What about knife picks?

[treefarmer]

There seems to be very little info about knife picks, even our forum search ignores the word "knife" and goes to "pick" and there are nearly 17,000 places "pick" shows up but probably not in reference to a "knife pick".
What got me to thinkin' about a knife pick is the old wreck of a Winchester I bought while back. It has such strong springs it'll ruin your thumbnail and there are a few others that have some strong springs too. What material would make an acceptable pick? Any thoughts about "picks"?
I did notice SMKW has one made by Rough Rider for just a few bucks, surely there are some old American made ones around somewhere.
Treefarmer

[carrmillus]

...I used to have one of the SMKW bone handled picks, but I gave it away along with everything else I had that wasn't "huhmerikun"!!!......... ...........

[Dinadan]

Treefarmer - I have never happened to see an old (several decades) pick. Did the men of yore have stronger thumbnails (along with stronger everything else) or did knife makers of yore just make sure that their knives could be opened by a normal man without breaking his thumbnail?

I am sixty one years old and I had pocket knives starting at about 1960. I do not recall needing any kind of pick back then. Now I have a few that need a pick. And I am pretty sure my nails are tougher now than then. My thinking is that some makers, and not the ones that make cheap knives, have gone overboard with the strong spring idea. On the other hand, until the last twenty years I never bought expensive knives, so I really do not know what a top of the line knife was like fifty years ago, much less a hundred years ago.

As far as material suitable for a pick: I would choose something softer than steel so that it would be less likely to mar the blade. Brass or bronze comes to mind. Silver would be better if you have an old quarter of dime to use. I suppose hard plastic would work, but it hardly seems to fit the idea of what I want to use.

[carrmillus]

Treefarmer - I have never happened to see an old (several decades) pick. Did the men of yore have stronger thumbnails (along with stronger everything else) or did knife makers of yore just make sure that their knives could be opened by a normal man without breaking his thumbnail?

I am sixty one years old and I had pocket knives starting at about 1960. I do not recall needing any kind of pick back then. Now I have a few that need a pick. And I am pretty sure my nails are tougher now than then. My thinking is that some makers, and not the ones that make cheap knives, have gone overboard with the strong spring idea. On the other hand, until the last twenty years I never bought expensive knives, so I really do not know what a top of the line knife was like fifty years ago, much less a hundred years ago.

As far as material suitable for a pick: I would choose something softer than steel so that it would be less likely to mar the blade. Brass or bronze comes to mind. Silver would be better if you have an old quarter of dime to use. I suppose hard plastic would work, but it hardly seems to fit the idea of what I want to use.

..some of my old 4 line Camillus's take an act of congress to open!!!!...... ...........

[pocketkeeper]

I think the problem of hard-to-open blades is more related to corrosion and dirt causing friction between spring and scales/dividers than to overly strong springs. In some cases with less well constructed knives the problem may be excessively tight bolster pins at the blade pivot. Soaking in solvent, then oiling and exercising the blade often helps. But with some poorly made knives there seems no solution short of taking the knife apart and rebuilding.
Dave

[Jacknifeben]

Here is my favorite knife blade pick.

[carrmillus]

I think the problem of hard-to-open blades is more related to corrosion and dirt causing friction between spring and scales/dividers than to overly strong springs. In some cases with less well constructed knives the problem may be excessively tight bolster pins at the blade pivot. Soaking in solvent, then oiling and exercising the blade often helps. But with some poorly made knives there seems no solution short of taking the knife apart and rebuilding.
Dave

.....the 4 old Camillus's I have(2 sunfish and 2- 4 1/2" jack's) that are so hard to open are kept clean and well oiled!!.........it's the way they were made back then!!!................ .................

[Dinadan]

..some of my old 4 line Camillus's take an act of congress to open!!!!...... ...........

Okay ... like I said, I never used the more expensive knives when I was young. Colonial and similar stockmans and fishing knives.

Here is my favorite knife blade pick.

