American vs European patterns.

[jackknife]

There is something I am wondering about, as I have observed this. It seems to me ( not being the brightest bulb in the chandalier I could be wrong) that all the various patterns of pocket knives are American in origon. That in Europe the avaridge pocket knife was for centuries, and still is today in many places a simple modern version of the single blade shepards, or penny knife. The Opinel, the Laguole, the German clasp knives, the English lambsfoot folders. While in America we had the cattle knife that gave way to the premium stock knife, the trapper, the congress, the sunfish, the barlow, the peanut and so on.

Is it just me, or does it seem that the American market sprouted more pocket knife variations than our old country cousins? I know alot of our stockmen and other knives are made in Germany, but it seems like they make them for just the exprt to the U.S. market. The couple times I've toured in Europe, it seems like the simple single blade is still the most prefered. Of course the sak is a notable expeption.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Bartleby]

I've often pondered what the most "American" pattern would be myself, but most knives can be traced back to European and English origins. Some patterns seem to have been made specifically for export to the colonies, like the Barlow, while others have just caught on here, like the sodbuster. An interesting post, that's for sure.

 

[littleknife]

Reading Bernard Levine's book, I remember mentioning multiblade pocketknives in 18th Century France and England (e.g. he quotes the French book "The Art of the Cutler" which provides ample illustrations to that too).

Multiblade pocketknives were and still are high end cutlery, being pricey due to more expensive to make and less demand.

It was in the 19th Century USA (especially the 2nd half of the 1800s) where a mass market developed for multiblade pocketknives. That is why most multiblade patterns ever developed are of American origin.

In 19th and early 20th Century Europe multiblades were purchased mainly by the wealthy and aristocrats, while the commoners and peasants continued to use the single blade jacknives, sheperd knives, navajas etc.

After WWII the SAKs came to dominate the pocketknife market in Europe too, and todays the traditional "poorman" single blade jacknives are mostly expensive cutlery items (Laguioles, navajas, German messers, Italian knives etc.)

 

[jackknife]

After WWII the SAKs came to dominate the pocketknife market in Europe too, and todays the traditional "poorman" single blade jacknives are mostly expensive cutlery items (Laguioles, navajas, German messers, Italian knives etc.)

Man, thats a topsy turvy switch!