All About Pocket Knives

Just picked up a Camillus model 64 at an antique store today for 15$. It was in overall pretty good shape, has good snap and blades are ok. I know it has a punch on it. My question is why is there a punch on it? Why does the punch have spirals on it? Maybe they used punches more back in the day? What was the application for a punch? May seem like a stupid question. If someone asks me though when I whip this thing out I just wanted to be able to tell them. Thanks a lot guys!

Punches on knives are usually associated with stock knives and were used by farmers and ranchers for tasks like punching through a cow's hide to relieve bloating or punching holes in harnessing. Leather work is their forte.

100 years ago people drove horses more than they drove cars. Horses required leather harness, leather reigns, leather straps and leather belts. The punch was used to "punch holes" in leather for repairing harnesses.
I grew up on a ranch and that was a common tool on the ranch. The nice thing about leather punch on a pocket knife is you have everything there to make a hole and a couple pieces of leather without bringing anything else along, it fits right in your pocket.
You don't need an anvil or a rock to put behind the leather and you don't need a hammer to strike the punch, like some of the other leather punches require.

Probably the main thing most people use them for now days is to put an extra hole in their belt if they have lost or gained weight.

Oops Greg beat me.

Greg, have you seen the punch blade actually used to relieve bloating?
We always use the clip blade because it was longer. Some of the short clip blades won't reach past the ribs far enough to puncture the stomach.

orvet wrote:Oops Greg beat me.

Greg, have you seen the punch blade actually used to relieve bloating?
We always use the clip blade because it was longer. Some of the short clip blades won't reach past the ribs far enough to puncture the stomach.

Dale I have not seen one used that way but have always heard that tale.

That’s the only thing I could think of was leather. You see that’s good I asked that. Now I can share the information you guys shared with me. I appreciate it. I could have used that on my belt instead of my dewalt and a drill bit. Thanks for the answers guys

A sharp punch would no doubt pierce the hide but I doubt it would reach far enough to pierce the stomach.
Something to remember if you ever watch someone stick a bloating cow: BE SURE YOU ARE NOT DOWNWIND!
It can be pretty wretched.

Great thing to pair with the Leatherman Wave, since unmodified, it doesn't have an awl. And to start a screw, you've got to have one. I use a Cub Scout knife, as the bottle opener on the Wave isn't good either.

A punch blade (aka "awl") can be used any time you want to poke at something. We see at lot of tipped clip blades mostly because the blade was used to poke and or pry. Save your clip tip, use the awl.
An awl and a saw blade means you can do a lot of things with your pocket knife.
kj

A punch blade on a stockman is a right handy thing to have in the farm and in the shop. Like the others said it works great in leather, but can be used in other materials too. And they work for making small pilot holes to start screws.

As to using them like a trocar, I agree with Dale. I just don’t think it would be long enough for a cow, maybe a goat. And yes, hold your breath!!!