All About Pocket Knives

From the Steamship Arabia Museum in Kansas City. The Arabia sank in 1856, but 200 tons of its cargo was preserved. It was salvaged a couple times, but the mundane items were left, everybody was looking for gold, and some barrels of Kentucky Bourbon that were supposed to be on board..
Their web site,
http://www.1856.com/


it is a fascinating story of how a family found the boat buried in a field and salvaged it. They run the museum and are very accommodating for anyone wanting a closer look.
A friend sent me this picture, I have not been therein several years myself.
I seem to remember the knives but I was not into them back when I was there, I am going to Denver in a couple weeks, may have to make a detour....

WOW! What a find! Some are in suprisingly good condition too. I think I have to go sign up for some scuba lessons now. Thanks for posting the picture!

Another Knife Collector wrote:WOW! What a find! Some are in surprisingly good condition too. I think I have to go sign up for some scuba lessons now. Thanks for posting the picture!

Save some bucks on the lessons, that ship was found in the middle of a corn field! She sank in the Missouri river, but the big mo being the fickle river she is moved it's channel a quarter mile away...

Did you see how may layers of knives were UNDER the top one? They were packed in a barrel. What preserved them was the ship filled with mud, no oxygen could get in to destroy stuff.
They have leather shoes that look brand new. Axes and the handles shipped separate, even shirts and pants survived. About the only thing that deteriorated badly was cotton for some reason.
They even found edible pickles preserved on board!

I won't bore you with the story how a family pretty much made it their life work to find it, but it is truly amazing.

I have another e-enactor buddy that is going to see if he can get some tang stamps off the knives, he works there part time...

But I highly recomend anyone in the area stop in, it is truly a wonderful musuem.

Thats amazing!!

Fascinating!
So many knives and in remarkable condition!

If only they could talk…

Keep us posted if you get some more info and pics!

WOW! I see a lot of Sheffield action going on there, especially Wostenholms. Doubt you'd find too many American stamped knives from that early unless there are a few Conn. cutlers in there (American Knife Co, American Shear and Knife, Holley, and Burkinshaw are a few). It would be a stretch though.

Eric

testcase wrote:Save some bucks on the lessons, that ship was found in the middle of a corn field!

I mean to find another boat full! They already got the knives out of that one.

Another Knife Collector wrote:

testcase wrote:Save some bucks on the lessons, that ship was found in the middle of a corn field!

I mean to find another boat full! They already got the knives out of that one.

When you find it, be prepared to buy an excavator, a bulldozer, loader, a couple of dump trucks, lots of shovels, and some water pumps ! LOL

I saw a story on this ( I think in Smithsonian magazine ) and it's an amazing and fascinating find, but man, they had one BIG hole in the ground.

Fran

that is way cool, I see a couple old I-XL's in there amazing how they were preserved

This kind of started out when I asked some re-enactor friends about what kind of pocket knives would be correct to carry at the re-enactments.
They turned me on to a guy named Dan Hauode (Spelling) and his Mohawk Valley Knives.

http://www.orchardhillsutlery.com/

They look great and all, but I am on a tight budget, the wife is having another operation the 16th, so I can'y spend that kind of $$ right now, at least on a pocket knife.
I am hoping to find something like is pictured from the ship wreck really reasonable so when I get to do the big national re-eanctment in GA this fall I can whip it out and brag on it a bit!
I also do a lot of school demonstrations and having something to show the kids that a soldier of that period might have carried would be great too.
Someday I would like to put together maybe a display of knives from say the Rev war period until today to carry with me. A time line if you will so kids could see the differences, and the similarities, combining two of my passions.

Incredible

w5rwu

I had heard of the ship and its story however I was unaware of the knives. I would really like to know what brands are there 1856 would be perfect for some NYK Mattewans 1852-1856 . Of course English would be more likely still Lyman Bradley Waterville ect could all be possibilities. Thankyou for the post If those were all Mattewans the pile would be worth more than if it were gold. Thanks again LT