Do you recognise this knife, what is it used for, is it rare???

F

Flagg

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Jul 31, 2017
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9 1/4 inches long
4 1/4 inch blade
 
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I've seen piles of them with various names on them (apparently they're give-away items in the agriculture trade, you see them with various company names on them like you might with pens for other companies) and in my experience they are super common, at least anywhere that fruit is grown.

There are fancy ones, too, though--I've seen a pearl handled one from Case or Buck or someone, at some point.
 
Melon tester, sausage knife, etc.... Most of the collecting of them is done with an eye toward the fancy ones, and by people that collect advertising items. You could probably get into the high 100's or perhaps break into the 1000's with all the different brands they advertised on them. Drug companies even offered them as ersatz pill sorting knives to pharmacists at one point.

They were also used as dirks sometimes. This was usually done by stomping the frame shut while the knife was open, creating a makeshift fixed blade.

Schrade was a big maker in the US, but was later supplanted by Colonial, who in turn faced stiff competition from Italy and Japan.
 
Melon Tester is what I have always seen them called. Not especially rare, but I don't think they are in current production by any US slipjoint companies.
 
"Outspan" is engraved on the scales which I recollect from my youth as meaning an orange.
I thank you all for your input, interesting
 
Melon tester. According to some sources (I think Berine) law enforcement asked knife companies to quit making the long ones because certain classes of people were using them as weapons they could break off in the body. I know for a fact they were commonly carried by my fellow teens when I was younger.
 
jc57 said:
Melon Tester is what I have always seen them called. Not especially rare, but I don't think they are in current production by any US slipjoint companies.
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Doctor's knives are similar and are available. I know Rough Ryder makes them and probably a few other companies. The little Fox Elite folder labeled a "Gentleman's Knife" by AG Russell is very similar and would likely be used for the same kinds of tasks as a "melon tester".

The GEC Ben Hogan #65 is another similar knife that was made.
 
The Ben Hogan would have been called "dirk knife" in the old days. The melon testers was created for just that in the original form.
 
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