All About Pocket Knives

Is this a Maher & Grosh No. 329 (No. 229 has a punch). In the 1908 Catalog reprint on the bottom of pg. 19 it shows the knife with a punch as pattern no. 229. It says add a small blade and you have 329. Does this mean though that it would have a primary spear, punch and small blade? The 3 meaning three blades? Roger, can you clarify any of this? If so what pattern no would this jack be?

This swell end or teardrop jack is in pretty good condition. When I got it the pile side handle was loose around the rear spring pin. However, with a judicious and careful rear pin peening I was able to tighten down this loose handle. This jack is 3 & 1/2 inches closed. It has pretty full blades and all blades are flush at close, 1/2 and full open. The handles are Ebony but could be Cocobolo because of some red/brown hints. It has very strong pull on the primary (around a 9) the small blade maybe around 7. No lateral blade play either blade when opened. Very well built and solid folder.

Very nice looking knife Lloyd!!!

Lloyd,you are correct.It is not a 229.A 229 was a spear and punch and a 329 added a pen blade.I looked thru a 4 catalogs I have at home and couldn't find exact match to yours.The closest is a 29 pattern,but it has a square bolster a fancy bowtie shield.Yours could be an earlier version from a different manufacturer.I have several more catalogs at work and will try to take a look and find a match to yours.Those old jacks that they had were all real well made tough knives.

Thanks Doc!

Thanks Roger I appreciate your input and help!

Lloyd I love those old ebony handled jacks like yours.

To me they are classic old school cutlery at its best.

That is a great looking old knife, ditto on old ebony handled knives. Every time I head to a knife show I have a "plan" on how I will spend the $$$'s in my pocket, but then I see some knife like this one and the plan is out the window.

Wonderful old jack. Lloyd you did good.

This Cut is from a nov 1st 1928 #106 May cross reference with OP ? K.C. Nice One !

Nice one Lloyd, I've got on similar as a 3 blade, the catalog scan that I think came from Roger states it could be ordered with a variety of blade configurations although I do not see spear and pen as one.

Lloyd,I went thru about 15 catalogs and didn't find an exact knife as yours. I suspect it maybe a 29 pattern by a different supplier but that is just speculation. ::shrug::Those balloon Jacks kind of started disappearing in the 1930's.

Thanks guys for your nice comments and input—very much appreciated !

Thanks Roger for going to the trouble to look through your other catalogs for this pattern No bingo but I think this pattern, like you said, sort of disappeared in the 1930s or at least prior to WWII. B. Levine suggests about the same thing regarding this pattern.

KleenCut61, thanks for giving it a shot also! It does look like pattern no.106 but the butt end doesn’t look swell end enough for my jack in that catalog artist rendering.

John it certainly has that handle shape as your three blade. By the way what a great M & G that is How long is that one closed?

Duffer wrote:Thanks guys for your nice comments and input—very much appreciated !

Thanks Roger for going to the trouble to look through your other catalogs for this pattern No bingo but I think this pattern, like you said, sort of disappeared in the 1930s or at least prior to WWII. B. Levine suggests about the same thing regarding this pattern.

KleenCut61, thanks for giving it a shot also! It does look like pattern no.106 but the butt end doesn’t look swell end enough for my jack in that catalog artist rendering.

John it certainly has that handle shape as your three blade. By the way what a great M & G that is How long is that one closed?

Thanks Lloyd, it's the same length as yours 3 1/2".

JohnR wrote:KleenCut61, thanks for giving it a shot also! It does look like pattern no.106 but the butt end doesn’t look swell end enough for my jack in that catalog artist rendering

I Don't No Why I compared with yours as to the shape , Possibly thinking it has all the attributes liners bolsters shield, if non show up would be possible it was givin that shape Possibly very popular at the time , Just a thought lloyd