ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

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CCBill
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by CCBill »

Here's part of an article on barrel knives that Our old Friend Froggyedge sent me a few years ago. I miss him. I hope he will come back to the fold. ::nod:: I will send the rest of it later...It's a long read but if you like barrel knives, it's worth the time.


The barrel knife - a Swedish specialty
The barrel knife was a Swedish success story. For decades the knifemakers
of Eskilstuna turned out incredible numbers of these knives, and shipped
them to many countries all over the World. Barrel knives have a certain
charm that is hard to pass by. Even knife collectors who don’t really
collect them often have a few alongside their “real” collection.
In most countries the name referres to the barrel shape of the handle, as
in the English barrel knife. The knives were also sometimes marketed as the
patent knife. In Sweden they are called konstkniv or konsttäljkniv, which
may be translated as “art knife”, “artistic knife” or “artistic whittling
knife”, and sometimes emigrantkniv (“emigrant knife”). In Norway we usually
say tønnekniv (“barrel knife”) or kneppekniv (“clicking knife”). In German
the term is Fassmesser (“barrel knife”).
The typical barrel knife has a blade fixed between brass liners that are
inserted into a wooden, barrel shaped handle with iron fittings, and locked
into place. You press down the the lock, extract the knife from the barrel,
unfold it, and insert it again in the outstreched position. In this
position it is locked into place in the barrel with a click, and functions
like an ordinary knife, perhaps not quite as stable. A great part of the
barrel knife’s charm lies in its somewhat cumbersome mechanism. It was
something to take out of the waistcoat pocket and show to others and
explain to children.
The knives came in many varieties, in many sizes, and from many producers.
The handles were made from birch, walnut, ebony, ivory or man-made
materials (kasein?). The ebony and walnut barrels sometimes have a carved
dragon pattern (and sometimes a floral pattern, but always bear in mind
that a carving can be a later addition). Barrels in ivory (I have seen
these only from Westersson and Johan Engström, but I suppose there are
others) seem to have been made in the smaller sizes only (the largest I
have seen in ivory is 39 mm). Some ivory knives have a gilted blade.
The vast majority of barrel knives have a barrel made from curly birch, in
its natural colour or stained brown.
Some have a corkscrew in the handle. These (from Segerström, in three
sizes) are rare, extra cumbersome, and therefore extra popular. To
collectors “rare” and “popular” very often means “expensive”.
The knives were made in great numbers, a lot of them for export to Europe
and the USA, and they are well-known in other parts of the World as well.

With a child security lock!
The lock may well be called a child security lock. I have seen five
versions of the lock:
“Pin lock”:
A pin inside the barrel fits into a hole in the spring.
“Tooth lock”:
A “tooth” in the spring fits into a hole inside the barrel. Only on some of
the most recent knives.
“Step lock”:
A “step” in the spring stops against a metal stopper inside the barrel.
Perhaps the oldest, but it was used for many years.
“Rim lock”:
The spring stops against the rim of the endcap. Only on knives with
aluminium endcaps.
“Twist lock”:
A lock that is turned into position. Only on knives with a flat handle of
man-made materials.
Of these the first and the third locks are most usual, and the third and
the fifth are the nicest.

Collecting barrel knives
With every possible variety included a collection can get a little out of
hand, but as always it is entirely for yourself to decide how large you
will allow your collection to become.
A really comprehensive collection, with every size from every maker, with
all varieties, and with all different markings from them all, would be
really impressive. But, perhaps, also a bit boring? What some collectors
will regard with pride will give others the question: Why am I doing this?
One knife of each size can be a suitable goal for a nice little collection,
and then you can try to get as many producers, materials, markings and
other varieties represented within these limits. If you want all the knives
to be in very good quality as well – as you certainly do! – and old, and
with really beautiful wood, and everything in pristine condition, this
scope for such a collection may be challenging enough.
Another obvious way to collect is by maker, trying to get every size and
variety from one specific producer.
The rarer varieties will always find a place, no matter how you define your
collection, and no matter how disciplined you are. You will want one with a
corkscrew, one with an ivory barrel, one with a carved barrel, and so on.
If you can find them.
What you definitely don’t want are the most common sizes from the largest
producers, in bad condition. You may think that a bad knife will be
replaced with a better specimen as time goes by, and then you can sell the
first one. You may find it difficult to sell.
On the other hand: If you find a “monster barrel” (explained below) or one
from a rare producer – let us say a Jonsson or a Gustafsson – you may have
to take what you find, no matter how it looks. You may never find a better
one.
If you for some reason decide to buy a knife in bad shape, the lack of
quality should be reflected in its price.
On the bright side: Very few antiques dealers know which producers are
rare. A Hedengran may cost the same as a Holmberg.
So, where do you find them?
Collecting barrel knives is an international hobby, as they seem to surface
everywhere. Some knife dealers manage to find them all the time, while
others tell us that they are extremely rare.
An obvious place to start looking is eBay and other Internet auctions. Here
you will find knives from some of the largest producers – Johan Engström,
Holmberg, and Segerström – and from time to time there are even some of the
rarer knives on offer.
Internet auctions are also good places for getting rid of extra knives that
you no longer want.

