Christy knife?

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Nov 21, 2010
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I just picked up a Christy knife...I like "trick" knives. Took me a second to figure it out, but it's pretty cool. Anyone else got one?
 
I just picked up a Christy knife...I like "trick" knives. Took me a second to figure it out, but it's pretty cool. Anyone else got one?

Could somebody tell me what this is?:confused:
I don't want to sound dumb, But I've
never heard or seen one of these!
Thanks for the help!


Jason
 
The Christy knife is a small, lightweight, out-the-front manual knife. It is a handy keychain knife, and especially useful for light office work.

The frame is a narrow oval, and the blade rides within this oval, with detents that allow it to hold at three positions, shorter to longer to full length extended.
 
The Christy knife is a small, lightweight, out-the-front manual knife. It is a handy keychain knife, and especially useful for light office work.

The frame is a narrow oval, and the blade rides within this oval, with detents that allow it to hold at three positions, shorter to longer to full length extended.

Yup, and there is a little knob that slides sideways to allow the blade out. I did some research and I think they might still be sold by the widow of the original Christy. If so, I'm picking up a new one...my wife has pretty much called dibs on the one I just got. A great, tiny light use knife. I can post a link if I'm allowed...still not clear on that. Help?
 
LOL. Allright, so I just called the number for the company and some guy answered. He was right surprised to get a call at 3 in the morning. I was expecting an answering machine or nothing. So, apparently, they are still selling various models. I can post the link if you like.
 
A link is advertising, especially bad idea in the traditional forum where we focus on the knives, not the business.
 
The Christy knife is a small, lightweight, out-the-front manual knife. It is a handy keychain knife, and especially useful for light office work.

The frame is a narrow oval, and the blade rides within this oval, with detents that allow it to hold at three positions, shorter to longer to full length extended.


It looks like this:

ChristyKnife.jpg
 
A link is advertising, especially bad idea in the traditional forum where we focus on the knives, not the business.

That's what I thought and why I asked. :thumbup:

If anyone would like the link they can PM me and get one from old man Christy's son. :cool:
 
I used to have one that my dad gave me but it got "misplaced" some years back.:eek::(
 
Apparently still in business and owned by the same family in the same town in Ohio since 1891. Is there another knife company in America in original ownership that old?
 
I just picked up a Christy knife...I like "trick" knives. Took me a second to figure it out, but it's pretty cool. Anyone else got one?

They make a nice little light duty pen knife for a key chain or pocket. My dad was a fan of them, even though you couldn't cut him loose from his Case peanut with a blow torch. But when he was elderly, he had trouble with arthritis and in his later years carried a Christy knife.

The Christy Knife Company goes back to the late 1890's, and they made a patented serrated edge bread knife. In the 1930's, the head of the company, I forget if it was James or Earl Christy Sr. had a friend who suffered with arthritis, and this friend asked Mr. Christy if it was possible to make a small pen knife that could be opened without having to have a strong thumb and thumb nail. In those days there was no one hand opening knives like today's Spyderco's and other tactical's. Mr. Christy was a machinist, and came up with a model of the present day Christy knife. By the late 1930's the knife had become popular, and during WW2 it was sold in army PX's and Navy exchanges. The Christy company has in it's files, letters from service personel praising this little knife for service in some dire surroundings. One letter was from a Navy Pilot, who being wounded and without the use of one arm, used the Christy knife he had in the sleeve pocket of his flying coveralls to cut himself loose so he could bail out from his crippled Hellcat.

Unfortunatly for the Christy company, history passed them by, and by the 1970's things were tight, and the market change had them lingering on in a slow decline for many years. The small company couldn't compete with the new companies like Spyderco and they went out of business a few years ago.

Before they went out, some government agencies actually issued them out. The U.S. Custom's gave one to every graduating customs agent, as they were great for cutting open suitcase linings and other materials. The blade locking in a partly open position let it be used as a box cutter.

I know my own father had bought a lot of them. Years after he passed away, my mother had passed on, and my sister and myself were clearing out the old house in Wheaton, and Anne came on a letter from Mr. Christy to my dad, thanking him for buying 50 of the Christy knives for issue out to the personel in his section. This had taken place in the mid 1950's, and at that time there simply was no other knife like the Christy on the market. It was in it's day, a very unique little piece of hardware. Nowadays, just about every country gas station has cheap one hand lockblades for a few dollars. Time and things change.

Sometimes, I'm not really sure why, I slip dad's old Christy in my watch pocket. It still opens mail and UPS boxes just fine.

