A multi-function knife with aluminium side plates

[Optimist]

This is a first posting but a friend, on another site, suggested that I post my query here and my brief scan of earlier threads suggested that there are some helpful and knowledgeable people around - so here goes.

I found the knife in a French flea market. It had nothing special to recommend it apart from the use of aluminium. There are no tang or blade marks but at a price of €1, I thought that I could satisfy my curiosity.

Can anybody suggest its origin or when such construction was in fashion? The main blade has had a hard life, at least one owner must have been attached to it.

[philco]

Hello Optimist. Welcome to AAPK.

I can't offer much information on your knife but I can share with you that the type of can opener on that knife was a commonly used design on Boy Scout knives (which I collect) during the 1920s through the early 1950s. I hope this information is of some use to you.

Phil

[Optimist]

Thank you for your welcome and reply Phil.

I have a couple of multi-function knives with that style of opener i.e. the same profile and a tab bent sideways to facilitate opening and both are French. During my scouting career (1948-57) the Scout Shop in London had an endless supply of ex army jack knives or production run-ons without the arrow stamp. That was our stand-by can-opener and it was much more solid than this version.

The knife I posted has many characteristics typical of a Thiers product but I have never seen that style of decoration before.

maybe someone else has seen something like it..........

[knife7knut]

Welcome to the forums Optimist! The knife you posted is commonly known as a champagne knife in France.It is unusual not for the aluminum scales but the odd bolster at one end.Is it made of plastic or perhaps hard rubber?
I have several knives of this pattern ranging in quality from mediocre to fantastic.Even the inexpensive ones seem to be well made;the difference being mostly the blade finish and fit.

[buckeyefan]

Optimist!

Thanks for the cool info and pics guy's, I learn sumthin new everytime I log on

Marty

[Optimist]

Knife7nut, thank you for those pictures. I have a knife like that, I consider them to be of better quality than the one that I posted - among other things, the can/bottle opener has a nice round rivet that is kinder to the thumb than the bent over opening tab. Mine was a present from my wife on the first Christmas after our marriage, she has continued to show the same good taste ever since! It was made in France but sold by Harrods of London.

I am puzzled by the use of the description "Champagne Knife". The French author/editor Dominique Pascal refers to the knives in your photo as "Couteaux de Campeur". I think that knives associated with champagne had a characteristic curved blade for the removal of wire and foil and some of them were even in the form of champagne bottles or carryied champagne advertising. I find the naming of French knife types somewhat confusing - maybe this forum will produce other ideas.

[knife7knut]

I am puzzled by the use of the description "Champagne Knife". The French author/editor Dominique Pascal refers to the knives in your photo as "Couteaux de Campeur". I think that knives associated with champagne had a characteristic curved blade for the removal of wire and foil.

I may have erred on that description.I have two of them that are marked Champagne and upon further inspection have determined that may be where they were produced.Sorry for the confusion.I would consider them campers knives as well.

[Optimist]

That sounds very interesting - if you have time to put up pictures of those marks, I'd like to see them. No hurry though, it's just my curiosity.