Information
In his great book Knivar från Eskilstuna (Eskilstuna 1999) Arne Marmér has
a lot of information on barrel knives. In Swedish only, that is. Sadly
Marmér died shortly after the publication of his book, and the next one,
his nearly finished work on Eskilstuna razors, was never published. Knivar
från Eskilstuna is an excellent help for collectors of knives from that
important city of knife makers, but it also leaves a lot of questions
unanswered. Here I have some additional information, and some questions.
There is a lot more to find out for anyone who wants to go into this.
Apart from Marmér’s book information is to be found within the fellowship
of knife collectors and knife dealers. For valuable discussions – and
knives! – I will especially thank the Norwegian knife dealer Bjarne
Delbekk, the Norwegian collector Harald Gerner, and the American collector
Brian Halsall.

The surprise: Sweden was not first!
Johan Engström’s patent from 1882 has been regarded by most as the start of
the barrel knife story, but Marmér tells us that Jakob W. Engström beat him
and may have made barrel knives as early as 1876.
A much greater surprise came when Brian Halsall informed me that not even
1876 is the beginning:
In 1874 Hans Christian Nilson in the USA received the patent for such a
knife (U.S. Pat. 149.146). The knife in Nilson’s description is just like
those from Eskilstuna, and according to the patent papers Nilson was the
inventor. It may be possible to find more information on him. He lived in
Grand Rapids, Wisconsin.
So Sweden was not first to patent barrel knives. On the other hand: Judging
from his name this Nilson may very likely have had a Swedish background.
To find two patents for the same idea is not as uncommon as you might
think, and there have been even more U.S. patents very similar to these.
Some questions: Did Hans Nilson work with a producer in Eskilstuna, making
barrel knives there before 1874, then emigrate to the USA, and make a try
as knife producer? If he did: Why didn’t he make real trouble when Engström
got the patent and started supplying the American market with knives of
Nilson’s own invention?
A suggestion: Nilson may have developed the barrel knife in the USA, and
returned to his native country with a good knife model to offer the
producers in Eskilstuna? And then he let Engström take out the patent in
Sweden, in return for some good money?
Next question: How could so many producers in Eskilstuna make barrel knives
when Johan Engström held the Swedish patent? Did they all produce under a
licence from Engström, or perhaps even from Nilson?
A digression, I suppose: In USA there was a knife producer (or perhaps an
importer?) by the name Axel Nilsson. His blades are marked SWEDISH STEEL.
There is probably no connection to Hans Nilson, as Nils(s)on is an
extremely common Swedish name. His knives are not barrel knives.

Producers and traders
A large number of knife producers in Eskilstuna made barrel knives. Marmér
has listed these eleven:
M. Blomqvist (1876-1886)
J. W. Engström (1864-1880)
Johan Engström (1874-1915)
A. G. Gustafsson (1869 - about 1890)
A. Halling (ca 1870-1921)
H. Hallström (1882-1917)
P. Holmberg (1876-1960)
Jernbolaget (1868-?)
C. G. Larsson (ca 1890-1894)
E. T. Segerström (1864-1925)
A. J. Westersson (1889-1905)
The years show the time when the producers were active, and not necessarily
the time their barrel knives were produced. Engström’s knives are often
marked 1874. This is not the knife’s production year but the year of the
company’s foundation. Proof of this can easily be seen in his razors which
are often marked with later exhibition medals in addition to the 1874 logo.
The knives with the 1874 mark are probably not even his oldest, as Engström
seems to have started using this mark at a later date.
My Larsson knife is marked C.G. LARSON, so the name may have been spelled
with only one S. Some of them are stamped C.G.L. ESKILSTUNA.
These are not the only barrel knife producers in Eskilstuna. Here are some
more:
Hedengran & Son (1833-1916)
J. A. Hellberg (1891- )
Hugo Jonsson (1917-1960) (not yet confirmed)
C. J. Lindström (before 1900 till after 1909)
C. A. Ström (1900-1937)
Buster Bentson and Per Ekman write in their book Scandinavian corkscrews
(Täby 1994) that EKA (which took over Hallström’s company in 1917) made
barrel knives up till about 1950. Bernard Levine in his Levine’s guide to
knives and their values states that E. A. Berg (1880-1959) made barrel
knives. I have not seen any of these. Marmér does not mention them.

