LongBlade wrote:Kirk - nice haul to add for the collection you are building ... you are indeed the "ring" leader ... I particularly like the HSB knife handle covers !!
As Dave pointed out a ring opener for cigar boxes - now that is interesting given that I thought these knives were favored by the ladies so they wouldn't break a nail opening the knife blades - like to see a photo of the woman who used this smoking a big stogie ... (if indeed it was a woman as I am sure some men carried these as well)...
Yea it's funny - as knowbody really knows it 'as fact' I even hear for the blind? Whattt? Not sure but either way they are cool to me and becoming pretty scarce. Although there were so many different models made and many were advertising knives. Given that I suspect there are many more out there. Thanks guys, for all the input and interest.
djknife13 wrote:Nice collection. I see you even found a cigar box opener with a ring blade opener. That has to be a rare piece. ___Dave
For a better look, I cropped the new one that is coming in the mail. Seller said French, it is stamped Paris on handles. But most are either Sheffield made, or German.
LongBlade wrote:Kirk - nice haul to add for the collection you are building ... you are indeed the "ring" leader ... I particularly like the HSB knife handle covers !!
As Dave pointed out a ring opener for cigar boxes - now that is interesting given that I thought these knives were favored by the ladies so they wouldn't break a nail opening the knife blades - like to see a photo of the woman who used this smoking a big stogie ... (if indeed it was a woman as I am sure some men carried these as well)...
Kirk - that first ring opener with ivory looks to me to be a grafting knife as well and I am assuming perhaps the blade was a lambsfoot or sheepsfoot at one time - classic looking design for that pattern and a ring opener as well - unique to me as I had never seen a grafting knife with a turn ring...
The second in metal with advertising though certainly makes me agree with Dave - looks like a box opener - perhaps a palette for putty but leaning towards a box opener... think a letter opener would be much thinner with a point and perhaps longer... it may be interesting to try and figure out what it was advertising for as that may be a clue ...
Cheers
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Lee
The ivory one looks to me to maybe be a letter folder (paper folder) and a close-up of the metal one makes me second guess my first assessment because I don't see a nail puller slot in it. Is the advertising on the knife a tobacco company? They both are the same shape as cigar box openers. People didn't usually carry the openers except for ones with a cigar cutter/knife blade. Most of the more regular box openers were used behind the counter in drug stores to open the boxes and the ones with hammer heads were to tap the little nail back down. I'll have to dig my collection of them out for a picture of what I have when I get a chance.___Dave
Here's the ones I know where are. I also have a couple 6 blade congress with a cigar box opener blade. I know this is getting off topic of ring openers but you really have me curious as to what those two you have actually are. I am more certain my first opinion wasn't right. You knives appear to be of a higher quality than the average box opener and seem more domestic than grafting knives. I like them what-ever they are. ___Dave
Dave - Now I'm confused too .... although I do think the metal one does have that appearance that the back end would be used to pry something open but hard to tell how thick that back end is and whether it would withstand prying open a box or something - certainly looks like it in the photo... I am still guessing the ivory one is a grafting knife ...
BTW - I tried figuring out the French advertising but my French is very rusty (even though I lived in Paris for 2 years back in the late 1980s)... best I can figure is the name of company was St Nelle may be the name and established (eatabls in French) in Paris (Kirk - what is written in small print to right of etablis ??- Decauville in a quick search has me thinking it had to do with a distillery but it went on to talk about trains, trams etc in next paragraph (but the text was all in French) ... There was a Society of Decauville though it appears... just not sure ...
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Lee
djknife13 wrote:Here's the ones I know where are. I also have a couple 6 blade congress with a cigar box opener blade. I know this is getting off topic of ring openers but you really have me curious as to what those two you have actually are. I am more certain my first opinion wasn't right. You knives appear to be of a higher quality than the average box opener and seem more domestic than grafting knives. I like them what-ever they are. ___Dave
Very nice collection there! I saw an old knife showing a metal one as a letter opener. I'll try and post later. Like you say either way I like them. I suspect there have been many made for all these intended uses.
LongBlade wrote:Dave - Now I'm confused too .... although I do think the metal one does have that appearance that the backend would be used to pry something open but hard to tell how thick that back end is and whether it would withstand prying open a box or something - certainly looks like it in the photo... I am still guessing the ivory one is a grafting knife ...
BTW - I tried figuring out the French advertising but my French is very rusty (even though I lived in Paris for 2 years back in the late 1980s)... best I can figure is the name of company was St Nelle may be the name and established (eatabls in French) in Paris (Kirk - what is written in small print to right of etablis ??- Decauville in a quick search has me thinking it had to do with a distillery but it went on to talk about trains, trams etc in next paragraph (but the text was all in French) ... There was a Society of Decauville though it appears... just not sure ...
