Holley Mfg. Co., Lakeville, Conn.

[LongBlade]

That's an old sweet one Joe ... you know I always wondered about those knives & how they were used long ago - one could clean their nails with the manicure blade and cut fruit & tomatoes at the same time with the master .... .....

[FRJ]

It's true, Lee. A knife like this could keep a guy busy.
Someone sure got some honest use out of the main blade which was surely a spear.

[FRJ]

Thank you, Monte.
They show up from time to time. I hope you find one.

[FRJ]

Here's a Boys Knife. 3 1/8". Half stops and all steel bolsters, pins and liners.
A very nice little knife.

[djknife13]

Holley knives all seem to have a serious, all business look and feel to them, and still have a ton of class with little frill. Even the boys knife looks like a knife a man could proudly carry his entire life. Nice knives Joe. Thanks for showing them. ____Dave

[FRJ]

Thank you, Dave.
It's true, a man could carry this knife and not hope for more.

[LongBlade]

Great knife Joe but you knew that ... I like the difference between the mark and pile side handles.... not unusual at all in those days ....

[FRJ]

Thank you, Lee.

[KAW]

Such cool knives posted here.... Have drove thru Lakeville several times.... would never have guessed there was a knife mfg there....
I like my NY knives alot.... but these CT knives are starting to draw me in.... there is enough of a connection between the two to justify that I might hafta pick up a few....

[supratentorial]

I found this description of Holley's hand forged blades particularly enjoyable. At the time of this ad (1912), drop forging was already commonly used instead of hand forging by most other companies. According to their advertising, they were still hand forging blades at this time.

There are two methods used in making knife blades-- the modern drop-forging process by the use of machinery; the other, the old-time method of forging by hand. By the drop-forging process, an ordinary workman can produce a thousand or more blades in a day; by the hand-forging method, a skilled workman is unable to produce over one hundred and fifty of the same sized blades in a day. In making a blade by hand, an expert forger delivers forty or fifty blows or taps with a three or five pound hand hammer, striking the blade at different angles in shaping it, but constantly "drawing" out the steel toward the point, thus elongating the crystals, so that their lateral edges are parallel with the cutting side of the blade. These elongated crystals produce the cutting edge. This hammering of the hot steel multiplies its strength two to five times, varying in proportion to the quality of steel and the amount of hammering done. This "kneading" or condensing effect, if thoroughly and deftly done, extends through the whole mass, and produces the proper crystalline structure necessary for the perfect cutting edge.

[Duffer]

Supratentorial, wonderful and interesting old Holley ad Thanks for posting it!

[FRJ]

It's really nice to see that old Holley knife ad, supratentorial.
Thanks for putting it here.

[kootenay joe]

Thanks Jake. Interesting and i think the debate about forging making a better steel for blades continues to this day.
kj

[supratentorial]

Glad you guys enjoyed it as much as I did.

[FRJ]

Here's a nice old Holley jack. Half stops x 2. 3 5/8" closed.

Thanks, Lee.

Thanks for looking.

[LongBlade]

Joe - That knife was right up your alley buddy ... Thanks ...

[Miller Bro's]

I like Holley Joe, very nice

[olderdogs1]

Nice knife Joe, Holley is a favorite of mine

Tom

[FRJ]

Thanks for the nice comments, guys.

It is a nice old jackknife.

[woodwalker]

Here's a nice old Holley jack. Half stops x 2. 3 5/8" closed.

Thanks, Lee.

Thanks for looking.

Nice one Joe! Glad it went to a good home! That one was gone in a flash!!

[RobesonsRme.com]

Nice. Hollys are hard to find.

I still find it interesting that no Holly / Salisbury knives have been found. At least, not that I know of.

Charlie

[FRJ]

Thanks for your comments, guys. Always appreciated.

Holley & Co. Salisbury ... 1844-1846 ... Wouldn't we love to find one. That would be a real treasure.

There is a Holley & Merwin floating around.

[LongBlade]

Nice. Hollys are hard to find.

I still find it interesting that no Holly / Salisbury knives have been found. At least, not that I know of.

Charlie

Actually there was a small Norfolk pattern (2 1/4" closed) from Holley with the Salisbury stamp that sold for good money on eBay a few years ago... other than that I have not seen any others...

Here's photos I saved of it from the auction (Salisbury stamp in 3rd photo):

There is a Holley & Merwin floating around.

- As Joe mentioned Holly & Merwin - those knives were stamped HOME combining the 2 owners names at the time and they date from very early days in the 1840s - I have one but haven't ever taken photos of it yet ... I've seen 2 other HOME knives from 2 very well known knife collectors and the interesting part is that they are all of the same pattern as mine - a Boys Knife ... I'll try and get photos in the near future but alot going on around the house at the moment including a new grandchild ....

[FRJ]

Here is another Holley bare head jack. 3 3/4" closed.
A cousin of the earlier knife.
This one has the clip blade and the elegant swell center which allows for wider pin placement and different shield placement.

Thanks for looking.

[FRJ]

Thanks Lee.
Thanks for showing pictures of that knife. Good information.
Looking forward to your pictures when you can put your new grandchild down and get to your camera. Congratulations!