Carl.
 
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When Earl Christy passed away in 2006 there was a short transition time, only a few months. The company has been operated by Hal Christy since 2007 and they are very much still in business and taking orders.
 
They make a nice little light duty pen knife for a key chain or pocket. My dad was a fan of them, even though you couldn't cut him loose from his Case peanut with a blow torch. But when he was elderly, he had trouble with arthritis and in his later years carried a Christy knife.

The Christy Knife Company goes back to the late 1890's, and they made a patented serrated edge bread knife. In the 1930's, the head of the company, I forget if it was James or Earl Christy Sr. had a friend who suffered with arthritis, and this friend asked Mr. Christy if it was possible to make a small pen knife that could be opened without having to have a strong thumb and thumb nail. In those days there was no one hand opening knives like today's Spyderco's and other tactical's. Mr. Christy was a machinist, and came up with a model of the present day Christy knife. By the late 1930's the knife had become popular, and during WW2 it was sold in army PX's and Navy exchanges. The Christy company has in it's files, letters from service personel praising this little knife for service in some dire surroundings. One letter was from a Navy Pilot, who being wounded and without the use of one arm, used the Christy knife he had in the sleeve pocket of his flying coveralls to cut himself loose so he could bail out from his crippled Hellcat.

Unfortunatly for the Christy company, history passed them by, and by the 1970's things were tight, and the market change had them lingering on in a slow decline for many years. The small company couldn't compete with the new companies like Spyderco and they went out of business a few years ago.

Before they went out, some government agencies actually issued them out. The U.S. Custom's gave one to every graduating customs agent, as they were great for cutting open suitcase linings and other materials. The blade locking in a partly open position let it be used as a box cutter.

I know my own father had bought a lot of them. Years after he passed away, my mother had passed on, and my sister and myself were clearing out the old house in Wheaton, and Anne came on a letter from Mr. Christy to my dad, thanking him for buying 50 of the Christy knives for issue out to the personel in his section. This had taken place in the mid 1950's, and at that time there simply was no other knife like the Christy on the market. It was in it's day, a very unique little piece of hardware. Nowadays, just about every country gas station has cheap one hand lockblades for a few dollars. Time and things change.

Sometimes, I'm not really sure why, I slip dad's old Christy in my watch pocket. It still opens mail and UPS boxes just fine.

Carl.

Thanks for the info, Carl. I'm gonna order my wife one. Might have to get myself one, too. The one I have is from 1937. I told myself no more knives for a while, but a family operated business like that...well, makes it easier.
 
I sent them an email about a possible order. Hopefully i'll get a reply soon. I'm glad that small companies and family run businesses are still in working order, and i think it a natural response, wanting to order from them. I've read quite a bit on the Christy knife in the past, and i'm always looking for nice and small, wellbuilt knives that i can give away or suchlike.
 
When Earl Christy passed away in 2006 there was a short transition time, only a few months. The company has been operated by Hal Christy since 2007 and they are very much still in business and taking orders.

After seeing your post, I googled the company, and found the phone number for them. I had a great conversation with Hal Christy, who did inform me that there was a slight void between moving. They had to downsize, and sell the building they had been in since 1917, and move to a smaller building. Some of their machinery is not all set up yet, but Hal told me that they are indeed still kicking. I was glad to hear that an old family small business is surviving in this offshore products country we are living in. :thumbup:

I just hope they can continue to make it in this economy.

Carl.
 
After seeing your post, I googled the company, and found the phone number for them. I had a great conversation with Hal Christy, who did inform me that there was a slight void between moving. They had to downsize, and sell the building they had been in since 1917, and move to a smaller building. Some of their machinery is not all set up yet, but Hal told me that they are indeed still kicking. I was glad to hear that an old family small business is surviving in this offshore products country we are living in. :thumbup:

I just hope they can continue to make it in this economy.

Carl.

Well, I'll help em a little. And apologize for calling Hal at 3 in the AM. Called at 2 CA time today and got the answering machine I was looking for. :D
 
Yes, I'm bumping a very old thread, but I just purchased a couple of these. I like the product and it's currently on my keychain. It took me a bit to understand how to deploy the blade, but I've got it down pat now. My intent is to leave this on my keychain, to be used for only extreme emergencies, where a surgical type blade might be required. I have my Vic Executive and Spyderco Delica-4 that I EDC for everyday usage.

The one I have is the nickel-plated Companion, from The Christy Knife Company. They also have a polished-black version called the Executive.
 
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