Thanks man... I am not that sure either! Have to wait for it to arrive and then read everything much better maybe. I cropped sellers pic
The two knives by Bronze4u have me really curious and the more I look at them, the more I'm convinced they are both made for making envelopes in the days before you could purchase premade ones, especially with the pen blades. My problem is that the ones I remember seeing weren't part of a knife and were longer. Anyway, I'm going to have to do some digging on line to see if I'm all wrong on this. Here is my meager collection of Ring Openers. I don't know if I've shown these before but I'm old enough to start telling the same stories over and over so if I'm repeating myself, it'll probably not be the first or the last time because I'm not getting any younger. The knives are a small unmarked (on the tang) German one scale stamped Openeasy Made in Germany, two Schrade Walden one of which is an advertizing knife foe Northwestern Refining Company of St.Paul, Mn., the pearl is a German made Simmons with the Hornet stamping, and finally a SWW Co advitizer. ___Dave
djknife13 wrote:The two knives by Bronze4u have me really curious and the more I look at them, the more I'm convinced they are both made for making envelopes in the days before you could purchase premade ones, especially with the pen blades. My problem is that the ones I remember seeing weren't part of a knife and were longer. Anyway, I'm going to have to do some digging on line to see if I'm all wrong on this. Here is my meager collection of Ring Openers. I don't know if I've shown these before but I'm old enough to start telling the same stories over and over so if I'm repeating myself, it'll probably not be the first or the last time because I'm not getting any younger. The knives are a small unmarked (on the tang) German one scale stamped Openeasy Made in Germany, two Schrade Walden one of which is an advertizing knife foe Northwestern Refining Company of St.Paul, Mn., the pearl is a German made Simmons with the Hornet stamping, and finally a SWW Co advitizer. ___Dave
I am very curious to know as well. I have all three brass Simonds they made. I really like the first one and have been trying to buy that pearl one, or the Hammer Brand pearl that is out there. And as far as I can recall, no you have not shown these. Thanks for doing so.
djknife13 wrote:The two knives by Bronze4u have me really curious and the more I look at them, the more I'm convinced they are both made for making envelopes in the days before you could purchase premade ones, especially with the pen blades. My problem is that the ones I remember seeing weren't part of a knife and were longer. Anyway, I'm going to have to do some digging on line to see if I'm all wrong on this. Here is my meager collection of Ring Openers. I don't know if I've shown these before but I'm old enough to start telling the same stories over and over so if I'm repeating myself, it'll probably not be the first or the last time because I'm not getting any younger. The knives are a small unmarked (on the tang) German one scale stamped Openeasy Made in Germany, two Schrade Walden one of which is an advertizing knife foe Northwestern Refining Company of St.Paul, Mn., the pearl is a German made Simmons with the Hornet stamping, and finally a SWW Co advitizer. ___Dave
Dead on Dave! here is what I had saved months back (had to locate it)
Hey guys - just thought I would post three new arrivals into my 'ring turn' collection. I purchased the trio for $75.00 from a junker in England.
In the one group knife photo: The top one is a mint stainless steel - only stamped 'Sheffield Made'. The green celluloid one has no makers marks at all, and it has been used for many years. Last but not least, or maybe least? The bottom one is stamped 'Harrison Bros' 'Cutlers to his Majesty' It's blades have been well used - and hone abused for many, many, many years... lol All in all a decent deal for three ring turns, (Basically one good one!)
The lot of nine ring turns arrived today. One of the Best Buy's for the money that I have made on ring turns so far. At least 7-8 out of the nine are in really good condition.
Hi Kirk - So was discussing this knife with my wife this morn - we had lived in Paris a few years in late 1980s - anyway see this link ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decauville ) as it no doubt was an advertisement knife for this early French company (ca. late 1870s to perhaps later 1920s) that was involved in manufacturing railroad tracks, parts etc... note the sign on top right in link - they abbreviated etablissements to etablists so it would fit on handle Also I am now thinking as Dave was right as you confirmed that the back-end of the knife may have been for folding envelopes....
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Lee
Hi Kirk - So was discussing this knife with my wife this morn - we had lived in Paris a few years in late 1980s - anyway see this link ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decauville ) as it no doubt was an advertisement knife for this early French company (ca. late 1870s to perhaps later 1920s) that was involved in manufacturing railroad tracks, parts etc... note the sign on top right in link - they abbreviated etablissements to etablists so it would fit on handle Also I am now thinking as Dave was right as you confirmed that the back-end of the knife may have been for folding envelopes....
Wow, wow, wow!!! LongBlade - thanks so much for the research. I tried myself on the 'French' with no good leads! Thank you and your wife.
... I particularly like the HSB knife handle covers !!
...
.... although I do think the metal one does have that appearance that the back end would be used to pry something open but hard to tell how thick that back end is and whether it would withstand prying open a box or something - certainly looks like it in the photo... I am still guessing the ivory one is a grafting knife 
...
...
Also I am now thinking as Dave was right as you confirmed that the back-end of the knife may have been for folding envelopes....