All About Pocket Knives

I've actually had this knife for about a month or so, but it had been in Orvet's shop getting the pin which the blades pivot on replaced. Dale got it back to me yesterday, and I took a couple of shot's of it this afternoon. It's a Wostenholm I * XL, " celebrated " jack. The main blade is a spear point and has good snap still. The secondary pen blade is usable, but weak on the snap. One would have to be careful using it as it could close on you if working the wrong direction with that blade. But I'm very happy with the knife regardless. Blades knife manual values state that the "celebrated " was made from 1860 thru 1890. However, I have since found a web site stating that Wostenholm sometimes used that tang stamp at times up till near WW 2. Orvet thinks it's more in line with the 1920's, early 30's. It's still a good pocket knife and the ebony handles really set off the nickel silver bolster's. Dale H. ( Bull )

Here's an un-marked Robeson liner lock. Advertising knife for the paper industry.








And a little E. W. Howard, Germany with faux tortoise scale inserts.

Here's a 2 1/2 " MOP, Cook Bros.
Goins gives only the date, 1890.

Willie, that Mount Vernon Dryer Felt locking jack is very nice. Even though it's not marked, I have no doubt Robeson made the knife. Mostly, that gorgeous strawberry bone tells the tale.

I've never seen one of these Mount Vernon knives with a tang stamp.

Robeson did, however, make the same pattern knife with a Kinfolks tang stamp and a "HUNTER'S PRIDE" blade etch and still with the strawberry bone handles.

Charlie Noyes

Thanks Charlie,

It has a crack at the front pin on the back side and few spots but it's never been sharpened. It's a smooth operating lil darlin too.

Willie, I have one of these in my collection. The man I bought it from had about a half dozen of them. I picked out the best of the lot.

I don't think I've ever seen one of these liner locking jacks with Robeson's name on the tang. I have no idea why that is.

Charlie Noyes

Owd Wullie wrote:Here's an un-marked Robeson liner lock. Advertising knife for the paper industry.

I love that Robeson Willie!
Nice single blade!

Miller Bro`s wrote:I like old knives... The knives produced during this period are some of the nicest old knives you will ever see.... A simple yet elegant knife made for the working man and sold for under $.75!...It has been used, carried, sharpened and still is in excellent working condition. You could put this one back to work for another lifetime...

Oh boy!!! I'd love to EDC a knife like that, especially one you could put "back to work for another lifetime" . But the prices they go for now, are too much to risk as an EDC (my own was stolen right out from under my naive nose ). And even the present day equivalents like GEC are too pricey to risk. So I EDC my SAK and dream over threads like this one, and dream about the day that I can pull out a knife "like Grandpa used to have" to cut my string and sharpen my pencil.(I can never get those mechanical pencils to work properly)
Nice thread, fellas.

That Mount Vernon Felt Co. knife is something Owd Wullie!! Very knice

What was the last year that IMPERIAL made a bone handled knife. I found this one this one on a fishing trip to Branson last week end.

Even with the broken blade that one's a beauty

Agreed! And that pattern usually does nothing to me!

Walden Knife Co. 4039

SWEET Walden TripleF!!!

Thx Dave!!

orvet wrote:I am not positive but that may be one of the commemoratives Schrade did.
Eric, Dimitri, LT or Hal may know.

I agree it looks like a newer stamp. I don’t see any pins in the bolsters. If Schrade made it, it would be made with the Swinden key, so there would be no visible pins in the bolsters.

Dale, Schrade made that knife

Thank you Dimitri!
If it was made by Schrade & with the Swinden system, it would have probably been made after 1960.
The Swinden patent was not granted until 1962.
Pretty colse to 1960 though.

Pretty knife. I like the stag!

Miller Bro`s wrote: ...The knives I really like are the ones made before the turn of the 20th century....

The knives produced during this period are some of the nicest old knives you will ever see....

An intriguing post which set me on a quest for a knife of similar quality, not age, that I could EDC without the risk of losing a vintage treasure. But I never held such a knife in my hand so I don't know what I'm looking for.
Pictures and description have shown me fit and finish, but the walk and talk (snap?) leave me guessing.
Using the SAK as having the most consistant quality of walk and talk, how would your turn of the century knives compare?
So far my Boker candystripe stockman is closest to a Sak snap, but the celluloid shrinking has spoilt the overall quality.
My beautiful stag stockman and whittler have either a nailbreaker or no snap. My best blade steel has a slab separating from the liner. Whats so good about Rodgers bone, the jig or the durability?
An inspiring post.

FRJ wrote:Here's a 2 1/2 " MOP, Cook Bros.
Goins gives only the date, 1890.

I got a similar looking pearl, Schmidt's Holmac Brand Whittler, from that same time frame pre-1900.

SCWEEEET!!! Little Whittler!!!

Thanks Dave

Edgewise wrote:Pictures and description have shown me fit and finish, but the walk and talk (snap?) leave me guessing.
Using the SAK as having the most consistant quality of walk and talk, how would your turn of the century knives compare?

Turn of the century, (19th), far exceed any SAK that I have handled. You would really have to handle one to experience what I am talking about, these knives have excellent and most times very strong snap even after 100+ years of use. The old knives had a square tang that rode against the back spring unlike modern knives that are rounded. Being square it is harder to initially open, but it does provide for a nice half stop, also as it wears you have the corner metal that takes a long time to wear and will usually outlast the knife if it was used very hard. That metal on the corners provide the tremendous snap these knives are known for. I carry a 90+ year old Miller Bro`s knife as an EDC and the blades are near worn out, but the snap is like the day it left the factory, again square tangs not rounded.

Edgewise wrote:Whats so good about Rodgers bone, the jig or the durability?

Both, and the color. Most knife companies today have yet to match the color and jig pattern on these old knives and sadly most likely never will.

Edgewise wrote:An inspiring post.

very nice old whittler Mr Magoo

Thanks Paul

Here is a nice old Schrade with bone handles