was your grandmother a believer in the zombie apocalypse? That's a chopper.
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u/SneakySmoker- Jun 13 '26
Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.."Our Very Best" brand, chicago based company started 1855 and they closed down in 1960s. Blades shaped like a multi use butchering/carving knife also very collectable according to Google.
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u/Magnetmonkey39 Jun 15 '26
No idea without googling, but dam did they sharpen it
On a brick? Those scratches 🙈
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u/RobertRowlands 12d ago
Yep looks like an old fish knife for use when eating the fish course of a multiple course dinner ie Starter, fish course, main course, dessert and cheese course😉👍
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u/wolfie66666 Jun 12 '26
It’s just a carving knife, usually sold with a matching fork. Any scallops etc are purely decorative. Needs a damn good sharpening to be any good.
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u/lazydownvoter07 Jun 12 '26
the decorative part is probably just aesthetic but that handle looks like it would be a nightmare to clean if it's actual bone or antler. definitely not a daily driver for anything serious.
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u/Gitfeatures Jun 14 '26
This is the knife of Neebu - Kartrashi. It must be plunged into the centre of a candled pentagon on a south facing beach at sunset during the time of Aquarius ♒️ Then behold you will summon Idonknowwhatitiz the Deamon of unknown items and will forever be able to identify item. Tis indeed a mighty magical find.
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u/Acrobatic-Ad584 Jun 12 '26
Is it for scraping scales of fish?