Un-Finished Marbles Safety 5" ~ Possibly one of the first few ever assembled ~

[sagebrush]

Wouldn't be surprised if this couldn't be one of the first 5"-inch Safety Knives ever assembled in the Marbles Shop - Possibly even a piece used as an example on an assembly Instruction Board for the workers even ~ Blade has no tang stamp, and the lock isn't present although the pin hole for it is drilled clean through ~ has those thick stag slabs and a well oxidized nickel silver guard and bolsters with enough patina to go around ~ what do you all think about this piece, have you ever seen anything like it ~

[1967redrider]

Very interesting piece. Do you own it? I would like to see both sides in the open position.

[herbva]

Very interesting indeed!

[btrwtr]

Very interesting knife. Looks to me like a Marbles knife that has had some work done outside of the factory. Maybe a knife that escaped unfinished without handles, blade stamp and folding blade guard. I doubt Marbles would ever start a knife assembly with stag slabs that thick.

[1967redrider]

Here's few other pictures from the eBay listing.

[Modern Slip Joints]

Since I'm not able to distinguish real Marbles blade shapes and grinds from all the safety folder style knives imported from various countries over the last few decades the original poster should not let this question worry him until it has been answered. What leads any of you to believe it was made by Marbles? Filthy dirty does not equate to being very old.

[btrwtr]

Since I'm not able to distinguish real Marbles blade shapes and grinds from all the safety folder style knives imported from various countries over the last few decades the original poster should not let this question worry him until it has been answered. What leads any of you to believe it was made by Marbles? Filthy dirty does not equate to being very old.

With the exception of the handles and missing folding blade guard/lock it looks exactly like a genuine Marbles 5" safety folder should.

[sagebrush]

Not doubting its authenticity, it's the genuine, bona-fide article, and materials are correct, including the stag slabs ~ this knife was never assembled in the first place with any intent to ever be a finished product for sale, this was my reason and logic behind my original statement ~ clearly a visual aid for manufactures to follow or even one of the first prototypes to the 5" stag safety folder ~ very fortunate to have seen it and now own it ~

[OLDE CUTLER]

Since I'm not able to distinguish real Marbles blade shapes and grinds from all the safety folder style knives imported from various countries over the last few decades the original poster should not let this question worry him until it has been answered. What leads any of you to believe it was made by Marbles? Filthy dirty does not equate to being very old.

Agree, could be someone's partially finished attempt to make a copy. The most difficult part in a handmade version of this would be the guard/lock, thus its absence.

[1967redrider]

The tang guard looks authentic to me, as do the blade, frame and bolster shapes.