A French folder?

A place to discuss & share pictures of knives made in Europe.
Post Reply
User avatar
steve99f
Posts: 2769
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:49 pm
Location: Eastern PA

A French folder?

Post by steve99f »

Picked this Grimaud up at an antiques shop this week. It's 4 5/16's long closed, steel liners and pins, with some sort of synthetic covers. I don't know anything about this maker and would welcome any info on this one. I checked a couple of books I have and found nothing. Checked this forum and didn't find anything. The handle shape seems to be a common one. I assume its French but don't know it. Aside from the exterior rust it is in good condition. The pile side cover is deteriorated but usable. A few pics attached.
Attachments
Grimaud folder mark side handle.JPG
Grimaud folder mark side.JPG
Grimaud makers mark.JPG
steve99f
User avatar
FRJ
Posts: 15173
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 1:43 pm
Location: Ct.

Re: A French folder?

Post by FRJ »

Interesting old knife, Steve. ::tu::
I hope you get some information on it.
Joe
User avatar
steve99f
Posts: 2769
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:49 pm
Location: Eastern PA

Re: A French folder?

Post by steve99f »

Thanks Joe. This shop had a few knives but this one was the most interesting and at 5 bucks, what the heck.The only marks on it are shown, nothing on either side of the tang.I'm looking for a era when made mostly, Grimaud isn't listed as a current manufacturer.
steve99f
tendots
Posts: 467
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:44 am

Re: A French folder?

Post by tendots »

Grimaud founded in 1914 up until 1959.Could them covers be tortoise? Gus.
Tang stamps hide more than they reveal.
User avatar
stancaiman
Posts: 346
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:38 pm
Location: Paris - FRANCE

Re: A French folder?

Post by stancaiman »

i'm sure it's french stamp, but i have no other information on this brand. Grimaud is a familly name born in the south of France..
User avatar
steve99f
Posts: 2769
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:49 pm
Location: Eastern PA

Re: A French folder?

Post by steve99f »

tendots wrote:Grimaud founded in 1914 up until 1959.Could them covers be tortoise? Gus.
Thank you tendots for the info on Grimaud. It could be tortoise but the color is off in my opinion. But then I've probably only seen imitation tortoise shell. The pile side handle looks like it has worm holes in it. I'll post a pic of that side later. Don't have one.

And thank you stancaiman as well.
steve99f
knife7knut
Posts: 10061
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:02 pm
Location: Tecumseh,Michigan

Re: A French folder?

Post by knife7knut »

steve99f wrote:The pile side handle looks like it has worm holes in it. I'll post a pic of that side later. Don't have one.
It sounds like it might be clear horn stained to look like tortoise shell.Dermasid beetle larvae love horn but won't usually attack real tortoise shell. Knife makers used to use a lot of clear horn for scales;especially razor makers. The easiest way I have found to tell the difference between clear horn and real tortoise shell is to examine it under a loupe of at least 10x. Real tortoise shell will look like it is made up of "layers"(it is) whereas horn is made up of a clear substance and hair and you can usually see the strands of hair as they will form a more or less straight line. I've tried to show the difference in photographs but it is almost impossible to see.
Here are pics of pressed clear horn(#1) and two tortoise shell razors(#2 to 5).Note how closely the first pic imitates the top razor in the second pic.
Attachments
122211 003.jpg
TortoiseshellRazors1.jpg
TortoiseshellRazors2.jpg
TortoiseshellRazors3.jpg
TortoiseshellRazors4.jpg
Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
User avatar
steve99f
Posts: 2769
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:49 pm
Location: Eastern PA

Re: A French folder?

Post by steve99f »

KK

Thanks for the detailed description of horn vs tortoise shell.I checked the handles under good light and a loupe of unknown x's. I'm inclined to call it horn based on your description. I've taken a couple of pictures of the pile side this morning. Maybe someone can better imagine what this damage is.

This knife doesn't have a kick on it. Never did. That's kind of odd. But it is French. ::hmm::
Attachments
Grimaud pile side b.JPG
Grimaud pile side.JPG
steve99f
User avatar
stancaiman
Posts: 346
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 5:38 pm
Location: Paris - FRANCE

Re: A French folder?

Post by stancaiman »

i've made some research, your knife seem's to be an "alpin" - Grimaud is a deposed trade mark between 1914 and 1959
Grimaud[1].jpg
you can see history of alpin here : http://www.coutelleriegrenoble.com/couteau%20alpin.html
User avatar
steve99f
Posts: 2769
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:49 pm
Location: Eastern PA

Re: A French folder?

Post by steve99f »

Stan thanks a lot for finding and posting that. I guess an alpin is a style of knife, as those on the website look very similar and are similar sizes.

Based on the picture you cut from the site I would guess mine is earlier, closer WW I than WW II but in between them.
steve99f
tendots
Posts: 467
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:44 am

Re: A French folder?

Post by tendots »

Steve,your knife is not an Alpin,look at the difference of the bolster.Don't know what yours is called,but a Hungarian knife maker still produceses them up until recently.Google for Ferenc Kocics(hope I wrote his name right). Gus.
Tang stamps hide more than they reveal.
knife7knut
Posts: 10061
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:02 pm
Location: Tecumseh,Michigan

Re: A French folder?

Post by knife7knut »

That damage looks like celluloid degradation.Your scales may be celluloid stained to look like tortoise shell.When celluloid degrades it gives off nitric acid fumes which will corrode both steel and brass very quickly. It will also corrode any other knives or metal that is nearby it. I would isolate it from other knives until you can be sure.
Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
User avatar
steve99f
Posts: 2769
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 9:49 pm
Location: Eastern PA

Re: A French folder?

Post by steve99f »

KK

I wondered if that might be what I was seeing. Good advice. Thank you.

Gus

I noticed the bolsters were different but thought that could just be design updates.Thanks.
steve99f
Post Reply

Return to “European-made knives”