My Father's Knife

L

LegendaryDash

Joined
Aug 2, 2016
Messages
5
Hello, everyone. I stumbled upon this forum while looking for a replacement for a knife I thought I had lost. My wife gave me a Benchmade mini-grip (440C) for our anniversary 11 years ago and I've carried it just about every day since. When I couldn't find it for a couple of weeks, I went in search of an exact replacement and had trouble finding one that was made from 440C. The information explosion that I found here from the knowledgeable members almost made my brain melt! I'm hoping that maybe someone can give me some insight to a knife my father left behind. I found it in his small box of Army things. He kept only a few medals, patches, pictures and small things that must have meant something to him personally. The markings at the base of the blade say "BASSETT USA 70", there is a fingernail groove to open the blade and a small metal bar on the back that acts sort of like a spring. If anyone has any information about where these knives came from, what they were commonly used for or anything else, I would be greatly appreciative. Just looking to piece together stories about my dad and he never really spoke much about his time in the Army. Thanks!

pictured next to my mini-grip for size comparison:

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Try posting this in traditional forum, that looks like something similar to a Christy knife. Just read the forum rules about having that new folder in there, just as long as you keep it with your fathers knife you should be good.
 
Ironically my wife found a similar looking knife among here father's things after he passed away. The only difference is his is gold plated.
He was a WWII vet, but the knife doesn't have a connection to his military service.
It was actually part of a manicure set that he owned ( my wife has the complete set in a box).

The company you mention did make these tools and some were sold in barber shops , pharmacies etc.
Some were also made with multiple tools in the handle ( like and early leatherman) and were sold individually.
 
Thank you for the responses. I have asked for the thread to be moved. I will also spend some time researching the manicure sets and see what I can find out. Thank you!
 
It was basically called a trim-trio, but often stamped with advertising of others. My dad discovered these sometime in the '60s and we each carried one for quite some time. Cheap, sharp, with a bottle-opener, what more do you need? I have quite a soft spot for them.
I'll post a pic of one still in its packaging. Note the "Good Housekeeping" seal.
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I know I rotated that pic. I blame Windows 10.
I bought this one as NOS in a hardware cum antique store a few years ago, for the original price, yet.
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It's a knife out of a grooming kit ,which you already know because I just noticed that I'm large to the party 😁
 
Good old Trim Trio. It would fit in Multitools as much asTraditionals. We can leave it here, we seem to be getting a good response. If they still made them now, I would still be carrying one. But the last ones I saw for sale were stamped out so cheaply I gave up on them.
 
Didn't EVERYONE'S dad have one of these? :p

I think that ANY small steel grooming tool (esp. with a sharp edge) that says made in USA or Japan is from a bygone era and should be coveted and collected. :thumbup:
 
My dad was of a demographic that used to take out their pen-knives and fool with their nails whenever they were bored, never mind if they were sitting in front of a congregation at church or in a faculty meeting.
 
Nostimos said:
Didn't EVERYONE'S dad have one of these? :p

I think that ANY small steel grooming tool (esp. with a sharp edge) that says made in USA or Japan is from a bygone era and should be coveted and collected. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Mine did! Thread is a great trip down memory lane. Hadn't seen or thought of this thing in probably over 30 years.
 
In half my lifetime, we went from everyone carried one to ... "You're under arrest." :thumbdn:
 
Esav Benyamin said:
In half my lifetime, we went from everyone carried one to ... "You're under arrest." :thumbdn:
Click to expand...

Any self respecting boy in grade school had a pocket knife. I got mine from Dad when I was a Cub Scout. He wouldn't buy a Camp-King for me because it wasn't a "real" knife. He gave me a Case medium two-blade stockman type knife. Been partial to Case ever since.
 
My Dad had a trim trio on his key ring for as long as I can remember.This thread sure brings me back.
Yes I can recall when I was a kid all the boys and some of the girls carried a pocket knife every day.
All my uncles also .Didn't have to be anything fancy just functional.
Thanks for this post it sure brings back the memories.
 
Thanks for the overwhelming response, everyone. I don't remember if my dad carried this with him at any point as he passed away in '87 when I was 11. Either way, I will hold onto this along with the memories I have. Cool to see so many remember these little knives and sets!
 
I'm delighted to see others remember these with affection. I remember my uncle borrowing my dad's to clean a fish. I don't remember why my uncle didn't have a knife of his own, but he used to keep dog biscuits in his pockets to stay friendly with all the dogs that used to run loose around the lake. Or maybe he thought he might as well not get his own knife grubby.
 
The one I have now is brand new, but it's made In Korea.
I'm pretty sure the one I had as a kid was a TRIM as the logo feels very familiar to me .
 
It was the first knife I probably ever owned, I remember my Old Man would let me buy them from the vending machines in the rest area bathrooms, they were usually 50 cents, He wouldn't let me buy the balloons in the other machine, then I found out what they were. :eek: ;) :)
 
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