Jernbolaget
For some strange reason: In Marmér’s book one of the large companies –
Eskilstuna Jernmanufaktur AB, usually called Jernbolaget – is barely
mentioned, without a special chapter. Apart from being a producer
Jernbolaget was a large seller and exporter of the goods of other
producers. There is more information in the publication Eskilstuna
Jernmanufaktur Aktiebolag 1868-1943 by Olof H. Wermelin (Eskilstuna, 1943).
This book is not in Marmér’s litterature list, and I think it may have
managed to elude him.
Several at that time small Eskilstuna factories got a special contract from
about 1880 and a couple of the following decades: They produced exclusively
for Jernbolaget and got its support with capital and marketing. Holmberg
and Johan Engström did this, among others, probably also Westersson, as
many knives are marked both Jernbolaget and A.J.W. on the blade. In most
cases the A.J.W. is placed in the usual position on the blade, but it may
also be placed across the blade.
Two combinations:
No 1: I have seen knives marked Westersson on the blade and Holmberg on the
brass.
No 2: I have also seen one with Holmberg's mark on the blade and
Jernbolaget's on the brass.
Both knives has its original, polished blade, a pin lock, and a 65 mm and a
64 mm barrel (the knife inside being of the same size in both, only with
this slight difference in barrel sizes).
As both producers made barrel knives for Jernbolaget such combinations are
not too surprising. The blade in No 2 has a shallow, etched marking,
indicating that it is one of the more recent knives, perhaps made after
WWII. The markings also indicates that Holmberg's cooperation with
Jernbolaget continued even after the two initial decades.
Later I found another one with the Holmberg/Jernbolaget combination, and
with deep stamps. Probably older than knife No 2.
Some knives are without a producer’s name but with Jernbolaget’s logo: a
crowned anchor with a large E.
There are barrel knives with the brass stamped only ESKILSTUNA SWEDEN, or
only MADE IN SWEDEN, and some are unmarked. Perhaps Jernbolaget? Perhaps
unmarked to leave space for an importer to place his own mark on the brass?
A question: Did Jernbolaget itself make any barrel knives at all?
I have mentioned patent rights and export to the USA. A suggestion:
Engström bought the patent rights from Nilson but soon realized that he had
no means of really profiting from them on his own, and so made a deal with
Jernbolaget? A deal the others of Jernbolaget’s producers could join in on
until the patent expired?

Paul Berghaus
Paul Berghaus in Göteborg was a wholesaler in sport fishing equipment.
Among us collectors of fishing reels the company is well known for its
PEBECO reels that were made for him by ABU around 1940-1950. Long before
that, in 1892, Berghaus patented a barrel knife in England (Brit. Pat.
23.005), in cooperation with the famous English fishing reel producer
Samuel Allcock, who had a large sale in USA. The knife has a doble row of
saw teeth in the back of the blade, and a screwdriwer in the protruding
part of the blade when the knife is closed.
At least two producers made knives for the Berghaus company, who hardly had
any production of its own: Segerström and Johan Engström. I also have one
knife without a producer’s name, with the blade marked like this:
PAUL BERGHAUS PATENT
ESKILSTUNA
Another knife has this stamp in the brass and nothing on the blade.
In a third knife there is only the Segerström mark, while a fourth knife
has both a Berghaus and a Segerström mark.
A fifth knife has an unmarked blade, and brass with Johan Engström’s stamp.
It is without the screwdriver and with only a single row of saw teeth.

Edward Zinn
According to Marmér Edward Zinn was an English knife importer who ordered
an enormous amount of barrel knives from Johan Engström. Marmér was right
about the enormous number, but not about the country. Edward Zinn was an
American. According to Goins’ Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings, page 311,
he had his office at 210 11th Ave, NYC, in the 1910s. In 1914 he registered
the picture of an elephant as his trade mark, which he used on the knives
he imported from Sveden and germany.
Zinn sold other kinds of Eskilstuna knives as well, alongside knives from
other countries. I have seen some Zinn barrel knives with the brass stamped
Holmberg, and some stamped Segerström, but most are without any producer’s
stamp, and then the producer’s identity is most uncertain.
The blade is usually marked:
EDWARD ZINN ESKILSTUNA
Very often there is the picture of an elephant, indicating that the knife
should be made in 1914 or later, as that was when he registered the
elephant logo.
The stamp may also be on the brass instead of the blade. Unlike most barrel
knives the Zinn knives are often marked with a size number.

Other traders in England and the USA
Several traders had their own stamp on the brass, and no producer’s stamp.
Here are some examples, first Stacy in London:
STACY 4 NEWGATE ST
And then the New York importer Severin R. Draescher:
S. R. D.
I have seen a picture of two knives in USA with this mark (at least one of
them has a Segerström blade):
C. A. DRAKE
Dealers or producers?
Three knives that are not in Marmér’s book, with these stamps on the brass:
HELLSTEDT & CO ESKILSTUNA
and
EDGREN ESKILSTUNA SWEDEN
and
OSCAR PETERSON ESKILSTUNA
SWEDEN
These are common Swedish names but, as the knives were on offer on eBay
from the USA, they may have been American importers, perhaps of Swedish
origin. I have seen pliers and a pair of compasses from Hellstedt and I
suppose he was a producer of other goods who made some few knives.

NK
The Swedish department store Nordiska Kompaniet has its mark – NK – on the
blade of some knives from Pontus Holmberg. Probably among the last series
of barrel knives that were made. These are also the only ones I have seen
with a tooth lock.
NK was founded in 1902, and most likely had an extensive trade in barrel
knives right from its start. I would not be surprised to find an older
knife with an NK mark.

