All About Pocket Knives

Here is a 3 1/4" eight blade Barrel knife, not a Swedish Barrel knife. Exquisitely made, smooth blade action, crisp snaps and no play, for all 8 blades. Handles look to be Snakewood.
This design goes back to vintage Sheffield days, likely made to show off a cutler's skill and shown in a cutlery merchant's display cabinet. Or made for a well to do gentleman.
This one does not appear to be vintage. I bought it over 10 years ago from Bill Claussen, author of "Sheffield Exhibition Knives". Bill had forgotten how he acquired i, but thought it might have been made by a knife maker in Japan. As with all Barrel knives i have seen, there are no markings. This seems to be a tradition for these knives. Although the blades are tiny, a skilled knife maker could put his mark on if he wanted to.
Have you seen one similar ? Any insightful thoughts as to maker or country of origin ?
If you have any Barrel knives please post pictures. The more we see, the more we might learn about them.
kj

I don't have anything like that, it's pretty cool!

Roland, it seems that someone posted something similar a while back but certainly not the quality of yours. Very interesting and very beautiful.

I posted a very old 16 blade ivory Barrel knife. Some of the blades are broken and condition is rough. I think it is a thread with "Ivory" in title.
I searched to see if i had posted this one previously but found nothing. I might have posted this years ago in BladeForums, not sure.
kj

The one I'm thinking about only had blades on one end If I remember right. It was one of those 'what have I got?' or 'what is it?' post.

Very cool KJ !!!

That’s an amazing knife!

Beautiful knife KJ. I had posted an eight blade pearl knife with the same design. Unmarked as yours is KJ. These are referred to as being in the quill knife family.

Grouping with Quill knives makes sense as these delicate blades should not be used to cut anything harder than a quill.
Wayne yours is a beauty, ivory & antique and almost certainly of Sheffield origin. Marvelous knife ! Likely made in 1800's but do you know if early or late 1800's ? I think this pattern goes back to 1830's or earlier ?
What is closed length ? Maybe 3 1/8" same as mine ? The knife maker who made mine possibly had a vintage example and took measurements.
kj

MAN..... those are some really interesting knives! I've never seen such!
Now, I am sitting here trying to figure out how they are put together....LOL.
(The springs are a conundrum....)

Very NICE Gents!!!
John

I've never seen one of these before. That is one pattern that should really make a comeback.

Those were definitely owned by someone with wealth, definitely not for the average person.

A beautiful little knife Roland! I think it may have been made in Sheffield as the manicure blade looks to be of the Curley's Patent style. What is snakewood? I don't recall ever hearing of that material.

Here are a couple of barrel knives that Bob Cargill made. I don't know much about them. Photos taken from a thread on bladeforum.

WOW ! Those 2 Cargill Barrel knives are incredible ! I had no idea that he made such refined and challenging knives. These belong in the top tier of modern custom made knives. "Stunning" applies here and I feel a little stunned from seeing these pictures.
kj

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:26 pm WOW ! Those 2 Cargill Barrel knives are incredible ! I had no idea that he made such refined and challenging knives. These belong in the top tier of modern custom made knives. "Stunning" applies here and I feel a little stunned from seeing these pictures.
kj

Definitely some exquisite craftsmanship.

Now that is real craftsmanship!

Jan

Are the two Cargill knives unique or did he make multiples of the patterns or other similar patterns?

Charlie

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:26 pm WOW ! Those 2 Cargill Barrel knives are incredible ! I had no idea that he made such refined and challenging knives. These belong in the top tier of modern custom made knives. "Stunning" applies here and I feel a little stunned from seeing these pictures.
kj

I Second that!!!

RobesonsRme.com wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2020 6:25 pm Are the two Cargill knives unique or did he make multiples of the patterns or other similar patterns?

Charlie

I think they were very rare one offs. Here's a page from his original website where he mentions working on one for 3 years. And another snippet from when he was president of NKCA mentioning working on one for a specific person.

I had no idea that Bob Cargill was a Master Cutler of the highest degree.
His 24 blade ivory Barrel knife has 87 pieces and can be taken apart and reassembled with the help of a 'road map' he provides ! I would not attempt this.
Anyone know where this knife is now ?
Totally Amazing.
kj

Great thread KJ, I have always liked this type of knife and Bill had some beauties in his collection. Richard Rogers made one for him years ago that was modeled after a Rodgers knife. I think it was a Rodgers knife but could be mistaken.

Here is the only one I have it's a Friedmann & Lauterjung marked knife with ivory handles.

Mike, Fantastic knife ! It is the first i have heard of markings on a Barrel knife.
Levine lists F & L as a "wholesaler" which includes being an importer ? and out of business in 1909, so your knife is older than this date. (which i am sure you know)
Does the "Lauterjung" mean a connection with Puma ?
Likely made in a small high end cutlery shop than by a large cutlery manufacturer ?
Likely there are a few more of these 'out there' safely stored as a family treasure. If so i would love to find one.
Thank you for posting it.
kj

Another beauty, galvanic!!! I always enjoy seeing the gems you have found.