All About Pocket Knives

I got this nice little Sleavboard Pen, Griffon, yesterday. It was made in Bridgeport, Ct. I show it with a Challenge, also from Bridgeport.
The blades are down some, as you can see, but it's still very snappy and a pleasure to carry. It's 3 1/16" long.
Thanks for looking.


Edit: OK.... I didn't show the blades ..........

Very nice Joe, these are hard to find. Love the bone handles

What a great looking pair to own,love the bone.You cant buy bone like that.

Sweet knife Joe, fantastic comparison between the Challenge. There must have been some overlap between workers at these two Bridgeport firms.

Holy Smokes Joe!
Great pair of old knives, I agree with the others on that bone, really something special!

Mike

Thanks a lot guys. It's nice to know other folks like the "oldies".

Check out my NYK flatware in "in the kitchen" for some old stuff.
Thanks.

I might of posted this before. Here is a old Griffon knife opener. Stamped "ALWAYS SHARP GRIFFON KNIVES" on one side, and KNIFE OPENER on the other side.

That`s a rare one Mark

I have one with celluloid handles.

K-nice one K-N, I love the bone on that one. Hard to duplicate that pretty old pocket worn bone. Here's the only Griffon XX that I have, a Corn Knife. Checked with S.C. Johnson and their historian said that these were given out as salesmen's incentives in 1919.

Well, TJ, that's different. A German Griffon. Who knew.
Thanks for showing that.

Bringing back this thread after a few years to show a couple of Griffon knives that I picked up rather than start a new thread - a Griffon XX Worcester and a Griffon Cut Co... which adds 2 more factory site examples to this thread - though check the second knife as it is not clear where it was made (perhaps a contract knife which I believed occurred in their later years).

Griffon Cutlery Works (1893-?? ; note while Goins and Levines index lists to Present I do believe they no longer exist - and online I have read they started in 1888 but either way an old company)... Griffon was headquartered in NYC and was considered a wholesaler & manufacturer under the direction of Albert L. Silberstein who later turned it over to his son Alfred in 1927. The company made knives in both the USA (Bridgeport CT and Worcester MA) and Solingen Germany. They were known for manufacturing both pocket knives and razors (known for their trademarks of Griffon XX and Carbomagnetic). The following link has a few interesting historical links to their sign that still exists in NYC (151 19th St) to this day - http://www.14to42.net/quik01.html .... In addition click the link within that site to see the old factory site in Solingen Germany no longer in production. According to that site they ended in 1968 at least in terms of their NYC presence. The Worcester factory was only in business for a short time - 1918-1921 (or 1919-1921 as per Goins) and I believe they moved some equipment from Bridgeport to Worcester to set up that factory but can't find the info for that to reference at the moment. One last note and as seen in building sign in NYC - the company later changed the name from Griffon Cutlery Works to Griffon Cutlery Corp in the 1940s (also seen on factory site in Germany).


Griffon XX Worcester 2-Blade Congress - Jigged bone; Sheepsfoot master and Lambsfoot pen - both have seen some honest sharpening; hard snapping (after some Quick Release Oil) and no wobble... 3 & 3/16""... not an easy stamp to find for Griffon due to their limited production in Worcester.. but note the Griffon stamp (mythical creature that I believe was German in origin) on back of master tang that is similar to Joe's Griffon above made in Bridgeport but not seen on tjmurphy's German-made knife...
Griffon Cut Co - Swell End Jack - Jigged Black Composition Handles - Spear blades on master and pen; Both have seen some sharpening but pretty full and tip on master would not be apparent if kick was taken down a small bit; Good snap (again after Quick Release - love when knives come back to life )and no wobble.... 3 & 3/8"... Note pivot pin at bolster on mark and pile side is not exactly flush which I believe was wear or just not quality craftsmanship in production as I doubt this was a counterfeit or cobbled knife... Interesting knife as the stamp is only Griffon Cut Co - no location and straight line with different font - so is this a contract knife and does the jigged black composition handles look similar to any other makers??
I thought these would be cool to add to this thread which now has one knife from all 3 factory sites and one unknown stamp in terms of origin... (and double click to enlarge photos if you like)...

