All About Pocket Knives

There's a Queen barlow with integral aluminum bolsters in the Barlow pattern section, pg.2 of the AAPK members' store.
I suppose the integral bolster system was meant to add strength to the knife but is the knife any more than a curiosity, or did aluminum figure in knife making for a period of the 1950s?

I think several manufactures played with aluminum in the 50s and 60s. This Robeson stockman has one piece aluminum handles, probably intended to save weight and cost.

Here is a Queen with an aluminum handle. I carried one like it all through high school. A pretty handy knife.

I just remembered that Victorinox still uses aluminum but anodized. Presumably the process adds strength to the light weight material. Apparently the knives pictured above performed creditably, anodized or not.
I can't think of any non-anodized aluminum knives in current production. In the 50s and 60s they may have been produced out of necessity rather than for its light weight.
All this is conjecture on my part odd course.
Thanks for the input, guys.

Presumably the process adds strength to the light weight material.

Anodizing doesn't increase the strength of the aluminum but the resulting aluminum oxide coating does add corrosion resistance, scratch resistance, and durability (wear resistance). In addition the porous coating can be dyed and the way light reflects off the porous surface gives the colored aluminum a very attractive metallic sheen.

Dennis

Here's a little Northfield with Aluminum covers.

The Barlow that edgewise is asking about is an odd design that I believe is a unique Queen design. They have very little in common with the knives posted above. They have been called uni-body or uni-frame knives and described as enclosed back Queens. Their back springs are only visible near the blade tangs. The springs are keyed into the left side of the frame body and held in place by the blade tangs. The design eliminated the center pin that most back springs pivot on. While the design is lighter than traditional construction my guess is that It was created to make a lower cost knife. Apparently they did not sell well enough to remain in production. The one that Luvstag has for sale was made in 1976. Here is a link to Lugstag's ad: https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/ca ... ESC&page=2

The design is an interesting collector's oddity. It would weigh your pant's pocket down less but I'd rather handle a traditionally constructed Barlow.