All About Pocket Knives

Cool, love to see the pics. Love these oldies with the tipped bolsters. Thanks for the compliments everyone.

That is a very nice knife and the bone is among the best I've seen.

Looks like deep, choppy ocean water.

Charlie Noyes

I like Charlie's analogy. It might get bigger,but it doesn't get better.

Absolutely beautiful knife I.m.That's an etch on a crocus finish.

Thanks for the compliment everybody, by the way wlf,what is a crocus finish?

nice , old ones ...

got this metal handle PROMOTIONAL knife

can not find much on maker, but the D. BUCHNER & CO.
will make you want to collect TOBACCO AD stuff from the 1880s

Maker
CHALMERS & MURRAY
NEW YORK

Cato those metal handle knives were very cheap to buy 100+ years ago. In a Maher & Grosh catalog ca.1910 you could buy 1 dozen 1 blade boys knives for $.40. $.48 if you wanted them mailed.

Ivoryman wrote:what is a crocus finish?

Crocus finish was used by old-time cutlers to provide a mirror-like polish. It's name comes from the polishing material, crocus of iron, which is a type of finely powdered iron oxide. The crocus powder was mixed into an adhesive and applied to a hard felt wheel, which was used to polish the metal. Probably fell out of favor because properly "dressing" the polishing wheel was a time-consuming daily requirement. Crocus polish looks different than the polish applied by rag wheel or drum tumbler methods used by modern day cutlers. Not sure how to describe the difference - you have to see it. Some knives were only crocus polished on the mark side of the master blade, especially if a blade etch was to be applied.

Maybe some members can explain the difference better, and show some examples, which to my thinking fits this thread as being old and rare.

Ken

What Ken said. It was the mirror finish used on better old knives.

IM and Lyle, sorry but I just realized IM asked Lyle for an answer and I jumped in instead.
Should gave paid closer attention (speed reading I guess ). Lyle, maybe you know approximately when crocus finish went out of use? I don't but best guess is about 1940's, after WW II.

Ken

PEANUT,

Yeah, still rare stamp and its solid handle , crazy snap ,no wobble sharp as the dickens
only other one or stamp i could find, was in a collection VOYLES sold for a dr martin i think..
Man, he had some sweet pearls or all makes, don't think i was collecting then

Here is a really rare 1876 made American piece, Coquanoc Works Philadelphia lockback. I love this pattern and the knife is solid but has staining on the blade and bolsters, but for about 140 years old!! Locks up tight and snaps when closed.

That is a nice pickup Mike.Rare mark and great pattern

Here's a Hackett Walther & Gates,1902-12.

....love this one, peanut!!.....beautiful bone and one of my favorite patterns!!...I've got 2 Camillus from about 1914!!, except for the wormgroove, the bone looks identical to mine!!!........ ....................

Really great worm groove bone on that one peanut!

Ken

Mike, that is a real beauty. I'm glad it has a good home.

Thanks guys, that toenail is a beauty!!! Man the bone is nice.

Nice toenail Roger .... still looking to add one to my pile but been waiting for the right maker and moment... I never realized how hefty these knives were until I had one in hand to look at last year...

Mumbleypeg wrote:IM and Lyle, sorry but I just realized IM asked Lyle for an answer and I jumped in instead.
Should gave paid closer attention (speed reading I guess ). Lyle, maybe you know approximately when crocus finish went out of use? I don't but best guess is about 1940's, after WW II.

Ken

No idea Ken and I appreciate the help,you probably know more about it than me

Mike,glad you and Roger got those to add to your collections. I know how difficult it is to add to them

Getting back to what ken and lyle were talking about, crocus finish, Probably one reason you don't see much of it any more is the cost of the solid felt wheels. I bought one about 10 years ago and I believe it was close to $50 for a 1 inch by 8 inch wheel. They work extremely well for a mirror finish. Not sure if you can find crocus compound any more though. Terry

Clay Cutlery Co Andover NY.

Another beautiful old toenail!
Dan

Nice one Roger,another beautiful addition. Clay was A J Jordan's son, and Platts were formerly in Clay Cutlery's factory. I have a worn Jordan you know what. They also had a factory in Sheffield.It's astounding the amount of industry in the cutlery business around the turn of the century!

I have an AJ Jordan sunfish around here somewhere.It was obviously made in the Clay factory.

Roger was the Sunfish pattern ever made by the Sheffield makers? I don't know of any, just like I don't know of any "rooster combs" from Sheffield;certainly farmers jacks,but not what I call "rooster combs"(flat blades,modified spey with spud). I call them a modified spey only because farmers jacks have spey secondary blades,they're more of a modified sheepsfoot.

I have lost a lot of insight on Case since I started collecting Farmers and Roosters ,but the handles on the Clay remind me of Case knives.