All About Pocket Knives

HEY!

Nice pictures for sure. Yes Eagle used knives from a number of companies. They ground off the name and then stamped theirs. The great thing is, many times you can determine the original manufacturer due to the poor grinding job done on the knife. Many times on ebay though, sellers will try to pass the knife off as the original maker. These knives were overruns and seconds, still have great value, but not as the originals in my opinion.

As for EK Tyron, I have a super nice billhead from them. This company was a Jobber. For those of you that don't know what that is. Go look it up now. It will help with your knife history. Write this down "ALMOST ALL NAMES STAMPED ON THE A KNIFE DID NOT MANUFACTURE THE KNIFE"

This Philadelphia based company used a number of different companies for a WIDE variety of cutlery items. Luckily they perferred those of better quality, thus the collectability of their items. They were jobbers that sold others knives with thier name on it.

Another thing to learn is what a "hardware house" is. Most do not understand this. A lesson I learned years ago. No this is not Lowes or Home Depot. Things were MUCH different in the late 1800's early 1900's

Class dismissed

bring your homework in tomorrow

Upnorth, thanks for the pics. Your the man

PA., How about a lesson from the teacher, and save us lazybones from hard work ? Like the old saying goes, " it's not what you know, if you know where to find it."

My understanding of jobber, such as Tryon, was that they were middlemen. In the case of the knife above, someone like Remington or Marbles would manufacture the knife to Tryon's order, and with Tyron's name stamped on it. Tryon would then sell to smaller retailers, who would sell to consumers.

I also thought a hardware house operated in the same way, acting as a wholesale supplier of products which were made by others, but with the wholesaler's name on them.

Is there a major difference between the roles of ' jobber ' and ' hardware house ' ?

Fran

GOOD question,


The hardware houses were the jobbers. The hardware houses represented hundreds if not thousands of products that had their name on them. E C Simmons, Hibbard Spencer and Barlett is a prime example as is E K Tyron.

Jobber is a name for the process

Hardware Houses were large business ventures that had traveling salesman for there various products. Guns and knives were some of them.

the products that had their name on them but were not manufactured by them were the result of jobbing.

HOPE that makes sense, there were a lot of hardware house at the turn of the century.

I have a great on-line true story about a traveling salesmen for a hardware house. He sold guns and knives particularly for a well know company. I can send a link for those that might enjoy reading it.

Thanks Pa., I think that clears it up for me.

You have my email for the link !

Fran

I'm up for that PA! I love those kinds of stories. By the way, belated kudos on that story in Knife World! Just got through reading it and found it incredibly interesting, I never even knew those artifacts existed

Eric

Here's a C.Platts HJ, that I am pretty sure has been rehandled (sniff), but the rest of the knife is authentic, IMO. Notice the off-center shield, and poorly fitted wood, which is a little thicker than the old knives used to have.
I think PA mentioned some doubts about the handle when I first posted it (somewhere?), but I never could get a response from the guy who sold it to me. Still, a pretty rare knife, as Platts wasn't around for long.

It's a nice looking older knife. I like it I put in a bid for a C. Platts related knife with a punch blade myself since I don't own one now.

It's a little quiet on this forum and I plan to just sit out the next 24 hours of snow and freezing rain we're to have ( which is better than earthquakes ! ), so I'll post my latest from C.F. Wolfertz.

David should like the thread I've dragged back up, and bad Johnnie will like the pattern.

A 4 blade congress which is pretty nice except for the blade loss and lousy sharpening. It'll have to do until the mint one comes along.

Fran

What a nice knife! Too bad it was sharpened (or "cleaned"?) in ignorance. The bone jigging is exquisite! I believe it's a rare pattern in Wolfertz branding. Definitely a good place-holder in your collection. We all have lots of those, I'm sure !

bad johnnie likes! great lookin handles.

Fran

gee you're cutting into my collecting. That one needs to be with me, VERY nice indeed. I don't think I can top that. But here is one for you guys to drool over though

Schively Phila and my favorite Binns and Masons These bad boys are OLD

Get out the paper towels boys, let the drooling begin

The stag on the lockback is awesome and the bar shield looks real good on that pattern. Very nice.

)*%^$#&@#*+!!!!!!
Dagnabbit, PA you owe me a keyboard!!!!!

PA could you post a picture of your Beaver Falls knife? I've never seen one of these even in a picture. Great thread guys and keep'em coming!

Brad

Here is a beaver falls knife. This one actually belongs to my dear friend Mike L or Galvanic1882 as you guys know him. It is a sweet Beaver Falls knife indeed.

I think Mike may have posted this before, but it is certainly worth looking at again.

I've been readng back issues of Knife World courtesy of a local knifer friend, and eagerly awaiting more through the generosity of a member here, whose name I won't mention, but his initials are JR.

About 2 weeks ago I picked up a little pen as a curiousity, and wouldn't you know it, found another from that company in BL's 'Whut Issit' column in the January '06 edition.

The knife Levine examined was a tobacca knife from L.F.Grammes & Sons, who manufactured machinery to make cigar boxes. The one I found was marked as shown, stamped on both blades, but as might be expected marked 'Germany' on the reverse of the master. The pile side handle reads
" Advertising Sales Helps "

Funny... how when you need it, an answer appears.

Fran

Posting this is almost as certain of hearing from Pa. as showing a 'YELLER' knife to justold, but I'm really pleased with this, which was at the post office this morning.

A 3'' dogleg that's almost compensation for missing Galvanic at a show today.

With 36 hours of snow, freezing rain, or grey sky, I couldn't find the light to show the color, but it's there.

Thanks for the 'heads up' Eric !

Fran

Wow Fran, that is one very nice, impressive knife!

Thanks Kelly, it's nice to have friends looking out for you, but I wonder what goodies Mike found today ?

Fran

Nice pearl dogleg Fran! Nice find; it will be a terrible day when you have ALL the Wolfertz knives!!

upnorth wrote:Nice pearl dogleg Fran! Nice find; it will be a terrible day when you have ALL the Wolfertz knives!!

Alas... I'll always be short one harness jack.


Fran

Well old PA turns 50 today. I should buy a new knife right????


Not any more, think i have them all

David

happy birthday david! you need a reason to buy another knife?

That's a nice one Fran! Glad you like it, I'd hate to have steered you towards a stinker .

Happy birthday David!

Happy Birthday David

not buy another knife?

Now that's just WRONG!