All About Pocket Knives

Yes I agree reverand, ain’t no telling where or what this knife has been or done. I’m gonna leave it seperate from the rest just in case. Dad had it in this box with some other knives that needed some repair of some kind or just a little rough here and there. Thanks I’m glad you like it! I put the Renaissance wax to it!
Jimbo

Recently, this pocket knife arrived in a very large group or lot of pocket knives that I bought. I did NOT buy the group or lot of pocket knives to obtain this particular pocket knife. In fact, after I checked it for any kind of mark, I tossed it into my "UNKNOWN" or "NO" tang stamp box. I pulled it out today and carefully attacked the tangs. I managed to reveal just enough of a tang stamp to be at least 99.999% sure that it is a L. F. & C. pocket knife. It is a L. F. & C., two blades, one tang stamp (on the secondary blade), 3 5/8" closed, pocket knife. The secondary blade front tang stamp says, at least what I can make out, "L. F. (over) NEW" It looks like it may possibly be a three line tang stamp. Each handle has a small crack in it. The main blade has wobble in all directions. The secondary blade has a crisp half stop and a crisp opening and closing snap. Overall, it is in FAIR condition. I cleaned it up a little. I took some pictures and here it is.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.

New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Sat Feb 11, 2023 10:45 pm Recently, this pocket knife arrived in a very large group or lot of pocket knives that I bought. I did NOT buy the group or lot of pocket knives to obtain this particular pocket knife. In fact, after I checked it for any kind of mark, I tossed it into my "UNKNOWN" or "NO" tang stamp box. I pulled it out today and carefully attacked the tangs. I managed to reveal just enough of a tang stamp to be at least 99.999% sure that it is a L. F. & C. pocket knife. It is a L. F. & C., two blades, one tang stamp (on the secondary blade), 3 5/8" closed, pocket knife. The secondary blade front tang stamp says, at least what I can make out, "L. F. (over) NEW" It looks like it may possibly be a three line tang stamp. Each handle has a small crack in it. The main blade has wobble in all directions. The secondary blade has a crisp half stop and a crisp opening and closing snap. Overall, it is in FAIR condition. I cleaned it up a little. I took some pictures and here it is.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.

Very nice old lf&c Skip.
Jimbo

Oledadsknives wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:19 pm Very.....
Jimbo

Thank you, Jimbo.

bestgear wrote: ↑Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:54 pm Here's a few more pieces that came with the purchase that included the display cases above and service catalogs. I feel very blessed to be the current conservator of these pictures and genuine advertisements from the magazines.

Some great pieces of history you have .The first add reminds me of past years when two men who liked knifes would meet .each would pull a knife out of pocket unseen in his right hand and left hand would be presented palm up .dropping knifes for trade is a custom seldom practiced these days .thank you for passing along history and reminding me of the good ole days .

Thomasg wrote: ↑Tue Apr 04, 2023 4:16 pm
Some great pieces of history you have .The first add reminds me of past years when two men who liked knifes would meet .each would pull a knife out of pocket unseen in his right hand and left hand would be presented palm up .dropping knifes for trade is a custom seldom practiced these days .thank you for passing along history and reminding me of the good ole days .

That tradition of “dropping knives” was alive and well in small town and rural Texas when I was young. Aside from old-timers I was around when a kid, I worked with a few guys in the early 1970s who were practitioners of the custom. There were a couple of guys at our church who were the last I know of who did it, or would even know what was happening if approached in the manner you’ve described. One of them has passed on, the other is in an assisted living facility with dementia.

They were old time traders of knives, horses, guitars, diamonds, coins and anything else they might make (or lose ) a buck on, through trading. I recall a couple of terms they frequently used that are rarely heard today. To “put the britches on” someone, meaning to get the better end of a trade. And “boot”, meaning to get (or give) cash in addition to the items being traded.

Ken

My wife's step-dad, Harley Brown, who passed in 2014 at 97, used to say with a huge grin, "Boot hell, I wouldn't y' even". He was a great character. We sure miss him. Your story brought him to mind. J.O'.

Duh! It was ,"Boot hell, I wouldn't SWAP y' even." Sorry, Pop. J.O'.

