Kitchen Axe

by Tim Blodgett

Feb 1, 2016

I recently acquired what turns out to be a kitchen axe. It has a very light makers mark on it;

                                                   LON-CUT

                                         LONDON CUTLERY CO.

The blade is 10 3/16" long, 4 1/32 deep, 5/32 thick, 16 5/16 total length. It has a red phenolic or bakelite handle. It is stainless and does not appear to have been used. The grips appear to have shrunk slightly and pulled away from the tang but are rock solid. See my profile picture.

I tried to find information on the manufacturer and came up with very little. There is a London Cutlery Co. in England but could not get a web site. I also got a reference to a manufacturer in Germany who was exporting knives to makers in the US in the early 1900s who would polish off the blade and put their own name on it.

Does anyone have any info about the company and the quality of their product? I'm not an avid collector but I occasionally pick up a blade that interests me, you can never have enough knives.

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    Jan Carter

    I think it would be very happy dismantling deer, elk...whatever comes its way.  I would actually like to know if it holds up well doing that

    PS...I am glad you chose not to shave with it LOL

    Feb 2, 2016

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    In Memoriam

    John McCain

    Tim- A very curious chopper.Like everyone else, I am not finding out much about London Cutlery Co. except in the straight razor category, although many a company made knives plus razors,etc. Most references indicate they were made circa 1900-1930.Despite the name, they were mentioned as being German imports.I have seen straight razors with the London Cutlery Co. name with Little Valley, New York  on it. Very likely still a German import with the Little Valley NY  added here. Little Valley was a cutlery hotspot during that time frame, like Sheffield, England and Solingen, Germany. The Little Valley NY  was meant to represent the quality.The straight razors I have seen appear to be high quality, so I would guess your kitchen axe is as well.Here is a pic of a straight razor with the London Cutlery Co. Little Valley etch.

    Feb 2, 2016

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    dead_left_knife_guy

    Tim,

    I can't really say much about the company London Cutlery, but judging by the typeface, you're looking at something that was manufactured in the 1980's or 90's, probably by a new company owner that was trying to revive the name London Cutlery but with no ties to the company's original incarnation.

    As to the knife design itself, think "large fish" -- like this fishmonger from Toledo, Spain...

    Best I can tell, & I know little about these knives, is that their design is common among fishmongers in Spain.  I'd love to get my hands on one or several...  :)  

    Feb 6, 2016