Mystery?

[knfcollector]

Anyone have any insights as to what this knife may have been used for and what may or may not be missing at the butt of the knife? Sure a mystery to me.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/381238156748

Photos added for future research.

[knife7knut]

I don't think anything is missing:I believe the dividers fit into the end of the knife and the knife itself used as a handle to twirl them. What a neat old knife! Wonder what it eventually sold for?

[whitebuffalo58]

I know a couple of engineers (who are also collectors) that'd love to get their hands on one of those.
Wonder if it had anything to do with Free Masonry?

Interesting knife, thanks for posting it!

WB

[philco]

I agree with K7K, I too think the knife is complete as is. What an interesting piece of cutlery!

[knfcollector]

That's an interesting hypothesis knife7knut. I'm not sure how that would work though or if it would be prudent or necessary so I'm still on the fence, as well I'm unsure if anything might be absent? I was thinking possibly that a Bakelite spacer might have been in the void or possibly a spud of some sort. I still can't figure out what the knives purpose might be though I'm sure it is something rather specific. I'd be interested in hearing any other thoughts. I might be able to shed some more light on it once it's in hand.

[mhurkes1]

Quick Google search leads me to believe it was used by an English railway engineer late 1800s. Just a guess, but with the divider and ruler tucked in, the open space in the butt end would allow a lanyard to be used. Cool knife

https://books.google.com/books?id=BgE-A ... ld&f=false

[roofsc]

i agree, looks like an engineers or architectural field knife for use on job site with a lanyard. nicer pieces of equipment were kept in the office

[wornoutwrench]

Those dark stag handles are breathtaking. I'd love to think its complete, but that's an awfully big space for a lanyard and there are certainly other ways of attaching a lanyard that were well known.
Something went there, or it has some unknown purpose.
A tiny box or tape measure?

[whitebuffalo58]

A swing out compass would be rather fitting in that space. A railroad engineer mapping track (or any field engineer for that matter) would certainly have use of one.

WB

[Dinadan]

That is a very interesting and nice old knife. It does look like something an architect or engineer might have used. I would say land surveyor, except that the ruler is graduated in inches instead of tenths of a foot. I do not think the missing piece (assuming there is one) would have been a compass. The steel of the knife would have made a compass ineffective. Maybe a swing out magnifier.

[RobesonsRme.com]

The pin at the open end is not centered, it's closer to one edge than the other.

I think there was something there that was made of a material that did not stand the test of time,
celluloid or genuine tortoise or horn maybe, possibly a folding magnifier that deteriorated or
was done in by demistid beetle larvae and broke out of the frame.

Don't let the close up photos lead you astray,, the knife is only a touch over 3 1/2" in length,
by the seller's measurement.

I'm thinking it might be a stamp collector's, botanist's or insect collector's knife.

Beautiful old knife. And interesting.

Wish we knew what its intent might have been.

Charlie Noyes

[knfcollector]

That is a very interesting and nice old knife. It does look like something an architect or engineer might have used. I would say land surveyor, except that the ruler is graduated in inches instead of tenths of a foot. I do not think the missing piece (assuming there is one) would have been a compass. The steel of the knife would have made a compass ineffective. Maybe a swing out magnifier.

I did see a library knife with a double swing out magnifier and was thinking that could be a possibility but still have no clue of its overall purpose. Possibly something to do with maps using the dividers to step off distance? Don't know?

[cattaraugus57]

Fascinating ...I've never seen anything like that before.

[wazu013]

Rare for sure It looks like something any Architect would love to have. Somebody liked it @ $325.

[whitebuffalo58]

Where's Dimitri?

WB

[Miller Bro's]

It`s an Engineer`s Knife just about any pattern with a fold out or slide out ruler and dividers, wire gauge, Chesterman`s rule, inside or outside caliper, etc. were marketed as Engineer`s knives.

The space at the end did indeed hold a swing out magnifying glass, some were double stacked for different powers, use a single for lower magnification or double them up for the strongest power magnifier. I do believe that this model had a single magnifying glass instead of a double.

Nice knife, I had my eye on it but passed because it was incomplete

[whitebuffalo58]

I figured you might have a definitive answer for us, Dimitri. That even looks like the type of knife you'd be tryin' to ferret out.

Great old knife and the first like it I've seen.

WB