Please help in identifying this big old German F. Dick knife

[danibug]

I received an F. Dick knife from an estate sale. It is large and probably not an everyday household utensil. From the tip to the bottom of the handle, it is twenty inches in length, with the blade being 14 1/4 inches long. The widest portion of the blade is 3 1/4 inches. The F. Dick logo with the arrow is engraved on the blade and on the black wood handle. The word "Rostfrei" is also stamped on it. The knife's former owner carved his initials, "A. H." into the handle. This owner was a German immigrant and a chef at the Indianapolis Athletic Club. I can't seem to find a serial or model number on the knife. Attached is a series of photos. Perhaps someone can give me information about the knife and its value; I would appreciate that. Thank you.

 

[stringer]

I received an F. Dick knife from an estate sale. It is large and probably not an everyday household utensil. From the tip to the bottom of the handle, it is twenty inches in length, with the blade being 14 1/4 inches long. The widest portion of the blade is 3 1/4 inches. The F. Dick logo with the arrow is engraved on the blade and on the black wood handle. The word "Rostfrei" is also stamped on it. The knife's former owner carved his initials, "A. H." into the handle. This owner was a German immigrant and a chef at the Indianapolis Athletic Club. I can't seem to find a serial or model number on the knife. Attached is a series of photos. Perhaps someone can give me information about the knife and its value; I would appreciate that. Thank you.

Rostfrei is German for "rust free", ie stainless steel.

The knife was probably used for carving large roasts or slicing steaks.

It is in pretty good shape.

No idea on model number.

I would guess that it was produced between 1960 and 1980, but that's just an educated gut reaction. I don't know much about F Dick hallmarks and they have been making knives that look roughly the same for 150 years. Stainless knives for probably close to 100.

As far as value, it is pretty rare I would imagine. Most similar knives are 10 or 12" blade length. But it's also getting into the range where not a whole lot of people are looking for a 21" long kitchen knife. And those that are would probably prefer carbon to stainless. I would guess if you put it on an auction site you would get 100-150. If you found the right collector on Reddit or KKF maybe 150-200. I would offer you $200 right now if it wasn't stainless. You can also search on eBay for similar knives and filter to "sold items". That way you are looking at the price people actually got paid and not just the asking price.

 

[aporigine]

I received an F. Dick knife from an estate sale. It is large and probably not an everyday household utensil. From the tip to the bottom of the handle, it is twenty inches in length, with the blade being 14 1/4 inches long. The widest portion of the blade is 3 1/4 inches. The F. Dick logo with the arrow is engraved on the blade and on the black wood handle. The word "Rostfrei" is also stamped on it. The knife's former owner carved his initials, "A. H." into the handle. This owner was a German immigrant and a chef at the Indianapolis Athletic Club. I can't seem to find a serial or model number on the knife. Attached is a series of photos. Perhaps someone can give me information about the knife and its value; I would appreciate that. Thank you.

I envy your enormous Dick.

 

[danibug]

Rostfrei is German for "rust free", ie stainless steel.

The knife was probably used for carving large roasts or slicing steaks.

It is in pretty good shape.

No idea on model number.

I would guess that it was produced between 1960 and 1980, but that's just an educated gut reaction. I don't know much about F Dick hallmarks and they have been making knives that look roughly the same for 150 years. Stainless knives for probably close to 100.

As far as value, it is pretty rare I would imagine. Most similar knives are 10 or 12" blade length. But it's also getting into the range where not a whole lot of people are looking for a 21" long kitchen knife. And those that are would probably prefer carbon to stainless. I would guess if you put it on an auction site you would get 100-150. If you found the right collector on Reddit or KKF maybe 150-200. I would offer you $200 right now if it wasn't stainless. You can also search on eBay for similar knives and filter to "sold items". That way you are looking at the price people actually got paid and not just the asking price.

Thank you, Stringer, for your helpful reply. I do want to sell this big knife, so I will look on eBay as you suggest. I will also list it on this forum after I have been a member for 30 days, which I believe is a Kitchen Knife Forum rule that I must follow. The years you suggest are absolutely when this chef would have been working at the Indianapolis Athletic Club. He and his extended family came to the US in the early 60s and they traveled to Germany often for visits so he probably purchased the knife during one of those trips.

 

[Jovidah]

Did the previous ownervalso have a rather distinctive moustache?

 

[danibug]

Did the previous ownervalso have a rather distinctive moustache?

Ha! Actually, his first name was Adolph, but his last name was Heining!

 

[Ericfg]

I would guess that it was produced between 1960 and 1980, but that's just an educated gut reaction.

Agreed. More than likely within that time frame. Perhaps even a bit earlier. Since F.Dick is still an active maker maybe OP can take some better images and submit them to F.Dick for an answer as to when it was made?

As for worth here are my thoughts;
Pros;
Size: Size does matter in the knife collecting world, as does width. Large chefs profiles sell for a lot more than long slicers or cimeters, and this thing is huge. The only thing that comes close is those monster 'hog splitters' with the 30 inch handles.
Maker: F.Dick's got a long history and that's what collectors like.
Condition: This is close to mint (I think). No recurves or belt sanding miscues. And that near-mirror polish will help as well.

Cons;
Stainless: Carbon steel would've put this in the stratosphere as far as price goes.
Condition: That "A.H." in the handle just kills it. If it weren't for the company logo on the other side one might consider replacing the scales with ebony and rehandling it. But there's no way one could keep one scale and add a new one that matches it.
Maker: It's not a Japanese maker. 90+% of the knife collectors currently buy and sell mostly Japanese knives. So Western collectors are a niche market.
Usage: It's too big to be usable in any kitchen so this is for collectors/completists.

All in all a great knife, and thank you, OP, for sharing it with us.

