A "Famous Person" Who Carries a Traditional Pocketknife

Very interesting showing the Kipling artefacts, thanks!

When you think about it, most famous writers are likely to have carried a knife of some manner, although probably very utilitarian. In those days, people had pocket knives in the way in which we now all have mobile phones of some kind. Dickens mentions large Horn handled knives in 'Great Expectations,' so I'm sure he will have carried one sort of knife. But, knives wore out and frequently got lost so we are lucky to see the Kipling items.

George Orwell, writing in his essay, 'Such, Such Were the Joys' talks about his Edwardian childhood and the hope&joy of receiving a Penknife for Christmas or birthday. So, I'm certain the English lit's master of dystopia and seer about language manipulation, certainly had several.:thumbup:
 
Very interesting showing the Kipling artefacts, thanks!

When you think about it, most famous writers are likely to have carried a knife of some manner, although probably very utilitarian. In those days, people had pocket knives in the way in which we now all have mobile phones of some kind. Dickens mentions large Horn handled knives in 'Great Expectations,' so I'm sure he will have carried one sort of knife. But, knives wore out and frequently got lost so we are lucky to see the Kipling items.

George Orwell, writing in his essay, 'Such, Such Were the Joys' talks about his Edwardian childhood and the hope&joy of receiving a Penknife for Christmas or birthday. So, I'm certain the English lit's master of dystopia and seer about language manipulation, certainly had several.:thumbup:

- so, so many ordinary folk carried a wee pocket knife in days gone by, and I don't doubt the likes of Kipling and his contemporaries did likewise..........it was de rigeur along with the pocket watch !
 
I saw a photo from the Truman Presidential Library, of President Truman's Barlow. I think it was made by Imperial.
Truman was a practical man, you know. Had a modest home, even drove a green Chrysler New Yorker.
 
Everybody probably knows Hunter S. Thompson was always had a Case on him.

Screenwriter/Director/Playwright David Mamet is definitely a knife nut. Not traditional, but he commissioned a custom Severtech for "Sparta" and in "Heist" Danny DeVito's character has a Benchmade auto. In "House of Games", Lindsay Crouse steals Joe Mantegna's lucky pocket knife (an advertising or novelty knife IIRC). In "The Spanish Prisoner" the main character is framed for murder by someone stealing his old knife from the Boy Scouts and stabbing someone with it. And of course, there's the Brian Lyttle knife they commissioned for "The Edge" for Anthony Hopkins.

By the way, why do people in TV/film always cut their thumbs when they need blood for something? Cut the back of your hand or somewhere that you don't need for everything and won't take forever to heal because it keeps reopening.
 
By the way, why do people in TV/film always cut their thumbs when they need blood for something? Cut the back of your hand or somewhere that you don't need for everything and won't take forever to heal because it keeps reopening.


Because the thumb tip is the most sensitive, and is where those mean real life nurses and doctors insist on poking a hole in you to get a blood sample?
 
Everybody probably knows Hunter S. Thompson was always had a Case on him.

Actually, I'm a big fan and have most of his books. I've never seen a reference to a Case knife. Gotta source? I'd love to read more.

-- Mark
 
That's worthy of mention, SI!? :D Did anyone here get married without a knife in his pocket!? A Victorinox Tourist walked down the aisle with me.

-- Mark

No way I had my Grandpa's Boker small Stockman when I got married. I saved one of my roommates wedding by cutting the ring off of the pillow after a Bridesmaid turned the bow into a knot. My Old Timer 340 saved the day.
 
It's not news that one of Tony Bose's English Teardrop Jacks was used by James Spader in the movie Lincoln. Although it was a very small part of the movie and was very hard to see that it was one of Tony's knives, it was definitely one of Tony's knives because I know the back story.

James became very interested in Tony's knives after a chance meeting with a friend of Tonys at a knife show in New York several years ago and subsequently struck up a friendship with Tony. When the Lincoln movie came up and James was developing his character, he suggested maybe he would be able to fit a knife into one of the scenes he would be doing. James asked Tony if he could make a period relevant knife that he could use in the movie and it was the English Teardrop Jack. After it was made and sent to James, it was OK'd by the appropriate props people and used in the movie. James carrys and uses that knife and other T.Bose knives regularly.

Here's an image I shot of James and Tony whittling on the back porch in Wilfred a number of years back.

jsandtbwhittling-sm.jpg

Nice photo! Thank you for sharing it :thumbup:
 
Screenwriter/Director/Playwright David Mamet is definitely a knife nut. Not traditional, but he commissioned a custom Severtech for "Sparta" and in "Heist" Danny DeVito's character has a Benchmade auto. In "House of Games", Lindsay Crouse steals Joe Mantegna's lucky pocket knife (an advertising or novelty knife IIRC). In "The Spanish Prisoner" the main character is framed for murder by someone stealing his old knife from the Boy Scouts and stabbing someone with it. And of course, there's the Brian Lyttle knife they commissioned for "The Edge" for Anthony Hopkins.

Alright, I just watched "Heist" again and when they're robbing the jewelry store, there's a combination taped to the blade of a SAK. Watched "House of Games" again too. Great movies.
 
Thanks for the interesting info, everyone!
Ted, do you know what model SAK that is in Gary Powers pack? And just below and to the right of it, do I see another pocketknife (probably not spy equipment :))?

I also heard that Powers also had a Randall bird and trout? Any truth to that one?
 
I remember reading in one of the knife magazines many years ago that the dali lama always has a small SAK on him.

Edit to add; General Nathan Bedford Forest was know to have killed a fellow officer in fight over some disagreement, with his pocket knife.

General Ulysses Grant was known to whittle on a stick with his pocket knife when he was deep in thought.

President Abraham Lincoln was carrying a six bladed congress the night he was shot at Fords Theater.
 
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I've been to General President Grant's home in Galena, Illinois. They have some of his belongings on display there, including his pocket knife.
Unfortunately, I don't remember much about it. I think it was a two blade jack of some kind, with wood scales.
I've not been there in 40 plus years, so my memory is probably wrong on the details.

His home is on a bluff, over looking the Mississippi River. You take a cable car to and from his place.
 
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Dallas Cowboys great Walt Garrison has been known to tote a slipjoint. Check out this video. It opens with a knife anecdote and him talking about how his dad told him not to trust someone who carries a "big, dull" pocketknife.

Here's a screen capture:



Walt and his dad seem like our kind of guys! :thumbup:

-- Mark
 
Very interesting and amusing. Language not so bad, merely accurate:D Politician as a human-being, an alien concept for the last 30 years.....;)

Thing is, what sort of knife did LBJ carry?? The one that kept falling out of his pockets?? Suppose the Johnson Center or museums might give the answer but I'll bet it wasn't an Eisenhower:p Must've been a CASE Texas Jack what?

Thanks, Will.

This is quite a belated reply to the question Will posed, but LBJ's knife that he complained kept sliding out of his pocket, may actually have been an Swedish made EKA, rather than a Case.

Something like this perhaps:



I'm sure many heads of state of the time would have had small items like this, customised for gifting, but there's no reason why he wouldn't have carried one himself.
 
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