All About Pocket Knives

Something I picked up at an antique mall this afternoon. It seems a well-made knife with useful features, and it was a fair bit cheaper than a modern knife with similar features. I'd been looking for a pocket-knife for EDC and the price was right so I snagged it.

It's marked Geb.Muller- stgt on the master blade, probably for the long-standing cutlery shop of that name in Stuttgart (Gebr. Muller, or Muller Brothers.) In the past it was the habit for outfitters, cutlery shops etc. to have bespoke knives made under contract with their name on them, so I think that's what happened here.

I'm curious as to when this knife was made, and it has a specific set of features that seem to imply it was made for a specific purpose. The master blade and sheepsfoot blade are marked 'R' for Rostfrei (rust-free or stainless) so it was made no earlier than the late 1920's, and with it's horn scales and the way it is fitted and finished I would be very surprised to learn that it was made in the 21st. century.

In addition to the clip master blade and sheepsfoot blade it has a sewing awl of the sort that might be used to repair heavy canvas or perhaps fishing nets, and a rather brutal and efficient-looking saw blade.

I expect if it had any particular value (other than its functional value) information would have been easier to find, so I'm not much interested in an assessment of its value. Any details about its age, manufacturer etc. would be welcome.

Welcome to the forums! I would consider it to be a gardener's or florists' knife probably made sometime shortly after WWII.I have a similar one except mine has a pruning blade rather than a sheepfoot.Mine is by Frederich Hartkopf.

That is a GREAT knife !
I am away from books at present but i think Gebr. Muller is the manufacturer. I think it could also be a "Farmer's" knife. There is no official pattern called "Farmer" except for one Alox SAK. I am using it as a descriptive name.
Could also be older than Ray has said, but likely made after 1920. Horn handles were not used much after WW II.
The reason it is not a high value vintage knife is because very few people in North America collect German cutlery. In it's day it was not a 'cheap' knife, but more toward the upper end of the multiblade patterns.
If you ever sharpen the blade and use it i am interested to learn how well older German steel blades hold an edge.
Thanks for taking the time to show it. Got any more neat old knives ?
kj

Would that huge needle be indicative of a canvas stitcher, like with sails or something or maybe used to stitch burlap or some other heavy material?

I have a similar knife, a bartender with horn scales. Attaching the tang stamps on mine, I though maybe it was a predecessor to Hen & Rooster?

And to AAPK!

The Hen & Rooster brand goes back to late 1700's. They were one of the oldest German knife makers until they closed their shop in 1980.
I have read that a farmer could use the needle to decompress a severely bloated abdomen in sheep or cattle ? But i don't know if this is the spike or needle that was intended for this use, even though i have seen it ID'd as such previously. It could also be used to stitch heavy canvas cloth.
Maybe a rancher or shepherd could explain about the 'bloat' (my term, might not be the right condition that needed urgent decompressing).
kj

Agree w/kootenay joe. Knife looks from a time when tractors weren't that common.

Agree w/kootenay joe. Knife looks from a time when tractors weren't that common.