Jean Mette
The surgical instrument maker Jean Mette in Oslo, Norway made knives,
razors and knife blades. Mette also sold barrel knives, with this mark on
the blade:
JEAN METTE
The knives have no other stamps, but are apparently from Eskilstuna rather
than being made by Mette himself. Nice knives, especially from a Norwegian
point of view.
It seems that C. G. Larsson made these. It is a little strange that Jean
Mette chose such a small producer, but my Jean Mette knife have what I
think are typical Larsson details.

Mora
In Sweden barrel knives come from Eskilstuna, but there are exceptions: on
a model the brass is marked:
MORA Made in Sweden
The barrel was made from plastic and came in three colours: red, blue and
black, and may be even more. A red handle is most appropriate for the knife
producing city of Mora, as that is what a typical Mora fixed blade knife
should have.
This model may have been made in Mora, but I find it more likely that its
origin is Eskilstuna, and, judging from its details, perhaps Pontus
Holmberg.

Knives made in other countries
USA?
Considering the large export to the USA, and the fact that there are
several similar U.S. patents, it is most likely that some were made there,
both real barrel knives and related knives. I have not seen any that
without any doubt is made in the USA.
A knife that may have been made there, or perhaps is just an import, has a
blade with this mark:
J. T. TORRY
WORCESTER MASS.
The company is The Torrey Razor Company. As the barrel is made from curly
birch I would guess that its origin is Sweden. The end knob is without a
hole, and the knife does not give the impression of having been made by one
of the major producers. I have seen two such knives on eBay.

Finland
On the Internet I found the information that barrel knives were very
popular in Sibiria, where they were called “Finnish knives”. I thought
there was a misunderstanding here, and that the knives were named like this
because they came from Sweden via Finland. That was before I saw the 1897
catalogue from the Finnish producer Fiskars, which shows that Fiskars at
that time made barrel knives in three sizes; 3", 3½" og 4", all with a
barrel in ebony. The picture in the catalogue shows a standard barrel
knife. It is marked like this across the blade, near the barrel:
FISKARS

England?
I have a barrel knife with this blade stamp:
ANDERSON
It has an ebony barrel and is really well-made.
Another one has this blade stamp:
F. ALDIS PIMLICO
This one is also a little different. Pimlico is a part of London.
I think both these knives may have been made in England, along with a
considerable number of other barrel knives.


Germany
There are knives with this stamp:
F. HERDER
These come from the knife producer Friedrich Herder in Solingen. Well made,
in many sizes. I guess they were produced in the company’s own factory.

BÖKER
Heinrich Böker in Solingen also made barrel knives. The only one I have
seen a picture of, is marked HENRY BOKER on one side of the brass, and
GERMANY on the other. The knife was in Australia, and according to Levine
this may be Böker’s stamp for knives that were to be exported to Australia.
I suppose the stamp was not only for Australia. It is to be found on knives
and tools in USA and Canada (all with a GERMANY stamp), and I have seen it
on a sabre from 1851 in the USA, that is before the Civil War. During the
war both sides bought such sabres from Germany. The American poet and
diplomat Charles Henry Boker (1823-1890) from Philadelphia wrote patriotic
poems. His name suggests a connection, but I know nothing more about this.
The Böker barrel knife is marked with size number one, so it was also made
in other sizes.
As both Herder and Böker made such knives it is likely that other Solingen
companies made them as well.
Another one:
EDWARDS SONS & CO GERMANY
Perhaps made in Germany for an American or English company Edwards.

India?
Barrel knives were also made in the East. A number of unsigned, carved
knives, mostly with a floral pattern, apparently originates from India.

Others?
Barrel knives may have been made anywhere. Today there is some production
in France, where there also seems to be a considerable interest in barrel
knives by the knife collectors.
Sometimes I would not even begin to guess. There are some small, thin ones
with two kinds of stamps on the ricasso. One of them is a “V” stamp, on
another knife made in the same way there is a strange stamp I cannot read.

Handmade barrel knives
Lots of knifemakers have made a few barrel knives from time to time. In
Sweden there are for instance some good ones from Olle Johansson.
In Norway as well some have given this a try, like Eskil Langland at Ler in
Sør-Trøndelag. His knives are unsigned, and they are rougher and with more
tool marks than those from Eskilstuna. You have to have a confirmed
Langland to compare with.
Einar Sperre made a few with engraved silver fittings from Torstein Groven,
and some undecorated with his own fittings.
I have one from Haakon Olsen Lae in the Toten district. It was probably
made in the 1880s.
There are still some Norwegian makers. At knife shows knifemakers sometimes
bring a barrel knife from their own production. Best known are those from
Tore Noddeland and his son Lars Harry, with beautifully carved barrels.
Sometimes someone has carved the barrel on an ordinary factory made knife.
These knives can be especially interesting when the work is done by a
well-known knifemaker or artist. The two most interesting I have seen so
far are two knives at the Vigeland Museum in Oslo, carved by Gustav
Vigeland. One of them is an especially nice work. The other one is very
simple, but I think the marking (very hard to read) is from Hugo Jonsson.
The Norwegian knifemaker Lars Birkeland also made some.
I have an English example where a silver smith with the stamp G.W. has
refined a knife from Johan Engström. He has covered the entire barrel with
silver, silver plated the brass, and exchanged some details for his own. It
has a London symbol and the symbol for the year 1886.
Only two things are infinite, the Universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein...
User avatar
CCBill
Posts: 1057
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 6:35 pm
Location: The Lone Star State...

Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by CCBill »

Part 2 of barrel knives...
The rest of the article:

Sizes
Barrel knives are often collected by size, the size being the length of the
barrel. As it is practical to measure the barrel without pulling out the
knife some collectors include the end-plate in the barrel length. I prefer
to measure only the barrel itself.
I think there should be a difference of at least 4 mm before I will call it
its own size. This is not without complications, and also the thickness of
the barrels vary. Two knives with the same length, but with a significant
difference in thickness, may perhaps not be considered to be of the same
size.
It is not always easy:
1.
I have two barrel knives with a corkscrew, in the intermediate size. One of
them has a barrel of 84 mm, the other one measures slightly under 88 mm.
The knife inside is the same in both. The wood between the ferrules is also
the same length in both, it is the ferrules that vary. The larger barrel is
longer than “necessary”, so that the brass does not protrude from it the
way it should, while the smaller barrel is the “right” size. I am happy
that the difference is a little less than 4 mm. If it had been slightly
over I would have had a problem regarding them as being of one size, and
also a problem regarding them as two sizes.

2.
I have three knives from Johan Engström with a barrel length of more or
less 12,3 cm. The barrels are 12 cm, 12,3 cm and 12,4 cm. That makes a
difference of the critical 4 mm. I still regard them as being of the same
size. The knives themselves are exactly the same size in all three of them,
whether in the folded or extended position. The one that looks “right” is
the one with a 12,3 cm barrel.
The thickness of the blades may also vary, as it does in these three
knives, and is perhaps an indication of age. Here the blades, in the above
order, are 3,8 mm, 3,2 mm and 3,5 mm. Their locks are step lock, step lock
and pin lock. The one with the smallest barrel lacks the SWEDEN in the
wood. The vast majority of J.E. barrel knives have the 1874/arrow logo, and
I think the one without it is the oldest of these three knives. (The
1874/arrow logo was in use at least as early as 1886.)
There may be as many as 30 different barrel lengths. From the smallest of
2,1 mm and up to ca 125 mm there are roughly speaking one for every
half-centimeter. Beyond that there are some monsters with a barrel of 19,5
cm, 25 cm, 29,5 cm, 30 cm, 35 cm and 36 cm, and probably more. I have heard
of one that is 38 cm, but not seen it.
There are rumours of some very much larger than these. It may well be
possible. Many factories around the World made, for display purposes,
enormous versions of other types of ordinary, non-barrel folding knives,
made exactly like their standard models. The largest I have seen is an
American knife. In the open position it measures 145 cm. We can only hope
to find a barrel knife of this size.
The monster knives were made for display, and were indeed useless outside
the shop window – or the knife collection! They were made in the era of the
large exhibitions, and must have been real show stoppers.
Even with the vast production it is apparent that the knives were largely
handmade. At least the early knives. If you take two knives from the same
factory and try to switch knives and barrels they seldom fit as well in the
other barrel as in their own, and the lock may not work.

One day an unfinished knife was found, and it showed how the ferrules are
fitted: The grove for the ferrules are cut with a hand tool.
Brian Halsall writes in a letter concerning this knife:
“The knife is unfinished, in the sense that the wood handle has the grooves
in it from the shaping chisel the maker used. They look very much like the
chisel marks left by stone sculptors when they use a ww shaped chisel to
simulate hair. It made me look very closely at some other handles, and I
found a couple of later Holmbergs that were not finished completely where
the wood meets the bolster, and the grooves were there! Seems as though
someone stole mine from the factory, because there is nothing to suggest it
was a reject. These really were handmade.”

The smallest
These are very popular. The barrel measures about 21 mm. As their tiny size
is the main point collectors hunt for those that are a fraction smaller
than the rest. I have yet to see one under 21 mm, but rumours say they
exist.
The barrel, and the blade, are sometimes slimmer than others.
In all barrel knives the click should be perfect. In the smaller sizes
there is an added reason for this, as they often were attached to the watch
chain. Now they hang from a neck string on people attending knife shows.
They better not fall off.
In the smalles size they are often unsigned by the maker. You have to
decide for yourself if that matters. It may not affect the price much, if
anything. Still, I like the look of one 24 mm I have, with a full A.J.W.
JERNBOLAGET ESKILSTUNA on the brass.
The barrel is usually made from curly birch, but may also be ivory or
ebony.
The ferrules are usually iron, but may be brass

With a corkscrew
Barrel knives with a corkscrew, made by Segerström, have always been
popular. Now, when lots of people search eBay and other Internet auctions
and can see what corkscrew collectors out there are willing to pay for
these knives, prices have changed dramatically also here in Scandinavia.
There are three sizes: 75 mm, 84 mm and 96 mm.
The knife inside the barrel is quite ordinary, except for the stamp PATENT
on the brass. The stamp is visible also with the knife inside the barrel.
Inserted in the barrel there is a corkscrew, with its own spring-loaded
release mechanism.
I have told there are some with an ebony barrel with a carved dragon
motive. In have not seen them. As Segerström made other carved barrel
knives there is no surprise if he also had dragons on his corkscrew
barrels.

