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Sheffield Pocket knife manufacture is to my
mind a testament to the hand skills of factory based craftsmen. There are many different processes involved in making a pocket knife and companies have different approaches to organising their production.

The common elements however, are as follows.

Steel bar, made locally to produce the best blades in the world, is bought in, heated, and forged into the basic blade shape using metal dies and hammers.
The blades are then ground by hand in small batches, after which they will be buffed and polished to a beautiful lustrous finish.

The maker's mark will usually be imprinted onto the heel of the blade and a fingernail "notch" cut into the blade to make it easy to open the knife. Many ornate embellishments can be cut into the metal to provide pleasing decorative effects.

It is the cutler's job to assemble the finished blades into the whole knife by bringing together the components including the bolsters, the linings and the handles, known as coverings.

Coverings may be made from a variety of materials including stainless steel, buffalo, staghorn, mother of pearl and various hardwoods. All have their own feel and the natural materials used mean that each knife will be slightly different in appearance and texture.

Especially important is the way the knife is sprung so that the blade closes in to the lining when not in use making a pleasing "clip" noise.

Paul Iseard 2001