All About Pocket Knives

I have wondered for a long time why some two blade jacks have the secondary blade behind the larger blade.Tonite I went through quite a few and separated the two blade jacks. It amounted to about sixty knives. I looked at each one and recorded,and found six brands with the secondary blade behind the master. Three of the six had examples built both ways. Does anyone have any information or opinions as to why they were were built differently. Is this just part of the sickness or just way too much free time.

hey bill, you are a sick man!

What ^ he said. Bill you sound like a very sick man. Please get out tomorrow and enjoy Martin's Birthday!!


Brad

Welcome to the ward, Bill. We're all sick here !!!
I am under the impression that a smaller (pen) blade in front makes both blades easy to get at. You will usually grab your knife and go to the front side automatically, then pick your blade. You can usually reach either from the front, so the nicks will be on the front too.
This all assumes right handedness of course. The variations are likely to be the personal prejudices of the knife designers, the factory owners, or left handed people involved in production!!
Or. . . . . . . . .?????

This is an interesting topic.....

In my experience, MOST knife companies (at least in the pre-collector era, up to about 1980)......would put the pen blade in FRONT on a two-blade jack. Remington, Robeson, Western, Schrade, Ulster, Camillus, Utica, Russell, Boker, and many others.

Very few by contrast designed their two-blade jacks with the pen blade in back...Case (and related companies), Kabar/Union Cut, Schatt/Queen, although none of these companies followed it 100%. Winchester was another, but they did it both ways.

This is one clue to look for in determining whether a knife is real or fake.

Thanks to all for thier comments.I guess I should not try to compose a question after a whole pot of coffee.I was hoping someone here would have a solid reason.Oh well,the quest for more knowledge goes on,just like the sickness. PS thanks again.

Bill hope your happy most of those working tomorrow want go in brite eyed & bushy tail, they'll set up alnite trying to figger that one out!

Couldn't help but throw in my tuppence, on this one.

My thinking is, that the factories would blank out those pen blades in quantity. They fit in several frames, ie., cattle knives, canoes, etc. as well as jacks. Depending on the "run" that day, they'd put the nail nick on the appropriate side, to accomodate opening.

The few that I own have the swedge on the same side of the blade, whether it's the nail nick side, or the reverse. But, I haven't seen 'em all, of course.

I may be totally wrong, but I have noticed the same thing. My personal fave, is the good ole EZ-open. Teardrop, swell-end, or equal-end.

Camco, GECtechman, or somebody could enlighten me further, tho'.

Take Care,
JR