Cheers
Lee

Lee,
Those are nice old Griffons. And a good bit of history to go with them. Thanks for posting them.
Nice pictures too.

So we have various stamps for Griffon. Interesting.
It would be nice to hear some comments and see more pictures of Griffons
if there are any out there.

Griffon, Solingen gets very little mention even in Anthony Carter's book listing German knife makers.
However they made exquisite "Gents' type knives during the 1920's, on par with the Henckels being made at that time. I will take pics of a couple of mine and see how successful i can be in posting them here.
kj

Lee,
Nice knives and information.This one must be a later relative,albeit it has the older abbreviation for Company. ?

3 7/16" congress,all blades have 1/2 stops,nice swedging,all blades marked Silberstein Bros and Co on mark side and DIAMOND on pile. Still has most of the crocus finish left on blades. Well made knife,even though it's not a farmers jack.

Aw Jeez, now you did it. Love your knives and Griffons have always fascinated me since I bought a large Griffon XX English jack and have never found another. Now I'll have to dig that out of my safe and take a picture when I get some time. Thanks for posting and digging this old thread out. ___Dave

Thanks fellas!! Nice to add to the old threads as time goes by...

Great knife Lyle ... looks like lovely stag and though not a farmers jack I can see that being carried by a farmer as well... Cool addition with a stamp of Silberstein too

Looking forward to seeing others Dave if you get get the pics up...

wlf wrote:Lee,
Nice knives and information.This one must be a later relative,albeit it has the older abbreviation for Company. ?
3 7/16" congress,all blades have 1/2 stops,nice swedging,all blades marked Silberstein Bros and Co on mark side and DIAMOND on pile. Still has most of the crocus finish left on blades. Well made knife,even though it's not a farmers jack.

Hey Lyle, I think that that abbreviation for "company" is British? Either way, it is a very K-ool K-nife

Tom, this is the 1st one I could find,but I think I might have others.

I don't remember the dates,but this is a very old Utica stamp.

Here are 3 Griffon XX Germany knives:
The Pearl 3 3/8" Serpentine pen with a superb Clip blade, saber ground
And a Stag 3 3/8" Serpentine Pen
The 3rd knife is a Lutters, Solingen. It is so beautiful i had to include it. My pics do not capture the amazing deep grain of these handles. I don't know what the wood is, if someone can tell, please post it. I think this is pre WW II, so at least 75 years old. Rare to find mint old German Jacks, not so rare with the Pen knives.

Here is my add to the thread: A Griffon 4 blade pen and a pair of folding scissors. I think I have a manicure set around somewhere also;I'll have to look.

Here's the only Griffon I've ever found. It stamped Griffon XX, BPort Ct. I guess if you only get one, you might as well get a big one. It's 4 1/2 inches and has perfect green bone scales and a dynamite snap.___Dave

Those are some sweet additions kootenay joe, K7Knut and djknife13 ...

Lyle, really nice Griffon related Congress there. Beautiful stag and all blades marked.

kootenay joe, stag and pearl German Griffons. Very nice. Love to see a clip blade on a pearl.
Don't blame you for throwing in the Lutters, it's beautiful. Very handsome jack.

Ray, thanks or showing what must be a rare pair of scissors and a dandy tip bolstered pen.
Can't tell for sure where that knife was made.

Dave, a beautiful and big knife. An English Jack? A real beauty.

Thank so much, guys for showing knives in this thread.

FRJ wrote:
Ray, thanks or showing what must be a rare pair of scissors and a dandy tip bolstered pen.
Can't tell for sure where that knife was made.

The stamping on the pen says,"Griffon Worcester" Not sure if that stood for Worcester Massachusetts or not. There is no German stamp on it.

Thanks Ray. Great knife.