The most collectible?
Or at least some very nice ones, listed at random:
130 mm and larger
The smallest (21 mm)
Two blades
With a corkscrew
With a saw in the back of the blade
Carved barrel
Ivory barrel, especially with a gilted blade
Flat handle of man-made materials
Companies with small production
Any otherwise ordinary knife, but old, in perfect condition, and with a
barrel of outstanding curly birch.

The majority
The most common knives to find are those from Holmberg, Segerström and
Johan Engström. After those we have the knives from Jernbolaget and
Westersson, and then Halling. From then on there are few around.
If you plan a collection from one company only, and choose another one than
these six, your collection will be very small!

The relatives
The typical handle of the barrel knife is also to be found on some quite
rare fixed-blade knives. Even if they are not barrel knives a few of them
could find a place in the collection.
A close relative, and one that definitely deserves a place in a barrel
knife collection, is this one:

Carl Hellberg
Carl Hellberg patented a different barrel knife construction, with a lever
inserted in the barrel for sliding and locking the blade in open or closed
position.
The blade is stamped:
CARL HELLBERG
ESKILSTUNA
Marmér has not registered this producer. One Carl F. Hellberg is mentioned
in his book, but he was born in 1774. Perhaps he was our Carl’s
grandfather?

When the old folks remember – and get it wrong

On eBay there was an Engström barrel knife with this description:
“1874 Hand Crafted Knife
This knife was hand crafted in 1874 by a man named Joh Ingstrum. He was a
fisherman on the tuna boat the Eskilstuna in England. This knife was handed
down to my father in law. Mr. Ingstrum was his great or great, great uncle.
I forget which. The knife is in excelent condition and is of beautiful
craftsmanship.”
As always: Don’t believe everything you read, or everything a dealer tells
you.
es...
Only two things are infinite, the Universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein...
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Miller Bro's »

On eBay there was an Engström barrel knife with this description:
“1874 Hand Crafted Knife
This knife was hand crafted in 1874 by a man named Joh Ingstrum. He was a
fisherman on the tuna boat the Eskilstuna in England. This knife was handed
down to my father in law. Mr. Ingstrum was his great or great, great uncle.
I forget which. The knife is in excelent condition and is of beautiful
craftsmanship.”
As always: Don’t believe everything you read, or everything a dealer tells
you.

:lol: :lol:



Thanks for posting this information Bill, very interesting and informative :wink: ::tu::
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by chuckbiscuits »

knives-are-quiet wrote:The knife looks to be in fairly good shape.
Don't know if it's just your picture but the blade looks to have that back of the can opener knife sharpener grind marks on it or rust removed with a grinder.
If this is the case then the knife has already lost some value.
It should be professionally cleaned.
The knife should be sharpened by hand first with a file then a whet stone progressively using finer grades of stones till it is razor sharp.
The wood on your handle is "BIRCH".
Curly birch. which is a type of burl hard wood and is very durable.
Like Miller Bro. said. If you want to keep it's value from decreasing, leave it be.
If you intend on using it have it cleaned professionally or ask how on the repair and restoration forum.
If you intend on using it a lot then stripping and recoating with linseed oil would be the way to go. That's what was used originally and gives the wood that orange glow.
I personally on the barrel knife I own, because I don't intend on selling it I removed what little protective coating was left on the knife and coated the wood with linseed oil and then a coat of butchers wax for added water proofing.
Do not let the wood get wet without a coating on it.
The wood will swell up and you will not be able to remove the blade till the wood dries out.

J W
J W,
Thanks for the input. Since I plan to use this knife, I will do as you did and try the linseed oil and wax treatment. Since I don't really have any $ invested in it and didn't know it was valuable until I found this site, my plan is to carry it, use it and enjoy it. Hopefully I will have it with me until I shuffle off this mortal coil, so will never need to worry about how much it might have been worth!

Regards,

cb ::tu::
knives-are-quiet

Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by knives-are-quiet »

chuckbiscuits wrote:
knives-are-quiet wrote:The knife looks to be in fairly good shape.
Don't know if it's just your picture but the blade looks to have that back of the can opener knife sharpener grind marks on it or rust removed with a grinder.
If this is the case then the knife has already lost some value.
It should be professionally cleaned.
The knife should be sharpened by hand first with a file then a whet stone progressively using finer grades of stones till it is razor sharp.
The wood on your handle is "BIRCH".
Curly birch. which is a type of burl hard wood and is very durable.
Like Miller Bro. said. If you want to keep it's value from decreasing, leave it be.
If you intend on using it have it cleaned professionally or ask how on the repair and restoration forum.
If you intend on using it a lot then stripping and recoating with linseed oil would be the way to go. That's what was used originally and gives the wood that orange glow.
I personally on the barrel knife I own, because I don't intend on selling it I removed what little protective coating was left on the knife and coated the wood with linseed oil and then a coat of butchers wax for added water proofing.
Do not let the wood get wet without a coating on it.
The wood will swell up and you will not be able to remove the blade till the wood dries out.

