Homage to Traditional Pen Knives

[KAW]

Its one of my favorite chores to keep an eye on my celluloid collection.
... but I'm not to concerned about outgassing. I figure if they have remained stable for nearly a century now, so long as I keep them in proper storage conditions, it should not be a problem.

[Duffer]

Yeah Ken that’s what you have to do with celluloid handled vintage folders! I keep mine segregated from my other collectible vintage knives in a special room that is darkened, temperature controlled year round and check on them often. The thing about celluloid is it can look great one minute and then go (outgassing or show symptoms) the next without warning. I have a Schrade Cut Jack with celluloid handles salesman sample in perfect condition one day and then next it starts to out gas. Not to bad yet but definitely showing signs. Handles starting to shrink and curl away at the bolsters. I will have it rehandled here soon because it is NOT going to get better. Vigilance is the key with these knives But boy oh boy do I love them

[Duffer]

Here are some more of my Robeson pen knives that include PocketEze, Mastercraft, No-Rustain and PermaLube brands. The largest of these is 3 & 3/8 inches closed. There are two blade Jacks, three blade Whittler pattern and a four blade.

Thanks for looking!

[LongBlade]

Stunning Robeson pens Lloyd ... though not sure the few 2 blade jacks are considered pen knives or maybe I am confused by your post ... I really find the bone and jigging on Robeson knives quite appealing (& I really like worm groove jigging) - too bad they weren't based in New England or I would have a few more Robesons myself .... Thanks for sharing these Lloyd

[Duffer]

I have a couple Jacks I threw in the mix solely because of their diminutive size similar to my other Robeson pens. But Lee you are right and thanks for pointing this out, they are technically for sure not pens! They just look good in the Robeson gang of pens

I guess Robeson was not quite geographically located in New England but not to far off for sure but no cigar! Out west we may have had some hardware companies that sold big name Cutlery brands but nothing produced out here (maybe excepting Western States Cutlery Co. in CO) but that is back east to someone in Las Vegas NV

[LongBlade]

Lloyd - Those jacks do indeed look good among the pen knives ....

If CO is out east relative to Las Vegas than we must be on another planet in this part of the country ... There are some great old NY (and PA) companies - I just need to be more disciplined in my collecting unless a special opportunity arises ...

[danno50]

Lot's of great knives posted the last month or so. Lee, I really like the IXLs, especially the ivory. The tuxedos are pretty special as well. I like the pointy bolsters on the Northfield and the tortoise shell on the H&B! Olde Cutler, great job on rehandling the Robeson and the Camillus! Really nice old Case pen, Ted! Some great knives, Ken! Nice bone on the Cut Co, the Waldens and the Napanoch. The pearl Ulster tuxedo is very nice as well. Lloyd, beautiful pair of Cut Co celluloids! Also a great batch of Robeson's.

[LongBlade]

Thanks Dan ...

Here’s one I never posted – a Joseph Rodgers double blade swell-center quill – “Cutlers to her Majesty” - blades are in great shape – great snap & and tight – MOP still has lots of luster though a hairline crack in center of MOP on both sides but such is life – I let it slide given the rest of knife is more than acceptable for an oldie… No doubt shows some Rodgers high end quality… Check the backspring photo – the knife tapers towards the back end on all sides which I thought was that extra bit of quality one often associates with Rodgers… Also added to my few other quills it is my first double bladed and different than the double-ended quill I previously posted from Wostenholm… ..

[galvanic1882]

Man thats a sweet knife!

[LongBlade]

Thanks Mike ...

[danno50]

Wow, Lee, that is a beautiful knife, very elegant!

[Miller Bro's]

That's a beautiful knife Lee

This one belongs here too.

[LongBlade]

That's a beautiful knife Lee

This one belongs here too.

Thanks Dimitri and your old quill has awesome carved MOP handles ... Though yours is unmarked I am guessing Sheffield -- The English made some stunning fancy quills in comparison to many of the American-made quills ... I haven't seen many, if any, American-made quills with carved fancy handle covers....

[OLDE CUTLER]

Been a few months since anyone has shown off a pen knife. I picked up this Western States pen at a local flea market for a few bucks. It has a faint blade etch visible under good light. It is marked "Western States Boulder Colo. Made in USA" I am calling the handle material "gold glitter celluloid".

[LongBlade]

Nice pen Olde Cutler ... Nice when you can find them with etch - even if partial ...

[Quick Steel]

OC, I had just posted in mail call a new pen knife, then immediately discovered your handsome knife. Mine is the first pen knife I've acquired in many years.

[Tsar Bomba]

Aside from the Bostwick Braun I picked up last year, it seems I've been neglecting this thread. I mostly tend to chase larger knives, jacks (Barlows in particular), trappers, the occasional stockman, etc. but I have managed to accumulate a few pen knives that I liked enough to hold on to. I think I'll take this opportunity to post some that I've photographed already and look at the pile later to see if I have more to add...

[Tsar Bomba]

A few more...

[LongBlade]

Tony - You been holding out on us - what a great grouping of pen knives and nice variety ... That Robeson in MOP you note as your smallest is a tuxedo - the long bolsters and slim profile and blades were classic gentleman's and ladies' knives - Nice ...

[OLDE CUTLER]

Although the MOP has some cracks, I picked up this 3" pen at our local fleamarket for a few bucks because I had not seen this tang stamp before. It is marked on both blades Adolf Blaich, San Francisco, an oval with an arrow in it, and Razor Steel. On the back of both blades is stamped J. S. Holler, Germany. From the 2nd edition Goins I have, Blaich was an importer from 1885-1954, and the Holler years ran from 1867-1906. When I first looked at it I thought the nail file was original and was made in the shape it is to work underneath the fingernails. But when you look at the nail nick, it runs off the top edge. Must have been snapped off and reshaped. Am I safe in assuming from the dates of the two names that this knife is pre 1906? Anyone have any additional info on Blaich or own Blaich knives?

[woodwalker]

Here is a little EC Simmons Keen Kutter that I picked up. This one rides nicely in my pocket. Thanks for looking. I'm liking pens more these days.

[msteele6]

Nice one

[woodwalker]

Nice one

Thank you sir!

[FRJ]

That is a very nice little pen, woodwalker.

[kootenay joe]

I really like pen knives. The vintage New York Knife co pen knives with beautiful hardwood handles are exquisite but also very durable. Many other manufacturers, USA, Britain & Germany also made a huge array of beautiful precise pen knives. I bet if you go back 100 years and further, pen knives out numbered jack knives, opposite of the last 50 plus years when jack knives 'took over'.
kj