First Production Knife with Thumb Stud

[roma kid]

Can anybody tell me what was the first production knife with a thumb stud? Is there a written history in a magazine or a book detailing the early history of this trend?
Thanks.

 

[mschwoeb]

While I dont know who made the first thumbstud knife, the opening whole actually predates the thumbstud as an opening device.

 

[Dijos]

I know that Bob Terzuola invented the thumb Disc...Joe

 

[Daniel Moore]

I don't like thumbdisks :barf:
Thumbstuds are O.K.
But as soon as my strider gets here, I might make a visit to my drill press

 

[satin]

I've seen some quite old multi blade knives that possess a stud on their can-opener (not sure thats what is was, just what it looked like) - very pre-dating Spyderco.

 

[slon]

What about this very old patent?

 

[Crayola]

Satin:

I think that "stud" is hooked over the side of the can so you can do a "rock and roll" motion with the opener and open a can faster.

 

[Nash The Slash]

More than 20 years ago there was a device called a Flicket which was a stud that could be clamped to the blade of a lockback knife, enabling the knife to be opened with one hand. I suppose one-hand tactical folders evolved from the Flicket?

 

[Milu]

I remember a knife with a stud called the one armed bandit (not the add-on device) about 25 years ago, I think they may have come from S. Africa. As well as the flicket there was a belt sheath that opened your knife as you pulled it out as well as a keyring version where you would clip the keyring to your belt and pull down on the handle which opened the knife as the device was clipped to the blade, I never saw this last but it sounded pretty crappy as a method.

I also have a vague memory of Spencer Tracy playing Thomas Edison in an old b&W film, where he was impressed with a little boy's device for opening a knife one handed and Tracy asking the boy if he could fit one to his old pocket knife. Is my memory deceiving me here? Can anyone confirm. If my memory is not deceiving me this is the oldest reference I know to a thumbstud or similar for opening a knife.