Yea down here I hear phrases like “ I’m gonna open a big can on ya”” meaning big can of whup ass! Or my dad used to tell me when I would show him a knife I bought, “you need to wrap a dollar around that knife and throw it away. The dollar is so you can say you threw something away. All in fun!!

About to post this one in the stockman section.

This Landers, Frary and Clark pocket knife arrived recently in a group or lot of pocket knives that I purchased. It now becomes my latest example to be posted under this topic or thread. I did NOT purchase the group or lot of pocket knives to obtain this particular pocket knife. However, it definitely turned out to be a keeper and it did get added to my general, pocket knife accumulation. It is a L. F. & C., two blades, one tang stamp, 2 13/16" closed, mother of pearl handles/scales, tipped bolsters, one spring, pocket knife. The main blade front tang stamp says, "L.F. & C. (over) U.S.A." One side displays a FEW NICE colors. The other side displays MANY, MANY, BEAUTIFUL colors. Unfortunately, my camera just can NOT capture the full beauty of this pocket knife. The main blade does NOT have a half stop and NO opening or closing snap. The secondary blade also has NO half stop and NO opening or closing snap. This pocket knife is in EXCELLENT condition. It did NOT need any cleaning at all. I just wiped it off. I took some pictures and here it is.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.

Recently, this Landers Frary & Clark, multi tool scout pocket knife, arrived in a group or lot of pocket knives that I purchased. It now becomes my latest example to be posted under this topic or thread. I did NOT purchase the group or lot of pocket knives to obtain this particular pocket knife. However, it did get added to my general, pocket knife accumulation. It is a L.F. & C., one blade, three tools (a cap lifter or bottle opener, a can opener and a punch or awl) one tang stamp, 3 3/4" closed, milled liners (worn), two springs, multi tool, scout pocket knife. The main blade front tang stamp says, "L.F. & C. (over) UNIVERSAL (in a rectangular "banner") (over) MADE IN U.S.A." The main blade (IT IS SHARP!!) has NO half stop, NO opening snap and NO closing snap. The tools ALL open, close, and function properly. This pocket knife has definitely seen some use. But overall, this pocket knife is still in FAIR+ condition. It did need a bit of cleaning.
I cleaned what I could. I took some pictures and here it is.
Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.

I have been through this thread multiple times now and all the knives are great. I have become interested in L F & C after I received a Hawkbill in terrible shape. I fixed it up as respectably as possible and have come to love carrying it. I am wondering if some of the more knowledgeable members here can give some idea of the chronology of the different tang stamps. Earlier in this thread I see knives pretty much identical to mine, but with the 2 line L F & C, U.S.A. I also see different knives with the same 3 line as mine L F & C, New Britain, Conn.

Is there a rough idea of what years they used each different stamp? Thanks.

For as many knives as they sold there are very few old knife boxes available.

Here's one I have.

Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 11:15 pm For as many knives as they sold there are very few old knife boxes available.

Here's one I have.

I totally agree Dimitri - I only have 1 as well (picture coming)

Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 11:15 pm For as many knives as they sold there are very few old knife boxes available.

Here's one I have.

That is cool. Do you think it was just the knife in there? Or wrapped in cloth or paper?

Can't wait to see the one you have Tom!

Plainsman42 wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 11:20 pm That is cool. Do you think it was just the knife in there? Or wrapped in cloth or paper?

The knife and a paper wrapper

This wrapper isn't LF&C but this is what the knives we're wrapped in.

Cool boxes! A treasure find.

Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 12:02 am This wrapper isn't LF&C but this is what the knives we're wrapped in.

Thats pretty neat. I like to try to imagine the people back in the early 1900s buying these knives I handle when they were new and what it was like.

Thought I would post a picture of most of my L.F.& C. collection before beginning to disperse it. This is a picture from 2019. Enjoy.

Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 11:31 pm Can't wait to see the one you have Tom!

Here you go Dimitri - my one and only LF&C box.

msteele6 wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2024 2:35 pm Thought I would post a picture of most of my L.F.& C. collection before beginning to disperse it. This is a picture from 2019. Enjoy.

love your collection and presentation - thank you for sharing - I’m going to spend some time over the holiday looking in greater detail but just superb!

bestgear wrote: ↑Sat May 25, 2024 3:07 pm Here you go Dimitri - my one and only LF&C box.

That's a beauty Tom!