All About Pocket Knives

Given the interest of many in terms of Boys Knives and the kind comments about the article I would like to start a thread on this pattern… I only found one thread on AAPK in terms of Boys Knives abit over 4 pages but it ended over 3 years ago and personally I don’t recognize many of the members on that thread - but here is the link for those interested as there are nice Boys Knives examples highlighted: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=40270&p=393222&hilit=boys#p393222

Maybe it would be best to start with how to define a Boys Knife - after much reading etc the following in my opinion is the definition of a Boys Knife for purposes of this thread:

The majority of Boys Knives were regular barehead (sometimes curved) single or double-bladed jacks and were sized between 2 3/4” to 3 1/4” with others made slightly smaller or as large as 3 & ½” at a maximum size. The larger sizes (3 3/8” - 3 1/2”) were designed most likely for older boys – or young boys with larger hands . Blades were a spear point on many knives though sheepsfoot blades were seen on some patterns. Clip blades were less common on Boys Knives in the early days of the 1800s but towards the early 1900s and onward they were seen more often as a blade style option. Of note is a rounded or blunt-ended blade that was made as a “safety” feature for younger children but these are indeed a rare find. Though often associated with iron or metal handles and many times embossed with a slogan, Boys Knives were made with multiple handle materials including bronze or coined brass, steel, pewter or tin-alloy, wood, horn, smooth bone and even jigged bone on occasion. Mother of Pearl (MOP), stag and ivory were used on some handles though more rare to find on a Boys Knife pattern. Most liners and bolsters were iron or steel but notably brass and nickel silver liners were found on a few higher end Boys Knives. There were no doubt fancy styles as well with rear bolsters and shields.

Please share your Boys Knives from any time frame, makers etc and even if you question whether your knife fits the category feel free to post it as it makes good discussion for all!! I’ll start by posting some of mine which weren’t previously printed in the article…

These two examples of Boys Knives were made by the Thomaston Knife Co Conn (1884-1930) – a single and double bladed version both are at the same size of 2 3/4”. The single blade is the classic design with cocobolo handles. The two blade jack has a rear bolster and a bar shield, and is handled in ebony. Note the fancier two blade jack also has a crocus finish to both sides of the blades and brass liners which is not commonly found on Boys Knives. As an aside this fancy Boys Jack was a “sleeper” – ie not really used any if at all – the final polish is still even evident on the inside liner … Not many “sleepers” exist especially in terms of old knives so I feel lucky about that score
Thanks for looking!
Lee

Here's one that I consider a "Boys Knife" Measures 3 1/8" closed excluding the bail. United Cutlery Co. Germany (1908-1920)

Very nice Thomaston's Lee, I've got a few, here is a KeenKutter with Lyle's GEC Boys knife for comparison.

Great knives TJ and John ...

TJ - that is one nice German example without the metal handles and a cool shield on the wooden handles ... Chain is cool too!! Funny thing is I think the chains are harder to find than the knives ....

John - Awesome jigging on that bone ... even on that Lick Creek knife ... KIDDING - that is a great comparison between the Keen Kutter and GEC Lick Creek - no doubt they look very similar!!

This Frary knife (1876-1884 in Bridgeport CT) was another great example of metal handles in early Boys Knives and along with the Russell "Boy of America" knife with malleable cast handles and the coined brass classic like the Union Knife Naugatuck (both in the article) this would have been the other classic metal handle to include that was made of pewter (I scored it 6 weeks after I submitted the article so too late)... "Our Boy" on the mark side and "Frary" on the pile side. I am also attaching a photo where one can see the frame was folded over and the spring is within the folded frame - 2 & 5/8" closed... As an aside Frary left Landers, Frary & Clark in the 1870s and started his own cutlery in Bridgeport CT - this knife dates to around 1880 when the patent was issued for the design... interestingly I always thought LF&C was following Frary but apparently they kept Frary's name as part of the LF&C name until they terminated production in 1965.
This shot gives a good view of the folding and you can see the spring inside -

These are the best I can come up with for now. I might dig around and find a couple more later, but just returned from delivering 3 grandkids back to their parents - we had them here for a week and I'm plumb wore out. Chasing cows is a lot easier!

An old Premier, a new Tidioute Cutkery from GEC complete with a picture of a young Lyle on the box , and a Laclede Simmons Hardware. Not sure if the Laclede may be disqualified due to the cap lifter blade? Otherwise it meets the criteria.

Ken

Here are most of my Boys Knives.
In two installments.

This first bone covered knife was made in Northfield by Ray Platts. Similar to knife in second post.

And a one ... and a two ... thank you boys ........

The bone covered knife was possibly made by Ray Platts in Northfield. So stamped on a Holley blade.

The two light colored shell knives are Colonial. The other three are Imperial Hammer Brand.

Thanks for looking.

I guess I'm more asking if these are considered boys knives than I am telling. Both are Remington R33. One with chain one without. Interested to hear your comments. Measure 3 1/4. The second picture is a 1595 coming in at 3 inches.

In a couple early 1900's Maher & Grosh catalogs they listed a single blade metal handle boys knives for 42 cents a dozen.48 cents if you wanted them shipped.

Keith,again some fine knives!

Nice knives Ken ... As to the Laclede - great question but in only my opinion I am not sure it would be considered a true Boys Knife because of the cap lifter... however these are the knives that would indeed be somewhere in the "gray" zone because of their size etc... personally I think Boy Scout knives were no doubt "boys knives" but to me they are a whole category by themselves based on the multi-blade & tool design... in reality I can easily see an older boy using the Laclede knife and popping the cap off a bottle of soda or pop (depending where you are in this country ..

