All About Pocket Knives

Another one of last weekend’s buys. Joseph Rogers & Sons. I thought it’s perhaps it’s an equestrian knife but what do you think the hole in the scales are for? It isn’t threaded. Doesn’t seem to cut or hold anything. There’s a couple of bizarre gadgets on this that need unraveling. The top latch / lever thing is under spring tension but doesn’t seem to do anything.

Not sure what goes there but the can opener is missing the stud that fits in the scale slot.
is that a lock-back mechanism at the base of the main blade? Cool, 16/12 ga. shell extractors. It's a different combination of blades than a normal horse knife. Button hook, manicure ??? Neat one! J.O'.

Teryjaki,
That's an interesting old knife! There are several things I don't understand about it, too!
What is the device on the shackle end that looks like a doubled bitted ax ?
The holes in the handle, one side being square, would hold the head of a small carriage bolt but for what reason. And then there is the hole in the small spear point blade?
One would think the top latch/lever would be to lock one or more of the blades, either open or closed.
Can you provide another picture looking directly at the back knife, the side the hoof pick, gouge and corkscrew are sprouting from?
Hopefully some one will come along and know all about your find.
Treefarmer

I see Ridgegrass has cleared up the ax lookin' device, a shell puller.

That is a cool old horseman's knife. I have seen others and I believe there was another screw in the hole. Your knife has a can opener (missing a pin), a button hook, small gouge, hoof pick, and the swivel thing is a shot shell puller, usually for 12 and 16 guage shells.

I know it as a Prest-O-lite key. Used for opening early gas valves.

Link?
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... hp?t=55488

That's not a presto-lite key. Those bolts ( the one present and the missing one) were spare harness bolts. The inside of the nut was square to lock it in place in that square hole. That model was known as a sportsman knife or campaign knife as it was used quite extensively by the military as well. A number of different companies made them such as George Butler Co, Singleton and Priestman, and W. Morton and Sons, all of Sheffield. The knives were virtually identical.

Eric

They say you learn something new everyday… I can stop thinking now

MT-Vessel wrote: ↑Mon Nov 14, 2022 11:03 pm They say you learn something new everyday… I can stop thinking now

--- Yeah, me too.

Eric kills it as usual.

The extra bolts thing is fascinating and I never would have known. It was clear to see the bolt(s) weren’t holding the knife together. After fiddling with it for awhile I see that the press-down device does lock the main blade in place, but for only as long as you’re holding the pusher thing down. It’s a bit over engineered.

So I measured the square hole it’s 3/16”. Which is also the size of a Prestolite valve. I think everyone’s input is spot-on!

Very cool tools on that knife. Do you think the spear doubles as a screwdriver or was it tipped?

What would the benefit of the gouge be? Does it have an equestrian use?
Thanks in advance,
Froe

Froe wrote: ↑Tue Nov 15, 2022 2:07 am What would the benefit of the gouge be? Does it have an equestrian use?
Thanks in advance,
Froe

Cutting (gouging) holes in harness leather.

Ken

"Over-engineered" = British. (From a former TR-6, TR-4, Austin-Healey, Bonneville, and Matchless owner.) J.O'.

And here I was gonna suggest that the square hole was a roller skate key...

1967redrider wrote: ↑Tue Nov 15, 2022 12:39 am Very cool tools on that knife. Do you think the spear doubles as a screwdriver or was it tipped?

Answered my own question by taking a better look at the pictures.

Thanks Ken
Froe

The two bolts, one missing, are called Trace Bolts, for mending traces.

The lock on the master blade is broken, when the blade would be opened the lock should snap in place to lock it in the open position, to close you would lift up on the lock and close the knife blade.

Nice knife

Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Wed Nov 23, 2022 6:21 am The two bolts, one missing, are called Trace Bolts, for mending traces.

The lock on the master blade is broken, when the blade would be opened the lock should snap in place to lock it in the open position, to close you would lift up on the lock and close the knife blade.

Nice knife

It's been a long time since I heard someone use the term trace lines.

I never harnessed a horse to work, but I was around a lot ,especially when young. My brother in law liked working horses, as did others I've known.

Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Tue Nov 15, 2022 1:14 pm "Over-engineered" = British. (From a former TR-6, TR-4, Austin-Healey, Bonneville, and Matchless owner.) J.O'.

You got that right ridgegrass!

I saw this in a Melhuish London catalog from 1890.

Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Tue Nov 15, 2022 1:14 pm "Over-engineered" = British. (From a former TR-6, TR-4, Austin-Healey, Bonneville, and Matchless owner.) J.O'.

I had a friend that had a Triumph and was going to restore it. He went to a British car swap meet and found a great t-shirt that said "Lucas, Prince of Darkness."
I didn't know how accurate that was until a few years later I went for a ride with a friend in his TR7. Dark Night on a narrow Country Road and the entire electrical system went dead. We coasted to the side of the road and he says that's okay, it'll come back on in a few minutes. Sure enough it did and it only went out one more time on our way back to his house. That we've gone six miles total!

Exactly! They say the Brits drink warm beer because Lucas makes the refrigerators. But The sound of any British engine, car or bike, still stirs my soul. J.O'.

MT-Vessel wrote: ↑Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:17 pm I know it as a Prest-O-lite key. Used for opening early gas valves.

that would be correcto!!!