All About Pocket Knives

Henckels?

Klaas. Kissing Cranes. O'.

Krusius Bros

Gtrclktr-351 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 4:06 am I don’t really have a guess, but that is one beauty of a well preserved antique knife.

Thanks, Bill...it is pretty amazing to me to consider all the history that has happened during the lifetime of this knife since its "birth" in Germany sometime between 1890 - 1920 and even more amazing that it's still in such good condition. When I hold this knife I sometimes fantasize that it can talk and tell me about its life. Because it looks like it wasn't carried or used very much, in one scenario it belonged to a young German soldier who died in WW1 and his mother or his young wife (whom he married just before being deployed to the trenches of the Western Front) stashed it away in a box of keepsakes which she brought with her when she immigrated to America and kept as a memento of her son or husband. That is why it is so well preserved after so many years.

C-WADE7 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 11:18 am AW Wadsworth ?

Sorry, Coley...it's not AW Wadsworth

glennbad wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 11:20 amHenckels?

Sorry, Glenn...it's not Henckels

wlf wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 1:57 pmKrusius Bros

Sorry, Lyle...it's not Krusius Bros (although it does have "Bros" in the stamp)

Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 1:53 pm Klaas. Kissing Cranes. O'.

Sorry, J.O'....it's not Klaas. Kissing Cranes


It's not a common or well-known brand, in fact, the manufacturer is not even listed in Goins', and Voyles only identifies it as a German brand but includes no other information


Photo for this new page:

J Dirlam and Sons

wlf wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 2:54 pm J Dirlam and Sons

Sorry, it's not that

This will test your AAPK research skills (which, BTW, is how I found out pretty much everything I know about this brand):
Although there's very little written about this brand on AAPK, it can be found by doing a search of some of the key words I've provided in my clues

Junkerwerks. O'.

Axel Nielsson O'.

Dude, you are diving DEEP

Try searching these keywords: Bros, Germany

The name is traced back to the Old French, which in turn derives from Germanic roots (heart-brave) or (high defender). This Norman origin was introduced into England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The surname can also be connected to the Old Danish name meaning "high guardian". This origin is supported by the Anglo-Scandinavian name which shares similar roots and meanings.

A less common theory suggests the surname may have originated from those who worked with sheep, specifically as "eowu hierde" (ewe herd***) in Old English.





***say that out loud and listen to how it sounds...it's a bit of a stretch, but the name on this knife sounds a bit like "ewe herd"

how about an old Colonial pen knife pre1940's?

LDF Knives wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 8:17 pm how about an old Colonial pen knife pre1940's?

Hey LDF, it's great that you want to get in on the "Mystery Knife Game" where someone posts a knife and others try to guess the brand. The person who guesses it correctly then gets to post a new "mystery knife" (if you start on the first page of this thread and read a few pages you'll see how the game is played).

The knife that is currently up for guessing is pictured higher up on this page (German made dogleg jack with ebony handle). If you can correctly guess the maker/brand on the tang stamp, then it will be your turn to post a new mystery knife. Any ideas? Use the clues to try and figure it out. Good luck! Can't wait to see one of your mystery knives but you have to get this one first

Wade Bros.

That's not it

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 23, 2025 9:50 pm That's not it

There's a lot of "Bros" in German cutlery!
Schmachtenberg Bros.?

Yes there are Many older German cutleries used a British name plus “Bros” to sound British (in order to suggest an equivalence to Sheffield quality) but usually they did not mark Germany on the knives when this was done. This knife is not marked with "Germany" and the name is English

The brand actually has one, short, dedicated thread on AAPK (traditional knife from the old days)

Not Schmachtenberg Bros. (does that sound like "ewe herd" or more like the sound a ewe herder makes when his flock is being chased by wolves?)

Schmachtenberg

How weird, Bros, that no one has guessed this one yet. I repeat, How Weird, Bros...How weird, how weird, How weird, Bros...I can't think of any more clues...just...HOWWEIRD

Any chance it could be Howard Bros? if so post up up another fun one.

C-WADE7 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 11:13 am Any chance it could be Howard Bros? if so post up up another fun one.

You are correct, sir....Howard Bros it is It's a fairly esoteric brand, apparently; I couldn't find much information on Howard Bros other than the fact that it was a brand name used by a German manufacturer. The dates 1885-1905 are for a Howard Cutlery Company which may or may not be the same company as Howard Bros.

I realized that I made an error with one of my clues: The German knife makers that used English names and "Bros" on their knives usually did not include "Germany" on the stamp, however, my Howard Bros knife actually does have Germany in the stamp.

As I was researching the name "Howard" I came across this fun YouTube video explaining its etymology

I'll hold off for awhile to give someone else who may have one they want to post take a turn at the wheel. If no one posts a new mystery knife today, I will put up another one of mine tomorrow.

Here’s one that was made in the good ol’ US of A

Looking for the name on the tang stamp

Dwight Devine

Dwight Devine is not the name on the tang stamp

HINT: It's a fairly well-known company that was established in the late 1800s and has a fascinating history marked by multiple headquarters relocations, bankruptcies, employee shenanigans, brand revivals and is currently in production today.