All About Pocket Knives

Where'd you find the red insert Steve?

It is a new hawksbill for me.

I needed one with a guard for the photographic image of the five Geo Schrade Wire Jacks.

Now if I had the Spear Point model the picture would be complete. The paper substitute is better than nothing but not very instructive. Perhaps one will pop up. I'll beat the bushes @ OKCA this April. Maybe Glen will sell me his !

Who has a spare?

Wire Jack Utility Knife #175 Hawksbill, heavy gauge blade:

















Thank you for looking.

I just love that little anvil. And the knives ain't bad either.

Thank you Jerry.

My lovely wife dragged me along with her to an antique show about a year ago. Quid pro quo, something for something, she has accompanied me to cutlery shows so, well, you know how it goes. I was completely surprised to find vintage cutlery, cannon balls and anvils of all sizes. I came very close to buying a real big and capable anvil, seller would deliver, but I got this one that fit into my pocket ($20 if I remember correctly). There were many small anvils at the show but this one became mine. A great prop for knife pics. If done right the photo can make the knife look huge!

Very interesting style of knife.

The George Schrade Wire Jack style of folding knife so interested me that I'd like to see all of the variations in the flesh. The simplicity, openness, scarcity of parts and display of genius have pulled me toward the world of George Schrade, a giant from the early cutlery industry, who invented the switchblade and the automatic player piano among other things. Gone from this world since 1940 his contributions continue to travel thru time.

Updated image of the Five G. Schrade Wire Jacks (this version updates the large spearpoint #125 to a paper image of an actual 125 and not a picture from a book, although all knives can be found in the George Schrade book "George Schrade and His Accomplishments to the Knife Industry", kind thanks to Glen Davis for the image of his 125):



Now if I could locate the actual knife I'd feel like I accomplished something. I hope this image helps you.

Thank you for looking.

Geo Schrade Wire Jack Axe, pat. 1-27-42:

This is a fun pattern. 6.2 ounces, just under 4.75" handle and 8 3/8" overall open.

The cutting edge looks pristine to my eye. I cannot see any evidence of battoning on the back of the blade (nor do I see any signs of abuse anywhere on this unusual vintage slipjoint). The red guard is keeping its paint and it is solidly in place. The pivot action is smooth with stops at 1/2 and full open. Notice the complete lack of jimping on the thick-wire handle. Instead, the handle is smooth.

If you have one like this axe, or one of the large spearpoints, please post some photos.

Thank you for looking.

oregon,

You have some of the most INCREDIBLE examples of Wire Jacks, that I've ever seen

I thought I had of all of them but I've never seen that Axe, so I'll start looking for one now

Thanks for sharing

Here's my Spear Point on top of an Original Advertising Sheet.

Keith

OMG!

Terrific Large Spearpoint Wire Jack. I think that yours and Glen's (Guy Card) are the only two in this country that I've seen and yours is in great condition. I don't suppose that you have an extra one you want to part with?

I've seen a photo of one, taken 5 years ago, in Normandy France and that is the known inventory (3) AFAIK.

Have you been able to acquire the munitions/brass variation?

Thank you kindly for posting the photo. Very exciting for me.

Here is a photo of the axe pattern from the January 2003 OKCA newsletter article by Glen, page eight: http://www.oregonknifeclub.org/Newsletter%200301.pdf

That ax is fascinating. That's the first one I've ever seen posted anywhere. So cool.


Keith -- Did you know yours is so rare (true definition of the word, not the eBay definition )

Thank you Jerry.

I would like to see a group photo from Glen, and from all Wire Jack collectors, of all the variations of Wire Jacks. And, I need to get a group photo together myself for the forum.

It is terrific to see photos of these little known wonders from the past.

A couple different pics of the Axe's tang stamp for your amusement:

oregon,

I don't have the Brass Hawkbill but I did see one with Dynamite Fuse Advertisement on it at a Gun Show. The knife was Mint and the seller wanted $250.00

Here are a few more from my collection that you don't see everyday, Early Chow Kit & Boker

Keith

Ohhhhhh, now that is something to see. The early, two-piece, Scout Chow Kit. Was the guard in the knife's handle painted? Who needs a spoon anyway. Wow. Thank you kindly for the photos.

The tang stamp on the Boker Hawksbill is quite sharp and easy to read. Boker bought Geo Schrade Co. in 1956 and it was run by Theodore Schrade. In 1958 the business ended when switchblades were legislated to be illegal.

Here is a Boker USA Wire Jack. The tang etch is all but invisible. I believe that acid was used to do the etch and not a stamp from a die:

Hi all....... Have any of you seen a 2 bladed wire jack? I have 1 I got
a while back. I can not find it in the George Schrade book, I don't
know if it is legit or not both blades are marked wire jack over pat.
over 9-21-26.

Excellent knife there Phin......COOL!!

IM

Phin Spencer wrote:Hi all....... Have any of you seen a 2 bladed wire jack? I have 1 I got
a while back. I can not find it in the George Schrade book, I don't
know if it is legit or not both blades are marked wire jack over pat.
over 9-21-26.

Excellent Wire Jack. Unique in my experience. Thank you for posting the photos. The blades must rotate within a larger-than-usual channel cut into the end of the wire handle. I would love to see that close-up. The pivot pin would have to be longer, of course. If you have another Wire Jack you could compare how both pivot pins are set (folded over on the ends) and how the channels are cut in which the blades rotate. Are they similar or different is the question you want to answer.

The 9-21-26 pat date is a George Schrade patent date and not his son's (George passed away in 1940).

Is the knife the same size as the Scout Wire Jacks, about 3 inches closed?

Glen has the most extensive collection of these gems. His contact info can be found on his site. Just Google "guycard" and you are there (I hesitate to put his email here for privacy/spam reasons unrelated to your question, sorry for the bother). He is a terrific fellow and has been a tremendous help to me. Thank you kindly Glen. He very well may have seen multi-bladed Wire Jacks, or even have some, like yours. If you give him a ping please let us know what you find out.

I've double checked and I don't have any Wire Jacks with the 1926 pat. stamp so I can't give you a photo of the pin or channel cut, unfortunately. I'd like to acquire one with that pat. date.

I attented the Annual Kershaw Factory sale and bot this bamboo display box, $10, and figured it would be cool to put the Geo Schrade Wire Jacks on the red carpet where they belong (lucky me, I also bot a ZT 561 brown elmax Hinderer collaboration flipper, $100).

They look comfy. Lonesome for a large spearpoint Geo Schrade Wire Jack, but comfy on the velvet.

Thank you for looking.

Hello all...... Oregon took some more pictures with the regular '26 spear cap lifter
and my 2 blade '26. Both have rounded hinge pins as does your Boker, the size is
3 3/13 for the regular, and 3 1/4 for the 2 blade. The difference in size is caused
by the spacer between the blades. BTW love that wire jack ax!
Will contact Glen soon.
Thanks
Phin

Any idea on value?

Bought mine from Mike Spoors at the Badger show in Janesville WI last year for $25.

http://collectors-of-schrades-r.us/arti ... 20Jack.pdf

This is a working PDF of Glen Davis’ Wire Jack piece archived on a Schrade collector site.

I’ve screen printed all pages so if this PDF fails to work for you ping me.

If you know the disposition of my hero Glen Davis please ping me and/or post something. Thank you.