History Question

[Burchtree]

Does anyone here happen to know who invented the first locking folder?

 

[Lady Colt]

my guess would be George schrade, ask Bernard Levine in his forum he'd know

 

[Epsilon]

My guess would be something spanish or italian. Wow, who knows actually. May go back to several cultures.

 

[not2sharp]

The Romans probably did, although I am not sure we have found a locking folder we have found folding knives.

 

[Allen E. Treat]

The Romans invented the first folding knives, but I'd venture to say locking folders didn't start 'til the beginning of the 20th century. Gee, we're in the 21st century ALREADY!?!

AET

 

[ExamonLyf]

So it wasn't Mr. Reeve or Tom Mayo???


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"

 

[payback462]

no no no, Examonlyf.
They perfected them!!!

 

[tribalbeeyatch]

Clasp lock knives like the navaja have been around for several hundred years.

 

[tonyccw]

Originally posted by Allen E. Treat
The Romans invented the first folding knives, but I'd venture to say locking folders didn't start 'til the beginning of the 20th century. Gee, we're in the 21st century ALREADY!?!AET

Guess again. Even the Opinel was started in the 19th Century, and they were based on an older twistlock design....

 

[Allen E. Treat]

I stand corrected.

 

[Don Luis]

As I mentioned in some other thread, the 1902 Sears catalog (available in facsimile in some bookstores) shows a lockback and two automatic knives, so even some of the common sistems of today must be from before the 20th century.