All About Pocket Knives

An excerpt from Levine's guide 4: James Crawshaw, a cutler & merchant who worked in Sheffield from about 1817 to 1850, invented a new style of pen knife in the 1820's. An 1831 history described it as "the lobster-knife, by which four blades open upon one spring...which instead of forming the back, as in the old method, is placed along the middle of the handle and between the scales or side of the handle, so that it works on each side, hence admits of blades at each end & even any number of them. The mode of slitting the spring gave rise to the many-bladed knives in all their varieties. Mr. Crawsha took out no patent, but is a wholesale manufacturer." (extract courtesy Geoffrey Tweedale)


This past week I was blessed with the opportunity to become the owner of a real gem. Galvanic1882 offered me the chance to buy this Electric (c1890-1909) abalone lobster. I know many of you have seen this knife pictured before. I am still pinching myself to make sure I am not dreamin'. It is a breath taking knife to behold. There is still a faint "Electric" etch on the blade, but my pictures don't pick it up.

Thank you, Mike, I will cherish it!

I hope to see other beauties posted too. Share 'em if you've got 'em!

SWEET!!

Very Very Nice!!!

Congratulations. What a great little knife. Abalone can be jaw-dropping beautiful. I'm sure this knife makes it difficult to keep your mouth closed. Don't you wish the camera could pick up the fire in the abalone?

Congrats, that is one stunning and beautiful vintage knife.
I would think that could be the crown jewel of your collection, Kathy!

Paul

Just Beautiful....

Wow, shes a beauty Kathy! ::envy::

I am one happy knifegirl! Thanks everyone!

Now that I got the thread started, anyone have some lobsters to show?

Here are a couple more...

Here are some.........

There's some beautiful knives showing up here. Thanks for showing all this stuff.

The etch on the Ulster looks nice and clear...Those are great looking pearls, MB!

Here are a couple more............

Dimitri,

Does the last knife have Berlin on the tang?

Yes, it does

Cool! I haven't ever seen a knife marked like that before...

Very nice knives. My only lobster, a Keen Kutter.

Dan

That's a beautiful knife!

Thank you, knifegirl.

Dan

Here's a few more.

Kathy, I am glad that I sold the knife to you. Evere since I showed it to you years ago at the Lewisburg show I knew it was just a matter of time before I sold it to you. Here are the only 3 I have left.

The Kipsi Kut is one that still don't believe I own, it's a rare one for sure!!! The others are H & JW King etched pearl and the last, and am not sure if all would say a lobster, is a sterling handled Napanoch.

Mike,

Wow.... those are 3 rare knives! I am not sure which one I would say I like the best? They are all fantastic. I am unfamiliar with Kipsi Kut? Do you know more about it?

I am honored to be the new owner of the Electric. I showed it to an old friend & long time collector yesterday. He said "that knife makes me scared to even hold it!" He told me if I dropped it, I would never smile again & he is probably right.

Thanks again!

Kathy

Kipsi Kut was located in Poughkeepsie NY and I only know of about 8 of these that are floating around. Same town as Nagle Re-Blade production.

Mike

Here is my other favorite lobster knife... an ivory Northfield lobster. It is illustrated in the 1869 catalog as a six blade, but is listed as a three blade.

What is the extra pin for on the back handle?

I think that is my favorite knife you have in your collection