Antique Fleams & Lancets ( Medical Related Knives)

[Miller Bro's]

I have several of these and still buy them from time to time. Most have no back spring they stay closed by friction, you will find them in multi-bladed pocket knives and in horseman`s knives tucked into the side of the handle which folds out but is not on a back spring.

There are also automatic fleam`s which have a spring to deploy them and puncture the vein. The non automatic ones like this one have to be hit with a with a fleam stick.

See here for more examples and the history; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleam


Let`s see your Fleam`s and Lancet`s

[tjmurphy]

The only one that I have. G. Gregory. Horn handles pretty eat-up and rough

[wlf]

Thank goodness they are no longer in use!

[RalphAlsip]

I don't much about this fleam. It came along with something else that I acquired. I have no idea what the wording means - it looks like it might be Welsh.

[Miller Bro's]

The only one that I have. G. Gregory. Horn handles pretty eat-up and rough

Still a nice early fleam Tom!

[Miller Bro's]

Thank goodness they are no longer in use!

Oh yes they are!

[Miller Bro's]

I don't much about this fleam. It came along with something else that I acquired. I have no idea what the wording means - it looks like it might be Welsh.

Looks like the owners name. The date on the handle is consistent with the construction of the fleam.

Nice find!

[Miller Bro's]

This is an unusual old Lancet.

[Mason]

Some nice fleams shown. Here is a spring fired variation in the original box from the mid 19th century.

[Miller Bro's]

Very nice, thanks for showing it

Is there any name or makers mark on it?

[Mason]

Very nice, thanks for showing it

Is there any name or makers mark on it?

Thanks, I don't remember seeing any in the past but will look again.

[deo-pa]

Per Ralph: "have no idea what the wording means - it looks like it might be Welsh."

My dictionary says from Latin (phlebotomus), then Old French (flieme), then Middle English (fleme), all meaning a lancet.

[knifegirl888]

Here is an old one that we have, marked Gregory, like TJ's. Even though it has kind of a ugly purpose, the horn handles are pretty.

[Miller Bro's]

Another oldie, thanks for posting it Kathy

[dcgm4]

Very cool showings, everyone!

[Miller Bro's]

Here is another medical related knife, a scalpel.

This one is interesting in that it has a nickle silver slide ring that slides forward to lock the blade in the open position.

[Beechtree]

^That is an interesting design.
Great old knives here all.

[Miller Bro's]

Thank you!

I forgot to add ,if you enlarge the photo you can see the notch in the handle on the back side where the nickle silver ring slides over the tang which holds the tang down so the blade will not accidentally shut when using it.

[Jacknifeben]

Here is a custom fleam that won a 1st prize medal in London in 1862 and a silver medal in Paris in 1876.

[Miller Bro's]

Very nice, thanks for showing it

[smiling-knife]

Fleams

[RobesonsRme.com]

I think this is an old one.

Don't know what BAM and the Maltese cross mean, but Dungworth is a village name in the Sheffield area, I believe.

Appears to have been well made, but it's a little worse for wear.

I guess one has to wonder how a place got named "Dungworth".

Charlie Noyes

[philco]

Charlie if you think about it, it's better than NOT Dungworth.

[RobesonsRme.com]

Yeah, but that's low praise, Phil.
Charlie

[Mason]

I think this is an old one.

Don't know what BAM and the Maltese cross mean, but Dungworth is a village name in the Sheffield area, I believe.

Appears to have been well made, but it's a little worse for wear.

I guess one has to wonder how a place got named "Dungworth".

Charlie Noyes

Dungworth was actually a fairly common family name back then and there were several cutlers listed with that surname in Sheffield during the 19th century. Your model was most likely made by John Dungworth who was listed as a "phleme, lancet, and veterinary instrument maker" in an 1841 directory. He does not appear in an 1852 directory.