Gifts from Oregon!!

[Johnnythefox]

Ducher also was a specialist of multis. (more frequently refered as "camping" or "tourist")
These are more recent (??? 2 digits phone n°, today 10...; no département n°, just the name Puy-de-Dôme now 63, and "new" can opener shape, maybe early 50s.

found in https://www.lecouteau.info/couteliers-fabricants-de-thiers/ducher/

Navettes have oval ends:

These are neither Swiss nor Pradel, but genuine Thiers products made for the Compagnie Métropolitaine Coloniale.

@ PenisMightier : same purpose as these :

Very interesting this thread.

Would it be fair to sumarise that "Swiss" (however spelt) had become a generic term for a multi blade/tool knife?

 

[waynorth]

A couple of fine knives and gifts. I believe the French knife dates to early post WWII.
Enclosed is a catalog illustration from a 1951 French Verney catalog which shows nearly the same model as yours.
No examples quite the same in French catalogs before or after that date.

View attachment 2558264

Thanks, Neal!! Of course you have it in a catalog!!!

 

[Jolipapa]

Very interesting this thread.

Would it be fair to sumarise that "Swiss" (however spelt) had become a generic term for a multi blade/tool knife?

In a way, yes, though all multis are not suisses, no strict definition exists and unlike most other patterns whose name is linked with the region or town where it originated, it was rather a selling point,. I'm not sure the name is still used. Our dear (in every sense of the word ) neighbours could be touchy about trade marks.




Fourbet-Tarrieras

Cotte-Affaire : which one is a suisse and which one is a navette (do size matter?) ? No name on the second page.

Duvert

 

[Johnnythefox]

In a way, yes, though all multis are not suisses, no strict definition exists and unlike most other patterns whose name is linked with the region or town where it originated, it was rather a selling point,. I'm not sure the name is still used. Our dear (in every sense of the word ) neighbours could be touchy about trade marks.




Fourbet-Tarrieras

Cotte-Affaire : which one is a suisse and which one is a navette (do size matter?) ? No name on the second page.

Duvert

I do like your informative posts very much.



For some reason this reminds me of a market in France where I saw boxer shorts being sold using the Union Flag as material.

No Englishman would be seen dead in Boxers with the French flag on (well he might be (dead) if his wife/girlfriend took umbradge).


Likewise I cant see an English Knife maker using the Swiss flag on a knife either,I have the feeling I will be proved wrong on that.

 

[Jolipapa]

I do like your informative posts very much.
For some reason this reminds me of a market in France where I saw boxer shorts being sold using the Union Flag as material.

No Englishman would be seen dead in Boxers with the French flag on (well he might be (dead) if his wife/girlfriend took umbradge).

Two possibilities.
First is they are intended to the many British living here (those who buy frozen fish & chips at Findus).
Or some people curious of your famous comfort...
Truly, I would sincerely be shocked if it were for any other mundane reason...

Likewise I cant see an English Knife maker using the Swiss flag on a knife either,I have the feeling I will be proved wrong on that.

Savoy flag is the same as the Swiss... so no problem using it. But you're not so wrong, no French maker would think he could sell a knife showing the opposite colours...

 

[herder]

Thanks Will, and it is a bit odd that they used the "Swiss" nomenclature, but then again, French is one of the four languages of Switzerland.
And both countries love their cheese.

PenisMightier, that screw looking tool is called a "gimlet" which was basically a small drill bit.

Jolipapa, Wonderful catalog illustrations and knives posted.

Thanks Charlie, and old catalogs do come in handy.

Enclosed is a similar knife to the original one posted by Charlie. It has a blade stamp of "Pradel Extra" which was used by many companies that did not actually own the rights to use the Pradel name.
It has a handle shield marked "Jeanne D' Arc" (Joan of Arc) with a picture of her below. It also has the word "Orleans" stamped into the handle.
It's interesting to note that the general trend for French camping knives from the early 1950s onward was to have handles with more squared ends, where earlier models had more rounded ends.
Also enclosed is a catalog illustration from a French Verney catalog from 1954.

 

[Jolipapa]

Thanks Will, and it is a bit odd that they used the "Swiss" nomenclature, but then again, French is one of the four languages of Switzerland.
And both countries love their cheese.

PenisMightier, that screw looking tool is called a "gimlet" which was basically a small drill bit.

Jolipapa, Wonderful catalog illustrations and knives posted.

Thanks Charlie, and old catalogs do come in handy.

Enclosed is a similar knife to the original one posted by Charlie. It has a blade stamp of "Pradel Extra" which was used by many companies that did not actually own the rights to use the Pradel name.
It has a handle shield marked "Jeanne D' Arc" (Joan of Arc) with a picture of her below. It also has the word "Orleans" stamped into the handle.
It's interesting to note that the general trend for French camping knives from the early 1950s onward was to have handles with more squared ends, where earlier models had more rounded ends.
Also enclosed is a catalog illustration from a French Verney catalog from 1954.

