Drop point blade history?

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iamfine10

Joined
Mar 27, 2025
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I tried to look into the history of the drop point blade. I read that it was most popularized by Bob Loveless after 1960. However, I’m curious to know what’s the oldest knife with this type of blade you’ve seen. I found this Remington 1123, produced between 1920 and 1930. Did anyone produce them even earlier? What do you think? Thanks for your thoughts.
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Let's try this question in General Forum, as I think it fits better there than in Traditional. Some of our best historians rarely visit the Traditional forum.

I agree that Bob Lovelace pretty much popularized the drop point, but it was used on at least some Randal knives prior to that. It was used by other earlier makers, also.
 
There’s only so many ways to make a sharp and pointy piece of metal. By default the point can be on the top (drop point) middle (spear) or bottom (sheepsfoot). Everything else is more or less a variation on a theme. So I think it might be tricky to nail down much in the way of “heritage” for a blade shape this historically popular.
 
Loveless got the Drop Point from the mid-1800's "Dadley" pattern (and other butcher patterns). His was made by Lamson and Goodnow probably the last 1./3 of the 19th century. A big time Loveless collector actually owns it now, and exhibits it sometimes. It looks much like the below knife, but of a higher finish, it also is a bit thicker and has a tapered tang, etc.... -

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The Loveless handle is taken from the butt end of 1920's scout hatchets -

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He mentions his influences in "Knifemaking with Bob Loveless" by Durwood Hollis, and "Living on The Edge" by Al Williams.

Edit - He also mentioned that size wise, some influence came from watching men occasionally skin large game with just folders when he was a boy.
 
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Wowbagger said:
Is that the new Cold Steel Cutsall ?
Nice toothy edge(s) !
Good for batoning ?
I bet it is one of those new snobby blade materials that are hard to sharpen .

(😂)
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You ever try to sharpen flint? You have to send it in for a spa treatment.
 
I'm not trying to be cute or funny, but these are all examples of corner tang flint knives from North America from who-knows-when:

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I know they're sharpened on all sides, but they sure look like drop points to me. I think this sums up my thoughts on the subject:

GaiusJulius said:
There’s only so many ways to make a sharp and pointy piece of metal. By default the point can be on the top (drop point) middle (spear) or bottom (sheepsfoot). Everything else is more or less a variation on a theme. So I think it might be tricky to nail down much in the way of “heritage” for a blade shape this historically popular.
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Bob Loveless may deserve credit for popularizing the pattern, and various makers/manufacturers before him surely made plenty, but I doubt we'll ever know the true "first drop point."
 
Do you know who at least used this type of blade on folding knives? I looked through some old catalogs and couldn't seem to find anything.
 
iamfine10 said:
Do you know who at least used this type of blade on folding knives? I looked through some old catalogs and couldn't seem to find anything.
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I've heard them attributed to Loveless. It might be fair to say he popularized them at least.
It's a difficult discussion to have, with so little agreement on what the names mean. A lot of manufacturers and dealers seem to use any name for any shape.
Curmudgeon speaking.
 
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