Kerry Hampton Knives

waynorth said:
What Vince said, plus, cutlers, assembling and adjusting knives all day long, would make a few knife picks for themselves, to save their thumb nails from shredding to bits.
Cutleries sporadically made them for sale or as giveaways. I think we've had a thread or two about them. Might turn up in a search.
Click to expand...

Interesting,about the cutlers Charlie.I had no idea,but it makes sense.Maybe they made them as tools first,only to be offered to knife buyers,as an after thought ,"evolved " like that
-Vince
 
VCM3 said:
Interesting,about the cutlers Charlie.I had no idea,but it makes sense.Maybe they made them as tools first,only to be offered to knife buyers,as an after thought ,"evolved " like that
-Vince
Click to expand...

I think that's how it happened Vince. I watched the cutlers at Queen, crinking and adjusting blades, on nearly-finished knives. They never used their nails to open a knife. They started it with a pick, and used a block of softwood on their bench to push on, to pop it open the rest of the way.
This one guy adjusted 40-50 knives an hour. He'd be a bloody mess by the end of the day, without a pick!!:eek:
 
DSC00763.jpg


DSC00766.jpg
 
waynorth said:
I think that's how it happened Vince. I watched the cutlers at Queen, crinking and adjusting blades, on nearly-finished knives. They never used their nails to open a knife. They started it with a pick, and used a block of softwood on their bench to push on, to pop it open the rest of the way.
This one guy adjusted 40-50 knives an hour. He'd be a bloody mess by the end of the day, without a pick!!:eek:
Click to expand...

I can picture that.Never pondered it,though,It makes sense & is interesting to know that Thanks Charlie!
-Vince
 
Thanks for all of the information about knife picks. A very cool bit of history as well as something that would come in handy on occasion today.
 
Maybe this is a silly question and I've never used one of those picks, but isn't there a fairly large chance to scratch the blade?
You probably have to push the blade sideways quite a bit and then... :eek:

Peter
 
sextant said:
Maybe this is a silly question and I've never used one of those picks, but isn't there a fairly large chance to scratch the blade?
You probably have to push the blade sideways quite a bit and then... :eek:

Peter
Click to expand...

FLymon won't need to use that knife pick on that particular knife as it is pinchable, but yes...if you got the palsy you'd be doin some serious blade scratchin. That said, this pick could be used to open this Lanny's Clip and the only scratches that would be made would be inside the nail nick.

(I probably should put up a video of how to use a knife pick)

If I can explain this correctly maybe you can visualize this:

Holding the pick like a knife, you place the ground end of the pick into the nail nick (grind down) and press against the top of the blade (directly over the nail nick) with your thumb. You are effectively using the pick and your thumb as pinchers. With a good pinch on the blade, rotate the blade out of the handle enough to pull it to open the rest of the way with your fingers.

I know this sounds a bit clumsy but once you do it a few times it seems normal.
 
Last edited:
KnifeHead said:
FLymon won't need to use that knife pick on that particular knife as it is pinchable, but yes...if you got the palsy you'd be doin some serious blade scratchin. That said, this pick could be used to open this Lanny's Clip and the only scratches that would be made would be inside the nail nick.

(I probably should put up a video of how to use a knife pick)
Click to expand...

Even if I don't really use it much (or ever on a custom like yours) it really makes for a nice package, I think.

And few uses (other than intended) that come to mind are:
Get a stubborn bit of paint off something, or
I bet it will spread a key ring apart when I need to add/remove a key and I just clipped my fingernails, or
A pull tab lifter. I have been known to, on occasion, open many beers in a day and if you ever had a pull tab run up under your fingernail (kinda like a splinter) you know how that can hurt for days,
and if nothing else just think of all the crazy guesses as to what it is I will hear when people see it on my key chain.
;)
 
opening beer bottles came to my mind as well. How do you call the type that sits on top of the bottle like a crown?
I've even been known for opening them with the frame of my Sebenza :eek:
Titanium is a tough material though :)

But with a pick like that would be classy...
Anyhow it really makes for a super nice package: Congrats!

Peter
 
Additional uses for the knife pick:

* tongue scraper
* back scratcher (OK, upper shoulders)
* ear cleaner
* coffee stirrer
* pistachio nut opener
* last ditch defensive weapon
* battery cable connection cleaner
* many other uses

p.s. I don't encourage these uses but thought I would list them as a "Why didn't I think of that?" addendum.
 
I recently bought an old knife that is a real nailbreaker to open, so I've been using the pick that I got from Kerry a while back. He also makes a real nice golf divot repair tool as well.

golf001.jpg


kerrypick007.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'm really enjoying this roll your on Kerry!
That's Black Magic!
-Vince
 
Going tactical on us Kerry? LOL...

In all seriousness that black and silver KHnutbuster does look pretty sweet. Going to a Raiders fan?
 
kamagong said:
Going tactical on us Kerry? LOL...

In all seriousness that black and silver KHnutbuster does look pretty sweet. Going to a Raiders fan?
Click to expand...

Tactical? uhhhhNO. Going to a Raiders fan? Is there such a thing? :p
 
That black canvas micarta and SS hardware is a classic combo, can't go wrong with that! One cool buster for sure!
 
Nice Tacbuster, Kerry!!:D

Actually, it looks more like a Tuxbuster!!:thumbup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top