 

[aporigine]

Agreed. More than likely within that time frame. Perhaps even a bit earlier. Since F.Dick is still an active maker maybe OP can take some better images and submit them to F.Dick for an answer as to when it was made?

As for worth here are my thoughts;
Pros;
Size: Size does matter in the knife collecting world, as does width. Large chefs profiles sell for a lot more than long slicers or cimeters, and this thing is huge. The only thing that comes close is those monster 'hog splitters' with the 30 inch handles.
Maker: F.Dick's got a long history and that's what collectors like.
Condition: This is close to mint (I think). No recurves or belt sanding miscues. And that near-mirror polish will help as well.

Cons;
Stainless: Carbon steel would've put this in the stratosphere as far as price goes.
Condition: That "A.H." in the handle just kills it. If it weren't for the company logo on the other side one might consider replacing the scales with ebony and rehandling it. But there's no way one could keep one scale and add a new one that matches it.
Maker: It's not a Japanese maker. 90+% of the knife collectors currently buy and sell mostly Japanese knives. So Western collectors are a niche market.
Usage: It's too big to be usable in any kitchen so this is for collectors/completists.

All in all a great knife, and thank you, OP, for sharing it with us.

thirty-inch handles!?

(whimpers; feels inadequate)

 

[Benuser]

I understand why it is in such a good condition. It hasn't got much use, as one can imagine about a 360mm knife. Dating: somewhere in the sixties. Introduction of stainless in Europe was much later than in America, even if European makers used it much earlier for export. As for the logo, it hasn't ever changed. Here on a Nogent by them from the twenties.

 

[danibug]

I envy your enormous Dick.

It could be yours!

 

[danibug]

Agreed. More than likely within that time frame. Perhaps even a bit earlier. Since F.Dick is still an active maker maybe OP can take some better images and submit them to F.Dick for an answer as to when it was made?

As for worth here are my thoughts;
Pros;
Size: Size does matter in the knife collecting world, as does width. Large chefs profiles sell for a lot more than long slicers or cimeters, and this thing is huge. The only thing that comes close is those monster 'hog splitters' with the 30 inch handles.
Maker: F.Dick's got a long history and that's what collectors like.
Condition: This is close to mint (I think). No recurves or belt sanding miscues. And that near-mirror polish will help as well.

Cons;
Stainless: Carbon steel would've put this in the stratosphere as far as price goes.
Condition: That "A.H." in the handle just kills it. If it weren't for the company logo on the other side one might consider replacing the scales with ebony and rehandling it. But there's no way one could keep one scale and add a new one that matches it.
Maker: It's not a Japanese maker. 90+% of the knife collectors currently buy and sell mostly Japanese knives. So Western collectors are a niche market.
Usage: It's too big to be usable in any kitchen so this is for collectors/completists.

All in all a great knife, and thank you, OP, for sharing it with us.

Thank you for this helpful answer. I have taken a few more photos of it and I am attaching them here.

I understand why it is in such a good condition. It hasn't got much use, as one can imagine about a 360mm knife. Dating: somewhere in the sixties. Introduction of stainless in Europe was much later than in America, even if European makers used it much earlier for export. As for the logo, it hasn't ever changed. Here on a Nogent by them from the twenties.

View attachment 379027

 

[danibug]

The logo is attractive. I can see why they haven't changed it throughout the years.

 

[Ahi]

I think I found a pic of the original owner.

 

[Ericfg]

Interestingly, these two just popped up on US-ebay:

Both stainless, and the lower knife's edge has been brutalized but otherwise pretty good shape..
BIN/OBO for $230.
Link to auction: https://www.ebay.com/itm/3653399216...5&segname=11021&recoId=365339921669&recoPos=3

 

[Benuser]

Interestingly, these two just popped up on US-ebay:
View attachment 380566
Both stainless, and the lower knife's edge has been brutalized but otherwise pretty good shape..
BIN/OBO for $230.
Link to auction: https://www.ebay.com/itm/365339921669?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m164380.l178263&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=277c1a36068b4c34ac085125a62a44c2&bu=43187441706&ut=RU&osub=-1~1&crd=20250113053825&segname=11021&recoId=365339921669&recoPos=3

What happened to the lower is a real horror. I guess there is at least 0.5cm (3/16") to be removed, with all the thinning that supposes. No fun with this stainless. Wondering about the prices. Stainless used to go for a fraction of the carbons.

 

[danibug]

What happened to the lower is a real horror. I guess there is at least 0.5cm (3/16") to be removed, with all the thinning that supposes. No fun with this stainless. Wondering about the prices. Stainless used to go for a fraction of the carbons.

Wow, this is so helpful. Thank you, Ericfg, for finding this listing. My knife is absolutely in much better condition than these. I will probably list it on eBay within the next few days.

 

[Ericfg]

0.5cm (3/16") to be removed, with all the thinning that supposes. No fun with this stainless.

I mean why would someone even do this rehab? Even in mint condition this knife is useless in 99.9% of kitchens.
I was thinking(dreaming?) of putting this on an anvil and tapping the twists, with a small hammer, ever so lightly to straighten those out a bit. I don't see any actual cracks/breaks in the steel so the possibility of straightening the edge somewhat is a remote possibility.
Probably wouldn't work but I'd have to give it a shot.
Now I wanna take a ballpeen hammer to the edge of a cheapish stainless edge and try and try and fix it.

 

[danibug]

I just posted my big knife on eBay tonight for $125.00. I appreciate all the help and good information that the people on this forum were able to give me. You are the best! Thank you so much!

 

[VincenteFox]

Thank you for this helpful answer. I have taken a few more photos of it and I am attaching them here.

I know it thins immediately above it almost like a crossguard, but the choil shot makes me laugh.