Landers frary and Clark chef lnife

[whirlwynds]

Anybody ever come across one of these? 12” chef knife with i believe a replacement bone handle. Turn of century era. Attic find from the grandson of a 1920s chef / restaurant owner.

 

[McMan]

Got a pic of the hallmark?

 

[whirlwynds]

 

[Ericfg]

That's a new one on me. Nice knife though. Sad there's not much life left in it.

 

[whirlwynds]

Thanks! I reprofiled as best as I could. Still has a few more years in it. Not much width left though.

 

[McMan]

Thanks! I reprofiled as best as I could. Still has a few more years in it. Not much width left though. View attachment 124736

Was just about to say there's plenty of life left in it
Nice to make that happen!!
Next stop, re-handle...

 

[McMan]

P.S.
Taking some meat off the spine would lower the tip and make a more conventional pointy profile, like this:

 

[whirlwynds]

P.S.
Taking some meat off the spine would lower the tip and make a more conventional pointy profile, like this:
View attachment 124769

Good Idea. I may do that but for now just going to take it easy. all that grinding made a huge mess and ate up an 80 grit cubitron belt. whew!!!

any recommendations on rehandling services or individuals? would probably look pretty strange with a wa-handle, no?

 

[McMan]

Good Idea. I may do that but for now just going to take it easy. all that grinding made a huge mess and ate up an 80 grit cubitron belt. whew!!!

any recommendations on rehandling services or individuals? would probably look pretty strange with a wa-handle, no?

Looks like you did a nice job on the re-profile. Why not make the handle, too?
Nice simple piece of maple, maybe a nogent shape (like below) or just roundish not octogon.
I've re-handled 4-5 knives in the last decade, so don't mistake me for an authority here.

But blend the joint since there is no ferrule on your knife. Like this, but without the rivets:

 

[whirlwynds]

Looks like you did a nice job on the re-profile. Why not make the handle, too?

It's tempting. how would you get the old bone handle off?

 

[McMan]

It's tempting. how would you get the old bone handle off?

chisel

 

[Ericfg]

Nice job making a slicer out of that mess! Life restored.

That bone handle is hideous IMHO. BUT, you might want to keep that way.

At some point changing the past, too much, become obvious. Again, MHO

 

[whirlwynds]

yeah. it's at once grotesque and kind of badass. but a lot of history there!

 

[whirlwynds]

chisel

I have a friend good with 3d modelling and printing. It's tempting to knock off the old handle and print something new. any cool designs? dodecahedral handle in hot pink?

 

[M1k3]

I have a friend good with 3d modelling and printing. It's tempting to knock off the old handle and print something new. any cool designs? dodecahedral handle in hot pink?

Two words.

Hello.
Kitty.

 

[whirlwynds]

Two words.

Hello.
Kitty.

hmm. I was thinking mickey mouse. more period appropriate

 

[M1k3]

hmm. I was thinking mickey mouse. more period appropriate

But...but...but...
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/the-cutest-wa-handle-ever.16683/

 

[Logan09]

I have a 10" LF&C Universal sabatier. Not as old as yours, and has a riveted handle. Looks like yours was a 14" blade originally and a Nogent style.

 

[McMan]

I have a 10" LF&C Universal sabatier. Not as old as yours, and has a riveted handle. Looks like yours was a 14" blade originally and a Nogent style.

Sounds neat. Any chance you could post a pic?

 

[Logan09]

Not the best pic. Handle is Ebony.

 

[whirlwynds]

very nice. Better shape than mine. Any guess as to year for yours? do you like using it?

 

[orangehero]

Good Idea. I may do that but for now just going to take it easy. all that grinding made a huge mess and ate up an 80 grit cubitron belt. whew!!!

any recommendations on rehandling services or individuals? would probably look pretty strange with a wa-handle, no?

maybe you could reuse the bone in a new handle? maybe as a ferrule or I always like striped handles with alternating materials on vintage knives

 

[whirlwynds]

maybe you could reuse the bone in a new handle? maybe as a ferrule or I always like striped handles with alternating materials on vintage knives

yeah! i'm considering that too. would kind of preserve a bit of it's history as well.

 

[Logan09]

very nice. Better shape than mine. Any guess as to year for yours? do you like using it?

Wild guess, 1940s. Although the company was around for 100years I'm having issues finding info on kitchen/chef knives. I've read that the company stopped producing cutlery in 1950. Another thing of interest is that Landers Frary and Clark shortened the name to LF&C in 1897(or so I have read) and started applying "Universal" to most of their knives.

Hate to say that I can't really comment on use. I cleaned up the knife and haven't really done much with it. The knife is perfectly balanced though, by that I mean neutral.

 

[stringer]

Highlights from Goin's Encyclopedia

LF & C was formed in 1862 when Landers and Smith purchased Frary and Carey. In 1865 they reorganized as L.F. & C.
In 1866 they purchased a factory to make table cutlery and fixed blade (lots of Bowie) knives.
In 1909 they purchased the "Universal" trademark.
In 1912 they purchased a factory to manufacture pen knives, pocket knives, and razors.
In 1918 they purchased Meriden Cutlery Company which gave them a bunch of new factories
(*and which is probably when they started making chef knives, bullnose butchers, and cleavers)
In 1950 they stopped making cutlery.
In 1965 they were absorbed into General Electric.

*my guess, not in the book

I own a cool LF&C Universal frameback razor. Kind of a prototype shavette.
I did have a meat cleaver at one point. They were a major player between 1918 and 1950.
They were a major player in developing stainless steel (or at least marketing it). Which is probably their demise.
Some of those patents just got too important for cutlery I imagine.