That is a very cool pick, but it looks like it would need a sheath to carry in a pocket.

[TripleF]

Very cool JKB!!

[Old Hunter]

Case currently sells a pick - it has large rounded ends. I have a Queen that was given to me by a knife dealer 15+ years ago, not sure how old it is - it has a rounded point on one end. Both are solid steel, no handles added. I used to carry the Queen on my keychain, but it got to pocking holes in my pocket so I put it away and became more selective in what pocketknife I carry. Guess I could carry the Case pick. OH

[terryl308]

Interesting subject, that you don't find very often, so I made my own. The one I made is Damascus that I stamped with my logo, heat treated and acid etched. the other one is one I got when I ordered David Krauss's book, American Pocket Knives. It is pretty thin and don't think it would be of much use to open a really tough blade, probably would bend. More of an advertising piece than a user. Terry

[robinetn]

I'm sure that we all have knife picks laying around the house . They just haven't been finished yet !

[carrmillus]

...now, that would make a neat one, but I need to find one with a '56 tbird on it!!....I can't cut up my car key!!!..... ......

[robinetn]

...now, that would make a neat one, but I need to find one with a '56 tbird on it!!....I can't cut up my car key!!!..... ......

That key was from my first new car (1965/66 Mustang GT notchback) .
Bob

[Mumbleypeg]

Somewhere on AAPK is at least one other old thread on this topic. Knife picks originally were made for personal use by the cutlers who made the knives. Think of it. If you are a cutler you open the blades on a knife hundreds of times daily. So it wasn't a matter of difficulty to open the blades but instead it was wear and tear of repetition on the fingernails that drove the need for a pick. These cutler-made picks were utilitarian and probably didn't have any markings or advertising. Then the cutlers started making picks for use by salesmen and store clerks, who also opened lots of blades and therefore needed a pick. Somewhere along the line some of these started being stamped with the manufacturers name. The mass produced advertising picks we see today are fairly recent introductions.

If I recall correctly, on that old thread were some pictures posted of some old cutler picks that some members here have acquired. BTW I keep a Case pick identical to the one OH posted above on my keychain, for those days when I encounter one with stiff springs, or when I'm looking at a lot of knives.

Ken

[knife-nut]

Most of the old cutlery companies made knife picks, and they were given with the purchase of display cabinet and assortment of knives. I have collected openers for over 40 years now, and they are harder to find than the knives are. Most of the Remington and Winchester ones you see are reproductions. I,ve found over 140 different antique knife picks. Check out this old post: does anybody have a collection of Real knife picks?

[treefarmer]

Well, well, well . Yesterday I couldn't get "knife pick" to work in the search and now I tried knife-nuts suggestion and Bingo!, there it is and only a month or so back! How did I miss that? Probably didn't, just forgot .
Thanks for all the comments concerning "knife picks", seems like you ought to be able to find one in Grandma's old sewing box .
Treefarmer

[RobesonsRme.com]

I think the good old bone handled picks, such as the ones Robeson made, were only given to sales reps and dealers.

Charlie

[TripleF]

I just customized this one with an adjustable paracord finger loop!

[Shearer]

I just customized this one with an adjustable paracord finger loop!

Multi purpose.
You can also open bottles and old drink can.

Grant

[edgy46]

This one has served me well all my life. Custom by Mom and Dad.

[RobesonsRme.com]

That will work as a banjo or guitar pick, too.
Charlie Noyes

[Grump01]

I just customized this one with an adjustable paracord finger loop!

I received a pick of this style thrown in an order. I thought okay, a can and bottle opener, that's an odd gift and threw it in a desk drawer. Had it about 2 years before I realized it was a bottle opener, knife pick combo. Kind of a Duh moment and couldn't believe I didn't see that when I first received it.

[dweb1897]

Queen Cutlery makes one

[TripleF]

Took the screwdriver/wire stripper blade from a Ric-Nor electrician's knife, rounded
the edge, wrapped it with a little paracord and made a knife pick.....