Joe - all awesome knives and some real classics in there - no doubt companies like Colonial and Imperial made alot of Boys Knives in the 1900s... Platts Northfield knives are cool too ...

Sweet Remingtons Keith ... No doubt the R33s are Boys knives - However is the 33 knife with the bail and chain stamped on the pile side with R33CH?? Those without chain option would have been stamped just R33.... Those knives with the chain option had the CH after the number... I have a R23CH which was in the article and truly the same knife but a spear point master rather than clip blade... Interestingly Remington did not to my knowledge list the 1595 as a Boys knife but indeed it no doubt in my opinion can be considered one - along those lines I always wonder how much of the labeling as Boys Knives by companies (especially in the 1900s) had to do with marketing - labeling a knife as a Boys Knife may have actually decreased sales of the knife because some men may have disregarded it as an option given it was a Boys Knife... by not giving the 1595 that label Remington did not put the knife into any sales category.... just my 2 cents and speculation. I think lots of companies made knives that were actually Boys Knives by definition but did not term them as such for many reasons...

Thanks for that M&G catalog info Roger - you have any of those M&G Boys knives to photograph?? I would think 42 cents was actually a decent chuck of change in the early 1900s ...

Thanks for commenting on my knives and the information Lee. Yes my R33CH is stamped that way.

LongBlade wrote:Nice knives Ken ... As to the Laclede - great question but in only my opinion I am not sure it would be considered a true Boys Knife because of the cap lifter... however these are the knives that would indeed be somewhere in the "gray" zone because of their size etc... personally I think Boy Scout knives were no doubt "boys knives" but to me they are a whole category by themselves based on the multi-blade & tool design... in reality I can easily see an older boy using the Laclede knife and popping the cap off a bottle of soda or pop (depending where you are in this country ..

Joe - all awesome knives and some real classics in there - no doubt companies like Colonial and Imperial made alot of Boys Knives in the 1900s... Platts Northfield knives are cool too ...

Sweet Remingtons Keith ... No doubt the R33s are Boys knives - However is the 33 knife with the bail and chain stamped on the pile side with R33CH?? Those without chain option would have been stamped just R33.... Those knives with the chain option had the CH after the number... I have a R23CH which was in the article and truly the same knife but a spear point master rather than clip blade... Interestingly Remington did not to my knowledge list the 1595 as a Boys knife but indeed it no doubt in my opinion can be considered one - along those lines I always wonder how much of the labeling as Boys Knives by companies (especially in the 1900s) had to do with marketing - labeling a knife as a Boys Knife may have actually decreased sales of the knife because some men may have disregarded it as an option given it was a Boys Knife... by not giving the 1595 that label Remington did not put the knife into any sales category.... just my 2 cents and speculation. I think lots of companies made knives that were actually Boys Knives by definition but did not term them as such for many reasons...

Thanks for that M&G catalog info Roger - you have any of those M&G Boys knives to photograph?? I would think 42 cents was actually a decent chuck of change in the early 1900s ...

That was 42 cents for 1 dozen or 3 1/2 cents apiece.

peanut740 wrote:That was 42 cents for 1 dozen or 3 1/2 cents apiece.

I need to learn to read more carefully ...

I got cheated,they charged me 4 cents for one.

Nice knives fellas.

Here's a 1900 ad that said they were 40 cents a dozen.

Then they had the fancy boys knives with 2 blades and chain.

Thanks for sharing those catalog cuts Roger ... Now that fancier 2 blade version is getting up there in price - 25 cents for one (vs 3 1/2 cent on the other), 5 for $1 and 12 for $2.25 and pre-postage paid too - I'll take a dozen - do they take a PayPal or a check?

Speaking of hardware store distributors - Here's a Shapleigh Hardware Co – St Louis that was made by Schrade with their patented folder liner & spring that I think Glen showed on another knife but can't remember the thread . In the last photo you can see how the liner was folded with spring inside - same Boys Knife Joe showed in his post but somehow this retained the ink on the wood handle over the years - "Shapleigh / Every Boy / Guaranteed" – 3 & 1/8” closed....

I think these are all considered boys knives. Sorry for the lack of photography skills.
Kerry

Kerry I think that's an excellent photo.

Nice bunch of boys knives too.

philco wrote:Kerry I think that's an excellent photo.

Nice bunch of boys knives too.

Thanks Philco, I know outside is best but it seems if I'm home when it's daylight there's something
Else that needs doing.
Kerry

Good looking knives and examples of Boys Knives Kerry .... I think the photo is good as well and how you used the chain which leads your eye around the knives ... I see a few Case knives on the bottom - What is the stamp on the first knife with fancy metal handles? I see the 2nd one is a Holley - Nice!!!!

LongBlade wrote:Good looking knives and examples of Boys Knives Kerry .... I think the photo is good as well and how you used the chain which leads your eye around the knives ... I see a few Case knives on the bottom - What is the stamp on the first knife with fancy metal handles? I see the 2nd one is a Holley - Nice!!!!

Thanks Longblade. The little metal knife is 2 11/16 closed and says Alfred & Son celebrated cutlery.
I take it that it's from Germany but it does not say.
Kerry

ludwig26 wrote:

LongBlade wrote:Good looking knives and examples of Boys Knives Kerry .... I think the photo is good as well and how you used the chain which leads your eye around the knives ... I see a few Case knives on the bottom - What is the stamp on the first knife with fancy metal handles? I see the 2nd one is a Holley - Nice!!!!

Thanks Longblade. The little metal knife is 2 11/16 closed and says Alfred & Son celebrated cutlery.
I take it that it's from Germany but it does not say.
Kerry

"Celebrated" makes me think England.