All About Pocket Knives

You hear it all the time, what is it? What was it used for? Etc.Etc...

Sometimes the answer is easy and you can figure it out yourself and sometimes the answer is difficult to figure out. Knives were made for specific uses that's why there are so many different patterns.

In this thread I would like to see unusual old folding knives that either you don't know what it is or you do know what it is and would like others to guess it's purpose. I like the challenge and maybe you will too

That is what I am going to show you next, I know what it was used for but I would like to see if you can figure it out as well I will start with an easy one.......

These are very common still made today however they are not common with a folding knife blade in the handle! That's why I had to have this one.

If that's an easy one I can see right off that I am going to be in trouble on this thread

I believe that's a betel nut knife.

That's exactly what it is Dave!

I told you it was an easy one

Now,who has one to post next?

Betel nut?
That's what I remember the older Vietnamese used to chew with the red residue dripping from their mouth.
Who knew there was a special knife for it.

By the way, Dimitri, who made that knife?

For those who never heard of it:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Areca_nut

They are also very dangerous to eat:

http://www.healthline.com/health/betel-nut-dangers

Joe, no makers mark on it.

Betel nut makes one "high".

The Montagnards chewed them in the Central Highlands.

Made their teeth black.

One has to wonder if such a tool is necessary to open them, how did man ever discover them.

Here's one:

Charlie that one is obviously meant to hold your shot glass while you're cutting something.

Looks like a movie prop(or in this case maybe a stage show)to simulate being stabbed through an arm or the like.

I have to go with K7Knut on that one Charlie - looks like a stage prop to me...

Dimitri - I was late on the first one and though it definitely reminded me of a nut cracker which was the answer now I am thinking what a good knife to eat lobster - cracking the shells and getting out the meat with the knife .... I'm sure more tasty than betel nuts ....

gsmith7158 wrote:Charlie that one is obviously meant to hold your shot glass while you're cutting something.

..... ...................

Charlie I don't have a clue and I think all the mama-sans in Nam chewed that stuff.

It is a magician's trick or movie prop knife.

Mount it on the forearm with the bracket away from the viewer and it appears to have been plunged through the arm.

I'm wondering if someone did not destroy a great old Sheffield folding Bowie to create that, though.

Charlie

RobesonsRme.com wrote: I'm wondering if someone did not destroy a great old Sheffield folding Bowie to create that, though.

Charlie

I would hope a folding Bowie wasn't destroyed for that either Charlie - maybe the blade was already shot or it was a german knockoff... but great idea for disposing of fake, counterfeit and fantasy knives - turn them into magician knives and make them disappear Actually I think the cutler who made that magician or movie prop blade must have been pretty skilled as I am not seeing any weld marks....

I copied that photo from a post Bernard Levine put in his forum at BladeForums.com.

As I recall, he stated it to be a 19th century creation.

Charlie

RobesonsRme.com wrote:I'm wondering if someone did not destroy a great old Sheffield folding Bowie to create that, though.

No, they were made this way. Here is another example I copied off the web years ago. Nice unique knives, I would like to find one someday for my collection

Here is an older picture advertising knife, unmarked but similar to Vignos NoveltyCCutlery Co. advertising knives. It has 3 tools, no blade. The tool that resembles an awl is flat like a knife blade rather than curved in cross section like the typically seen awl. What do you think this knife is specialized for ?
kj

Here is another knife with a blade that has me stumped: a 3" pearl Gent's ? knife with a bail. Only the saw-like blade is marked and it has "IKCo" inside a diamond shape outline, An early Imperial stamping. If the saw blade was a manicure blade then along with the pen blade & scissors it would be a 'typical' Gent's knife. But, there is no manicure blade, so what is this small hacksaw like blade for ? de-spurring roosters ?
kj

kootenay joe wrote:Here is another knife with a blade that has me stumped: a 3" pearl Gent's ? knife with a bail. Only the saw-like blade is marked and it has "IKCo" inside a diamond shape outline, An early Imperial stamping. If the saw blade was a manicure blade then along with the pen blade & scissors it would be a 'typical' Gent's knife. But, there is no manicure blade, so what is this small hacksaw like blade for ? de-spurring roosters ?
kj

KJ: It is a manicure blade most often found on pearl gentleman's knives but it is usually mounted separately on the back spine.Sometimes they will have a groove running down the middle of the cutting teeth which I believe is to let the fingernail ride in while filing.Kind of unusual to see it nestled with the rest of the blades.

kootenay joe wrote:Here is an older picture advertising knife, unmarked but similar to Vignos NoveltyCCutlery Co. advertising knives. It has 3 tools, no blade. The tool that resembles an awl is flat like a knife blade rather than curved in cross section like the typically seen awl. What do you think this knife is specialized for ?
kj

I remember reading somewhere that knives like that one were used to work on car batteries. The file was used to remove corrosion that builds up on the cell connectors.

k7k, i think i need to take a better picture of this 'saw' type blade. It has small rather blunt teeth along the edge, nothing like any manicure blade.
The type of pattern you describe with the manicure blade on the 'bottom deck' is "Sheffield style Lobster" knife. Many USA knife companies made a 3 blade knife, not whittler pattern, and with one of the blades being a manicure. I have some Schrade Cut Co knives like this.
But, what is this 'saw-like' blade for ?
kj

Dave, i had thought it could be for cleaning and adjusting the pilot light on a furnace. It seems rather light duty for car battery terminals ?
kj

kootenay joe wrote:What do you think this knife is specialized for ?
kj

It's an electrician's knife, also marketed to radio repair men/hobbyists in the day.

The file is for cleaning electrical contacts, a screwdriver blade, and the small blade is for removing insulation from electrical wire.

I think the serrated blade on KJ's pearl might be a fire striker.

Charlie

Interesting thread with some neat examples. Here is an English lock back folder which has a small curved folding blade for a unique specific purpose.
What is it?