J W
J W,
Thanks for the input. Since I plan to use this knife, I will do as you did and try the linseed oil and wax treatment. Since I don't really have any $ invested in it and didn't know it was valuable until I found this site, my plan is to carry it, use it and enjoy it. Hopefully I will have it with me until I shuffle off this mortal coil, so will never need to worry about how much it might have been worth!

Regards,

cb ::tu::
CB,
I'm glad your going to be using the knife.
So many people just collect for profit or sit them on a shelf and look at the knife.
A knife is a tool and made to be used.
Although the barrel knife I have isn't one I use all that often I do use it just like all the knives I own from time to time.
Good luck with it and enjoy it and take care of it.
Remember it is a piece of history.

J W
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Miller Bro's »

I think this one was made in India ::shrug::
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Desktop »

Here is a link to some switchblade barrel knives:

http://kniver.blogspot.com/search/label ... %20Sverige

::tu::
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Miller Bro's »

I wish I could read it ::nod::
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Draac »

"Miller Bro`s" that barrel knife you have is very nice, love the carving, how old would you say it was ?

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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Miller Bro's »

I am guessing around 20 years old ::shrug::

It is nicely carved ::nod::
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Owd Wullie »

Miller Bro`s wrote:I wish I could read it ::nod::
Been studyin Norsk lately;
27. July 2011 Barrel Knives with feathers in the back on a knife hits a couple of years ago asked Morten Danielsen if I had seen a barrel knife with a spring in the back. I had not, and he could take it out of pocket with a broad smile, knowing that I would like to have it. We studied the up and down. It looked like the usual from Eskilstuna, but then this spring. It was unsigned, so it was hard to say who had made ​​it. At first glance it is that any barrel knives from Eskilstuna. All right preserved, with well below average birch. The only thing that betrays that there is something special about it, is the small dark square in the brass rail at the lock. Viewed from this side it is certainly clear that this is anything other than we're used to: It has a spring in the back. It is mechanism is quite clear: The lock spring is put in a stop that keeps the blade in place when you squeeze the latch and take the knife out of the barrel, until you run out and leave the beach open knife. This does not work for it in the photo, here when the blade is not up to the stop. The blade is either replaced or nedkortet. We talked of course about who could have made ​​it, if there was one outside the regular manufacturers who wanted to try on something smart, or whether this was a prototype of one of the major manufacturers. And so on, you know the kind of discussions that knife most people ever give up on. And so the case was lying, as they often do. Not long ago I received an email from the Swedish knife collector Ulf Ahlström who live in the U.S., asking if I had seen a barrel knife with spring, and if I knew anything about it. I sent him some pictures, and he sent me some patents, and here's the story so far. CG Paffrath, Solingen Surprisingly, the patent from 1883 is not from Eskilstuna, but from Germany: The patent is an improvement of "where sogenannte Schwedenmesser", ie "The so-called Swedish knife." The name "Swedish knife" was apparently incorporated in Germany already in 1883. It says that this patent should not have the familiar, twisting the opening of the barrel knife. While the knife in the regular version to be taken out of the barrel, and then opened before it can be put back in, comes this new out of the barrel fully opened. To take the knife out of the barrel, just press the shutter release as normal. Then comes a stop inside out and keeps the blade in place while taking out the knife. When the shutter release, pops the blade up and can be put back into the unfolded position. As said, the magazine is possibly changed. What is there now is a completely standard barrel blade. The image in the patent description is another slipefas. It does not mean anything, but it may well be that any original leaf looked like. With signature? This stop may well easily be problems with the blade tip when the blade was ground slightly. As with many patents with additional features: The knives are more expensive to produce, and it is not certain that the new features are appreciated. It is certainly clear that this was not a success, so rare that these blades seem to be. The knife is hardly later than 1883. Firm CG Paffrath I do not know anything about. A. Halling, Eskilstuna Right after I had received a patent images, there were sure is a copy on eBay! Amazing coincidence. We had then followed with eBay for years without seeing one, and just now got it. Such incredible coincidence comes so often that we probably should stop watching those incredible. A collector friend of mine bought it and sent me pictures: Apparently a regular barrel knife, but the small square at the lock reveals what this is and when you have the knife in hand, we see the that it has feathers in the back. The magazine has not the same shape as in the patent description, and it is not that the barrel knives in general. It really is surprising is leaf plunger, which rhymes very well with the information above. It says: A. HALLING Eskilstuna When there are many thoughts that may, for example, that it was Halling who produced knives for Paffrath, and that they also made ​​some for themselves. Or something else. But then the question is with Halling stamp. The continuous bolt on the blade does not look entirely convincing. It is hardly original. And then it just possible that the first leaf was destroyed and another was taken from Halling-knife. Or, the magazine is an original, but that it was necessary to put the new bolt when the original came loose. Or. . . In any case, a very funny knife in a barrel knife collection. Franz Frenzel, Solingen little earlier the same year as CG Paffrath was another Solingen also patented the barrel knife with spring: Franz Frenzel. He focused instead on the coil spring. Ulf Ahlström sent me a copy of his patent also: While Paffraths knife is a standard barrel knife that has been equipped with feathers, is this one a bit on the side of what we think of the term barrel knife. Here is a magazine that can be retracted into the barrel and locked, and with a spring that sends it out when you eject mechanism. I have not seen any like that knife, but Franz Frenzel NOK created a series of them. Frenzel studied NOK Swedish barrel knives to see if there was something there for him. On eBay, there was even a Frenzel folding knife with a blade less barrel shaped, similar to the Hallström-knife Arne Marmar shows the bottom right of page 27 in the book Knivar från Eskilstuna . I did not bid on it. Later the company moved from Solingen for Nixdorf in Bohemia, where they made ​​weapons during the Second World War. They had this stamp: FRANZ Frenzel Nixdorf .
Not really, Google chrome has a built in web page translator. ;)
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Mossdancer »

