First company to manufacture a folder with a pocket clip in the US?

T. Erdelyi

T. Erdelyi

Joined
Feb 3, 2001
Messages
32,359
I know Spyderco is usually credited with making the first folder with a pocket clip in the US but the first author made in 1981 or there abouts but it was made in Japan, like with many things in the cutlery industry most new ideas are just variations on a previous idea.

IIRC the Buck Titanium 186 was the first US made folding pocket knife with a pocket(belt) clip? Actually I believe the 186 had a lot of firsts in 1986 when it was released.

It was the first US production titanium folder and the first modern folder made to be disassembled by the owner. It also had bushings on the pivot and the rocker for the lock back.

This was a fantastic knife for the time but it was made in a very limited run and for only one or two years and then the very thing that Buck advertised, (the ability to take it apart and clean it) caused the demise of the 186 and made Buck change it forever to the 560, a riveted clipless version.

Apparently too many people took it apart and couldn't reassemble it causing an increase in customers sending them back to Buck for service.

Actually I just wanted a reason to show it off again. :) ;)

Here's a few pics of mine and the box I keep it in.

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A few of the knife.

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Great looking knife! I appreciate the write up as well, I learned several things. :)
 
This was the the first knife I ever lusted after, when it came out and I read a review I began looking for it, this was before the internet and the only way to get one was a brick and mortar store, yes that's right a real knife store.

I called everywhere and finally I called a Hoffritz in Jersey and they didn't have anymore, so the sales guy spent 2 days calling strong to the other stores and finally found one on the west coast, I was down to the store in Jersey and put a deposit down. About 3 days later it came. When my friend saw it he wanted one so bad but that was it, there were none to be had, like tickets to a Grateful Dead concert on New Year's eve, you could still get one but you were gonna pay a high premium for one.

I converted a couple of 560s for a few friends but it just wasn't the same. I thought about selling mine or trading it once but I couldn't pay with it.

I used it today helping my buddy feed his goats, cutting the hay bales and opening feed sacks, still feels rock solid, like a tank. If you have the chance to get one, I strongly recommend you get a piece of cutlery history. :)
 
The oldest i've seen was in an article, 1920-30's. The knife was meant to be clipped to a shirt pocket. Don't remember the manufacturer
 
The first one I remember is a Gerber LST that had a removable plastic pocket clip that was pushed into the lanyard hole.
 
I've seen a couple 560's that had been sent in to the factory for a blade in BG42 back when they used to do that. Those are rare enough and have all the things I lust after in a knife. It's very rare to see one for sale and I can't blame the owners one bit. If I had one I would keep it as long as I have my brains intact and a beating heart. I feel the same way about my Gerber Sportsman 2 "V" steel which took me near 20 years to finally get one.

My Spyderco millie in Cruwear, S90V, Manix 2 in S110V and a few others may now outperform them but we want things we can't have more than things we can. It's human nature. :)

joe
 
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