Little Jack

[Django.cj]

Here's a Schrade I picked up at a flea market last summer. I don't know if it's a peanut exactly, but it's about that size...a little larger in the handle and a wider blade. Half stops on both the pen and clip blades.

The blade stamp reads "Imperial Prov RI", which seems to date it from between 1956 and 1988. It's in pristine shape...not a dang thing wrong with it.

Edited to correct dates per Danny's chart.

 

[dannyp]

Looks like 56-88 to me.

I have one of the small Serpentine Jacks, but it has cam tangs. It looks like mine is a bit narrower. I'm not sure if it's just an illusion from the photos or if they made some that were a little wider.

It looks like yours is in very good shape. Thanks for sharing. I always find the advertising knives interesting.

 

[Django.cj]

Ah your chart has much better detail...site I was looking at said that stamp wording was 16-20. I'll be saving that, thanks! I thought it looked too nice to be nearly a century old lol!

 

[oldgoat1911]

I have about 20 or so of this type of knife. Some date much older, mainly they are great users. The thin carbon steel blades take a scary sharp edge with little effort. Use and enjoy. By the way, some might call that a curved regular Jack...Herb

 

[billym]

I tell you these old "Cheap" knives hold an edge and the ones I have have great snap to them after years. I think rather than buy any more new modern made knives I will hunt out these faux scale/bolster knives from the 30's-60's.
The ones I have are still total users who love getting off the shelf.

 

[Doug Add]

Nice one Django.

I have an Imperial jack knife that is slightly bigger than yours at 3.5625" closed, but is the thinnest two spring knife I own. I had read elsewhere that it was from 1940-59. According to Dan's chart, it is c.1936-52. As Herb said, these blades take a great edge.

 

[Django.cj]

It did take a nice edge, and the snap is impressive; almost GEC level.

 

[rune1279]

I've got one of these in the project pile right now. I managed to get some moisture in under the shells (what looks like a bolster and scales is actually a hollow stamped metal shell with a layer of colored material wrapped around it), so I pulled them off to dry it out. My 'scales' were disintegrating so I chucked them and will paint the shells in their place. I hadn't realized how much I liked this one until it was out of rotation for a few weeks.

I often see these old shell-handled Imperials in the thrift shops or in the junk-knife bin at gun shows. They're usually loose, in bad shape -- I wouldn't say they were made to last. Next time I might just pick a couple up and try my hand at rebuilding a knife, since they're great users.

--Mark