View attachment 2558967

View attachment 2558965

We share far more than language and our relation is good since they've been defeated at Marignan in 1515, even if every morning many French children swallow one or two for breakfast

More seriously these were unexpensive small sized aimed at children or sold in gift shops ( like Jeanne d'Arc in Orleans or the skier below, a gift from Âchillepattada ). Reasonably well made they were competing with the Opinel pricewise.

 

[Âchillepattada]

Jolipapa we shared a lot but I'm not sure this knife comes from me. You've got too many friends it's confusing


Â

 

[Jack Black]

@ PenisMightier : same purpose as these :

I use gimlets quite a lot, mainly for making thong-holes in my walking sticks. A very useful tool

 

[PenisMightier]

I use gimlets quite a lot, mainly for making thong-holes in my walking sticks. A very useful tool

Thank you Jack Black and Jolipapa for the explanation, I love learning about tools!

 

[waynorth]

A couple of fine knives and gifts. I believe the French knife dates to early post WWII.
Enclosed is a catalog illustration from a 1951 French Verney catalog which shows nearly the same model as yours.
No examples quite the same in French catalogs before or after that date.

View attachment 2558264

You must have all the world's catalogs, Neal!! Great and valuable !!!

 

[waynorth]

Jolipapa : Alain thanks for all this information!! Between you and
H herder : Neal we are getting quite a picture of these precursors/influencers to the SAK!!

 

[Jolipapa]

Thank you Jack Black and Jolipapa for the explanation, I love learning about tools!

You're welcome !

Jack Black : A new word in my vocabulary. Until today, I only knew that kind of gimlet (I enjoy but that's it, rhum attracts me more )

 

[Jack Black]

Thank you Jack Black and Jolipapa for the explanation, I love learning about tools!

Very common, and very old, and also ubiquitous on Horseman's and Sportsman's knives Awl and Gimlet-makers were classed as cutlers

You're welcome !

Jack Black : A new word in my vocabulary. Until today, I only knew that kind of gimlet (I enjoy but that's it, rhum attracts me more )

The cocktail seems to have gone out of fashion a little, but it's a charming word I think

 

[John A. Larsen]

In a way, yes, though all multis are not suisses, no strict definition exists and unlike most other patterns whose name is linked with the region or town where it originated, it was rather a selling point,. I'm not sure the name is still used. Our dear (in every sense of the word ) neighbours could be touchy about trade marks.




Fourbet-Tarrieras

Cotte-Affaire : which one is a suisse and which one is a navette (do size matter?) ? No name on the second page.

Duvert

I have a Pradel, which looks to be the one on the third line drawing page, No 418. John

 

[John A. Larsen]

Ducher also was a specialist of multis. (more frequently refered as "camping" or "tourist")
These are more recent (??? 2 digits phone n°, today 10...; no département n°, just the name Puy-de-Dôme now 63, and "new" can opener shape, maybe early 50s.

found in https://www.lecouteau.info/couteliers-fabricants-de-thiers/ducher/

Navettes have oval ends:

These are neither Swiss nor Pradel, but genuine Thiers products made for the Compagnie Métropolitaine Coloniale.

@ PenisMightier : same purpose as these :

I note the saw on No 1, Suisse 105, is the same shape as the unmarked Chandos folder. John

 

[Jack Black]

A couple from France:





The pocketknife Amundsen took with him to the South Pole is in the Canterbury Museum in Kent, England, for some reason



I have a couple of knives like this, both similarly beat-up. Always meant to do a post about them



T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia) also liked a Sportsman's Knife.

 

[PenisMightier]

Very common, and very old, and also ubiquitous on Horseman's and Sportsman's knives Awl and Gimlet-makers were classed as cutlers

The cocktail seems to have gone out of fashion a little, but it's a charming word I think

Thanks again! You would think as a carpenters son I would have heard of a gimlet before. It is a very handy sounding tool, it sounds like it would be helpful boring holes manually in my knife handle making.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks again! You would think as a carpenters son I would have heard of a gimlet before. It is a very handy sounding tool, it sounds like it would be helpful boring holes manually in my knife handle making.

LOL! I buy them whenever I see a nice one I have a hand-operated drill-press, which would be great for that, but a lot too heavy to put in the post I'm afraid

 

[Jolipapa]

I have a Pradel, which looks to be the one on the third line drawing page, No 418. John

These were very popular in the 50/60s, unexpensive and very useful. Around 11.30 am and 19pm corkscrews were very busy all over the country, and not only during summer months