IXL Dirk

[Shotgun Steve]

IXL Dirk by Geo Wostenholm. Maybe Santa will bring me one

[Ned Buckshot]

WOW!

That's very cool. How much were they asking for that one?

Ned

[Regret Chancy]

Is the IXL something meaningful? I bought a sheffield england with stag handles and the IXL was parrallel to the guard but when my father in law saw it he really liked it so I gave it to him as an early Christmas present. I was sort of planning to have a leathersmith add on a sheath to a pair of my boots for it  as a backup to my belt knife but he really really liked it.
                                                                                                             Regret Chancy (but not this time)

[Dr. Bob]

Geo. Wostenholm was a cutler in Sheffield, England in the late 18th Century.  His early products, knives & razors, were marked only with a pipe cartouche.  In the mid 19th Century the company added IXL to their products.  There is a lot more to the story, but I don't remember it any more!

[northwestgrizzly]

The "I*XL" looks like Roman numerals. is that what it is...."1*40"?

[Chance]

I think it is just Wostenholm's idea of saying his products were the best - "I excel".

Please note that there were a number of 19th century style Wostenholm bowies produced in the mid-20th century all correctly marked as they would have been a century earlier. Look out for a book entitled "The Sheffield Bowie & Pocket Knife Makers 1825-1925" by Richard Washer - the very guy who allegedly made the 20th century copies.

Chance