Wilkinson Sword – now a well-known brand of safety razor – began in the 1770s as a London gun and sword smith (Shadbolt, 2011¹).  In the nineteenth century, Wilkinson’s relied on Sheffield for steel and by the 1880s also advertised in the local press for grinders (apparently unsuccessfully). When Wilkinson’s began recruiting German personnel at its King’s Road workshops in London, the Sheffield newspapers followed the resulting controversy with interest (Sheffield Independent, 1 November, 24 December 1888).

In 1905, Wilkinson Sword decided to establish its own operation in Sheffield (Shadbolt, 2012²). It acquired James Pinder & Co, which had recently been liquidated. Wilkinson occupied Pinder’s old premises at Nos. 14 & 16 Arundel Lane and was listed in directories as a manufacturer of silver and electro-plate goods, table cutlery, and razors. Wilkinson also acquired Pinder’s mark – a centrepiece – with ‘WILKINSON’ used instead of ‘P’.  The Sheffield premises were named Colonial Works, which Wilkinson drew upon for a variety of knives.  Folding Bowie knives (such as the ‘Wilkinson Explorer Knife’) and sportsman’s knives were among those products. The venture appears to have been unsuccessful and Wilkinson disposed of Colonial Works in about 1908. Shadbolt believes that a large stock had accumulated, which continued to be offered in trade catalogues into the early 1920s. Some of this cutlery was marked ‘WILKINSON LONDON & SHEFFIELD’. 

^1. Shadbolt, Roy (2011), ‘The Wilkinson F-S Collection’. Posted at https://www.fsknife.com/

^2. Shadbolt, Roy, ‘Wilkinson’s Antique Knives’, Knife World (7 July 2012)