All About Pocket Knives

Hi recent posts caused me to think about knife boxes. In particular, I wondered if anyone knows when the practice of packaging an individual knife in a box began? Very early boxes seem to be designed to contain 6 or 12 knives for shipment to the retailer or store display rather than for the customer to take home. s-k

The book that I am writing contains a list of inventory that was transfered to Tidioute in 1896. That list mentions boxes for shipping knives. I think that a better question might be, when and who first thought to package a knife in a box for sale to an individual? I don't know that answer?

But I do know that Kiferbros will be looking for a long time for a KANE Cutlery Box. Just like I am looking for ever for a Smethport Cutlery Knife HUMMMMM sounds like a deal in the making. I wonder if I can counterfiet a cutlery box? Maybe break new ground in the counterfiet world? I wouldn't be surprised if someone hasn't already done it.

smiling-knife wrote:Hi recent posts caused me to think about knife boxes. In particular, I wondered if anyone knows when the practice of packaging an individual knife in a box began? Very early boxes seem to be designed to contain 6 or 12 knives for shipment to the retailer or store display rather than for the customer to take home. s-k

I know that for most of the old-line American knife companies it was a mixed bag....Case, Queen, and Camillus used "six to a box" packaging until the mid 1980's, except for higher end knives.

Schrade, Western, and Kabar made the transition to individual boxes before that, in about the late 60's. Buck being a newcomer to slipjoints I believe always used individual boxes.

I don't know I have only seen one smethport(that I have ) and one kane box( that a certain someone has ) that would be a hard decision if I ever had to make it but I like the knife better at least for the moment. ... more parts to play with and look at.

I'll bet someone somewhere has already tried to counterfit a box...there are not alot of references to compare to so how would someone know just bember if looks to good to be true it usually is