Any current makers of two blade equal end pen knives with all metal handles?

Bartleby · Sep 16, 2018

I have been carrying an old two blade equal end metal handle advertising pen knife lately and have been very pleased with its performance. I have started looking around for a modern day version and was wondering if anyone on the porch has a recommendation. Something between 3 1/4" and 3 1/2" with all metal handles. Thanks!

ISKRA · Sep 16, 2018

Hartkopf (Solingen, Germany), Mikov (Mikuláčovice, Czechia) and Rodgers (Sheffield, UK) come to mind. I'm sure there's lots of others too.

Bartleby · Sep 17, 2018

Thanks ISKRA, I had been thinking of a SAK Secretary, but they seem to have been discontinued. The closest that I could find locally is the Marbles MR170 Handyman's Helper ruler knife. I am surprised that there are so few of this type being made currently, considering how many were produced in the past.

screened porch · Sep 17, 2018

Coursolle makes some brass-handled knives, but they are mostly single bladed. Or corkscrew on the back or bottle opener for second blade.

ISKRA · Sep 17, 2018

Bartleby said:
Thanks ISKRA, I had been thinking of a SAK Secretary, but they seem to have been discontinued. The closest that I could find locally is the Marbles MR170 Handyman's Helper ruler knife. I am surprised that there are so few of this type being made currently, considering how many were produced in the past.

I totally forgot, I actually have a Vic Secretary. It's not a bad knife, very thin and pocket friendly but a decent size to be useful.

I'm sure you can find some vintage penknives from the 70s or so on the big auction site for a good price and they might even be better made than some of their today's counterparts.

Cambertree · Sep 17, 2018

It's slightly bigger than 3.5" closed, but you may want to consider the Pioneer Pruner, Bart. It has a very useful and well thought out two blade selection. In addition to its gardening and cordage cutting utility, most people would find the pruner blade very handy indoors or in the office for opening packages, piercing plastic clamshells and the like.

5K Qs · Sep 17, 2018

Chin has a good suggestion. :thumbsup:

And it reminds me of a couple of Vic Alox models I'd love to be able to find. The Pioneer Apprentice has a spear main and a sheepsfoot (like the Electrician has) on opposite ends. The Pioneer Settler has spear/pen blade combo, again on opposite ends of the symmetric frame. But I've not had success in ever finding examples of these models for me.

- GT

Will Power · Sep 17, 2018

Richards Sheffield used to turn out a lot of knives with stainless engine turned handles. Shouldn't bee too difficult or pricey to locate on the Bay etc.

Bartleby · Sep 17, 2018

ISKRA said:
I totally forgot, I actually have a Vic Secretary. It's not a bad knife, very thin and pocket friendly but a decent size to be useful.

It is a good pick, I was surprised that they are not as readily available as the had been.

Cambertree said:
It's slightly bigger than 3.5" closed, but you may want to consider the Pioneer Pruner, Bart. It has a very useful and well thought out two blade selection. In addition to its gardening and cordage cutting utility, most people would find the pruner blade very handy indoors or in the office for opening packages, piercing plastic clamshells and the like.

Also a good knife, though over sized for my current office environment. I am going smaller than I would normally.

5K Qs said:
Chin has a good suggestion. And it reminds me of a couple of Vic Alox models I'd love to be able to find. The Pioneer Apprentice has a spear main and a sheepsfoot (like the Electrician has) on opposite ends. The Pioneer Settler has spear/pen blade combo, again on opposite ends of the symmetric frame. But I've not had success in ever finding examples of these models for me.

Also good suggestions but a bit too large.

Will Power said:
Richards Sheffield used to turn out a lot of knives with stainless engine turned handles. Shouldn't bee too difficult or pricey to locate on the Bay etc.

As I looked into the small Marbles Handyman's Helper (with the non-folding ruler), I noticed that several Sheffield makers at one time made similar small ruler knives. I kind of like to idea of having a small ruler as the handle, with a pair of shorter blades.

Bartleby · Sep 17, 2018

scrteened porch said:
Coursolle makes some brass-handled knives, but they are mostly single bladed. Or corkscrew on the back or bottle opener for second blade.

I have one of these with the corkscrew, large blade and bottle opener. A bear to open, but illustrates the adage "As ye sow, so shall you reap" on the handles. One side has a young man throwing out seed, the other side has an old man harvesting by what appears to be a tombstone. Also a bit large in blade for where I am currently, but they are very interesting and often ironic in the choices of handle stamping.

screened porch · Sep 17, 2018

Here's a picture. I have a few Uticas like the Budweiser on the left, that I bought at the factory store which is long gone. Also some jacks. The Boer War commemorative is beautifully thin, as is the Knoxville World's Fair, but that one is single bladed. The eard is so here's the pic.

In technical terms, Windows and Google, machinating on their own agendas, cause such a proliferation of interweevils and pixie bites as to clog my old school info-ducts.