It seems there is nothing new that could possibly be added to this thread so I am just going to display photos of My Eskilstuna Barrel Knife that I just received in a trade. The Curly Birch is neat. It is an Joh. Engstrom.
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by orvet »

Nice Moss!
Would you show the pics of the blade mechanism out of the barrel?

That was a nice pic you sent to me.
Others would enjoy it I am thinking. ::nod::
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Mossdancer »

You Got them Dale, I attached to previous post.
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by 313 Mike »

I sure was grateful to find this thread while re-searching this knife I recently came into possesion of!
This was my Grandpa's hunting knife, and has been in the family for generations, only recently to be found again in my brother's gun cabinet, and now passed on to me.
The handle measure 4 1/2 ", and it is a Jernbolaget, Eskilstuna....with the AJW stamped vertically next to the Jernbolaget. So if I am not mistaken, that indicates that it was produced by A.J. Westersson for import by Jernbolaget...and A.J. Westersson produced Barrel Knives from 1889-1905, making this one a pretty old example!
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by basser5 »

Beautiful wood on that one Mike ::drool::


And very cool that it was your grandpas ::tu:: That's a great treasure to have.


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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by 313 Mike »

Thanks Tim, I'm really impressed with the wood too and how well it has held up over the year...Knives were tools of the trade for my Grandpa, and I know he used this one hard. I'm sure it got wet and bloody quite frequently, but the wood still looks great, I'm really honored to be able to add this one to the collection ::nod::
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Beechtree »

Mike, that is a fantastic knife. I love that it was your grandfathers and that it is so well used. Great history, a very special piece.
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Mason »

CCBill wrote:Well, here's my meager entry for this forum. It's so small I really couldn't get good pictures of it. I'm LOUSY with a camera.
It is stamped, "Joh. Engstrom/ Sweden" on the brass liner. I assume that since it has the country of origin on it that it was made between 1891 and 1918. As you can see by the tape measure, the barrel is 1 inch long. The blade still shows about 99% of the factory shine. I just threw in the other 2 small ones for comparison sake. Any additional info will be greatly appreciated. I'm thinking about putting this one up for sale but I haven't decided, yet.
...CCBill... 8)
That's a great little knife and thanks for the information on "Barrel Knives".
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Hoobilly »

Met a friend today who brought a box of knifes his grandfather gave him. one of which is this type of barrel knife that was my friends great grandfathers.
The only difference in this knife and the ones pictured here, the top of the blade is serrated. they think it is for scaling fish..

full blade and overall this knife is very nice.

how rare is a serrated knife like this?
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Cookyboy1 »

I brought this one from my local antique shop for £33.00.do you think I've got a good deal.
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by bronze4u »

I love the barrel knives! Here is what I have, so far... Cheers

Kirk
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by Kaaskop »

[album][/album]
Miller Bro's wrote:I think this one was made in India ::shrug::
This one looks the same bought in Holland
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by FRJ »

I bought my first barrel knife at a flea market today. I paid $50 for it.
It's four inches from the catch to the pivot and the actual handle is 3 5/16".
It's missing the lanyard ring and has a unreadable stamp in the blade.
It's a solid piece of kit and I'm pretty happy with it.
Nice information about these knives in this thread. ::tu::
ebay sellers are quite proud of the few they are selling there.

Thanks for looking,
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Re: ANTIQUE SWEDISH BARREL KNIVES

Post by edge213 »

FRJ wrote: Sun Jun 12, 2022 6:49 pm I bought my first barrel knife at a flea market today. I paid $50 for it.
It's four inches from the catch to the pivot and the actual handle is 3 5/16".
It's missing the lanyard ring and has a unreadable stamp in the blade.
It's a solid piece of kit and I'm pretty happy with it.
Nice information about these knives in this thread. ::tu::
ebay sellers are quite proud of the few they are selling there.

Thanks for looking,
I only have one of these, but it's not as nice as this one ::tu::
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