All About Pocket Knives

My wife & I have missed the last 2 flea markets. So when I got a call today from a place that sells off things left over from estates, we decided to go. I did pick up half a dozen knives, but I also picked up some other cutting implements that are a bit out of the ordinary, but fit in nicely with my old hobby of collecting smoking related antiques.

In the first pic are 2 old pocket matchboxs. Both are about 2-3/4” long, 1-1/2” wide & ½” thick. The lid comes off the top for the matches. The knob on the bottom is a blade that pivots out to next to a base plate with a hole in it. It is a decent guillotine type cigar cutter.

Next is a Henckels double ended cigar cutter. It has a straight cutter on one end & a V-cutter on the other. I think the handles are ivory but I am not positive.

There is a second vest pocket cigar cutter by Dottatus of Solingen, with stag handles. The stag on the reverse side is better looking than on the mark side.

In the last picture are 4 cutting implements that I have not seen before. They may be cigar cutters, pocket utility razor knives or a travel razor or all three.

The one on the left says: Pure Food/Gelatin/Swift & Company/U.S.A. on both sides. It appears to be an advertising give away.
The one on the top right says: AUTO STROP SAFETY RAZOR CO. INC./NEW YORK, U.S.A. On the backside in large letters it says: VALET.
The one on the bottom left has no markings on it.
The one on the bottom right says: VALET AUTO STROP RAZOR/UTILITY KNIFE. On the reverse it says: AUTO STROP SAFETY RAZOR/NEW YORK LONDON TORONTO.

I have not seen a device like this before, but clearly they can be used as a cigar cutter & a utility knife. I suppose a guy could shave with one if he were used to a straight razor and was VERY CAREFUL!

If anyone has seen these before or has some info on them I would like to what they are & any info you might have on the company that made them.

Thanks,
Dale

Nice scores! The stag handled cigar cutter is great!

Those are indeed cigar cutter/utility knives.The Valet ones use special blades that have the name VALET cut into the blade and that is what positions it in the knife.I'm not sure you can use standard double edged blades in them.

I have several of those and may have some extra blades around.I'll check.

Thanks K7K.
I could use one blade as one of them has no blade at all in it.
Do you know when they were made?

Dale

orvet wrote:Thanks K7K.
I could use one blade as one of them has no blade at all in it.
Do you know when they were made?

Dale

Not sure exactly but I don't think double edged razor blades became popular until the 1940's.

Dale:
Great finds.Nice looking still functional.
moss

Very nice finds Dale, I love the peculiarness of these tools..

Thanks for sharing,

Sunburst