Cool facts about traditional knives

[Burnt Stag]

It appears that there may be some discrepancy to the "fact" I posted earlier on the Bowie knife name and its origin.

And then there was the large fighting knife carried by and later named after musician and actor David Bowie.

I just love history!

Zieg

I have learned so much today.

 

[Cutfinger]

just google "Who invented the jacknife"

Jacque de Liege in 1711 made the first back spring folding knife. Folding knives have been around for centuries, Jacque added the backspring to keep tension on the blade so it would stay in the handle when not in use. So it was called a "Jack" after Jacque. That is why all Traditional folding backspring pocketknives, no matter what pattern are called a "jacknife".
Dave

Perhaps coincidence; and not cause, the French don't call back spring folders Jacques couteaus. I parlay fransay, and I've never heard it. Also the early Sheffield slip joint folders were called spring knives.

Michael

 

[knowtracks]

Great information supratentoial!
Thank You for heading us in the right direction and all the investigating!

Dave

 

[Henry Beige]

Or perhaps, because of two or more pairs of blades folding in from both sides, it's named for the original definition of "congress":
the act or action of coming together and meeting-
-Late Middle English (denoting an encounter during battle): from Latin congressus, from congredi ‘meet’, from con- ‘together’ + gradi ‘walk’.

Let's not overlook the connubial congress, which can be quite amusing when it convenes.

 

[knarfeng]

In the 1600's bolsters were part of the hand-forged frame. So a large bolster both made the Barlow knife easier and cheaper to make, and it made for a stronger knife.

At the risk of receiving a rebuke for perpetuation of fabrications, I have always considered this to be a reasonable discussion of the origination of the Barlow knife:
http://barlow-knives.com/history.htm

"1. What is a “Barlow” style pocket knife?
A barlow style knife has one or two blades, a huge metal bolster, and a comfortable tear-drop shaped handle. The blade or blades are attached at the small end of the handle. Even though the first barlow knife was made in Sheffield England in the 1600’s, it was made by several American shops soon after, and has become just as American as “apple pie”. George Washington was known to have a barlow knife. Mark Twain referred to a “real Barlow” in his Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in 1876. Barlows have long been gifts, treasured by young American boys.

The history of the barlow knife has been difficult to trace. At least four American Barlow families have claimed that they invented the barlow knife. According to Laurence A. Johnson (1) the Barlow knife was probably first manufactured by Obadiah Barlow at Sheffield, England, around 1670. (2) Obadiah’s grandson, John Barlow, joined the business around 1745 and it was he who was chiefly responsible for developing the exportation of the Barlow knives to America. Another source says the barlow knife was also made by Luke Furnace of Stannington, which in the eighteenth century was a small village on the outskirts of Sheffield. Luke Furnace’s name occurs in the Sheffield directories from 1774 and 1787, but not in the 1797 directory, so he was presumably dead by then. He put the mark “1760” on his knives. The original Barlow, after whom the knives are named, was working in Sheffield at the same time as Luke Furnace.An 1823 directory of Sheffield, England cutlers (knife makers) shows Samuel Barlow on Neepsend (Street). In the Sheffield suburb of Stannington, Barlow Bros. is listed as a cutler. (3)

The barlow knife was designed to be tough, and to be affordable. To keep the price low, the blade was high carbon steel, and the handle was bone, and not much time was spent in polishing it. To make it tough, the bolster was big and thick. The original barlows had only one blade. Now they have two, and more care is taken in finishing and polishing them
References:

(1)Laurence A. Johnson article, “The Barlow Knife”, The Chronicle of the Early American Industries Association, Inc. ,June 1959

(2)The History of the John Russell Cutlery Company, 1833-1936, published 1976, Bete Press

(3)The Heritage of English Knives, David Hayden-Wright, 2008)
"

 

[Railsplitter]

I read a comment on here a few months ago that the GEC Crown Lifter was named as a friendly jab at Queen Cutlery. (Queen uses a crown in their logo)

 

[henryhide]

The Stockman knife was used for common livestock tasks including a spey blade for castration.

Yeah, I picked the easy one

I always thought it was carried by men who worked on Wall St. and that is where the name came from.

 

[Guitarist7.62]

A California clip is shaped like the state of California.

I always thought it got its name because the Vequeros and buckaroos in Southern California used the long slim clip points to cut the ear markings into the cattle when branding. Was like a brand but could be seen from a further distance and more easily tell the difference between your cattle and the neighbors cattle at a glance from a distance.

 

[Bartleby]

And then there was the large fighting knife carried by and later named after musician and actor David Bowie.

They say that David Bowie's fighting knife was inspired by the blade on the large Okapi knife carried at the time by Keith Richards, after they fought a duel in a pub called the Sand Bar.

 

[Trout Hound]

I bet Major Tom carried a Scout pattern on his Soyuz mission.

 

[Bartleby]

Major Tom carried a Scout pattern on his Soyuz mission.

Indeed, as I recall, debate over the Major Tom knife was the very reason that Mr. Richards made his Okapi appear in that fateful duel with a flick of the wrist. To hear it told they still sing of how he made that jumping jack flash that day!

 

[JB in SC]

I read a comment on here a few months ago that the GEC Crown Lifter was named as a friendly jab at Queen Cutlery. (Queen uses a crown in their logo)

Perhaps so, most all of the bottle caps are made by Crown, Cork, & Seal Co and have been since 1892. The crown cap for carbonated beverages was invented by an American (of British descent).

 

[5K Qs]

Indeed, as I recall, debate over the Major Tom knife was the very reason that Mr. Richards made his Okapi appear in that fateful duel with a flick of the wrist. To hear it told they still sing of how he made that jumping jack flash that day!

- GT

 

[Atheris]

You all probably already know this, but split back knives are called that because they have, for example, two backsprings for a three bladed knife. However they taper the backspring spacer to adjust the snap of the blades. A whittler might have one larger blade on on side and a pen and a clip on the other. Each of the small blades gets one backspring, but then they taper together to add more tension to the large opposite blade, which uses bother backsprings. I imagine it's also a show of a cutler's skill, as it seems harder to make since it has to be tapered. I'm sorry I don't have an example to show you, but I bet some of you do!

 

[Hickory n steel]

You guys are gonna want to sit back for these ones, I had to really search through dozens of old books to find this stuff

the peanut pattern is called such because it resembles a peanut.

Sodbusters are called this because they're a working knife which were often carried by farmers or " sodbusters ".

Mellon testers are for Mellon farmers to test if Mellon are ripe.

Doctors knives were used by doctors.

And last but not least the most surprising fact of all

Folding hunters are actually called this because they are folding hunting knives.

 

[Jolipapa]

...
'Jacques de Liege,' supposedly a Flemish cutler named Jacques in or from Liege.

Liéges is not in (Belgian) Flanders where they speak Flemish, but in Wallonie where French is spoken. These days that seems to be huge a difference.
Want to create a Belgxit???

 

[supratentorial]

Liéges in not in (Belgian) Flanders where they speak Flemish, but in Wallonie where French is spoken. These days that seems to be huge a difference.
Want to create a Belgxit???

Quote is from Levine's Guide.

No interest in a Belgxit but I may post a topic "Cool Facts about Europe" where we can just make stuff up.