Iros Keen extended blade
Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2012 3:32 pm
This knife has a few unique features beyond the long extended folding blade with folding guards. Although many older knives can be difficult to date, this one is not. Stamped on the front blade tang is "Iros Keen New York" which were importers and quite short lived in the early 1920s according to "Goins". Stamped on the back side of the blade tang is the knives origin which reads "Made in Czechoslovakia".
While not a spring fired automatic type, it does have a folding fulcrum lever which is pushed to both manually open and close the blade in locked positions. Beyond the unusual style, the most interesting features are actually the handles. Appearing to be carved horn, they are in fact pressed horn. The use of pressed horn dates back to seventeenth century Europe and is found on various objects of art. The process basically consists of heating the horn and pressing it into a mold. While not common on knives, pressed horn handles are found on some old razors.
While not a spring fired automatic type, it does have a folding fulcrum lever which is pushed to both manually open and close the blade in locked positions. Beyond the unusual style, the most interesting features are actually the handles. Appearing to be carved horn, they are in fact pressed horn. The use of pressed horn dates back to seventeenth century Europe and is found on various objects of art. The process basically consists of heating the horn and pressing it into a mold. While not common on knives, pressed horn handles are found on some old razors.