All About Pocket Knives

Picked this Grimaud up at an antiques shop this week. It's 4 5/16's long closed, steel liners and pins, with some sort of synthetic covers. I don't know anything about this maker and would welcome any info on this one. I checked a couple of books I have and found nothing. Checked this forum and didn't find anything. The handle shape seems to be a common one. I assume its French but don't know it. Aside from the exterior rust it is in good condition. The pile side cover is deteriorated but usable. A few pics attached.

Interesting old knife, Steve.
I hope you get some information on it.

Thanks Joe. This shop had a few knives but this one was the most interesting and at 5 bucks, what the heck.The only marks on it are shown, nothing on either side of the tang.I'm looking for a era when made mostly, Grimaud isn't listed as a current manufacturer.

Grimaud founded in 1914 up until 1959.Could them covers be tortoise? Gus.

i'm sure it's french stamp, but i have no other information on this brand. Grimaud is a familly name born in the south of France..

tendots wrote:Grimaud founded in 1914 up until 1959.Could them covers be tortoise? Gus.

Thank you tendots for the info on Grimaud. It could be tortoise but the color is off in my opinion. But then I've probably only seen imitation tortoise shell. The pile side handle looks like it has worm holes in it. I'll post a pic of that side later. Don't have one.

And thank you stancaiman as well.

steve99f wrote:The pile side handle looks like it has worm holes in it. I'll post a pic of that side later. Don't have one.

It sounds like it might be clear horn stained to look like tortoise shell.Dermasid beetle larvae love horn but won't usually attack real tortoise shell. Knife makers used to use a lot of clear horn for scales;especially razor makers. The easiest way I have found to tell the difference between clear horn and real tortoise shell is to examine it under a loupe of at least 10x. Real tortoise shell will look like it is made up of "layers"(it is) whereas horn is made up of a clear substance and hair and you can usually see the strands of hair as they will form a more or less straight line. I've tried to show the difference in photographs but it is almost impossible to see.
Here are pics of pressed clear horn(#1) and two tortoise shell razors(#2 to 5).Note how closely the first pic imitates the top razor in the second pic.

KK

Thanks for the detailed description of horn vs tortoise shell.I checked the handles under good light and a loupe of unknown x's. I'm inclined to call it horn based on your description. I've taken a couple of pictures of the pile side this morning. Maybe someone can better imagine what this damage is.

This knife doesn't have a kick on it. Never did. That's kind of odd. But it is French.

i've made some research, your knife seem's to be an "alpin" - Grimaud is a deposed trade mark between 1914 and 1959
you can see history of alpin here : http://www.coutelleriegrenoble.com/couteau%20alpin.html

Stan thanks a lot for finding and posting that. I guess an alpin is a style of knife, as those on the website look very similar and are similar sizes.

Based on the picture you cut from the site I would guess mine is earlier, closer WW I than WW II but in between them.

Steve,your knife is not an Alpin,look at the difference of the bolster.Don't know what yours is called,but a Hungarian knife maker still produceses them up until recently.Google for Ferenc Kocics(hope I wrote his name right). Gus.

That damage looks like celluloid degradation.Your scales may be celluloid stained to look like tortoise shell.When celluloid degrades it gives off nitric acid fumes which will corrode both steel and brass very quickly. It will also corrode any other knives or metal that is nearby it. I would isolate it from other knives until you can be sure.

KK

I wondered if that might be what I was seeing. Good advice. Thank you.

Gus

I noticed the bolsters were different but thought that could just be design updates.Thanks.