"Old Knives"

For the most part electrician's knives do not seem to "spark" interest for most people... but for me, if it's old, it's worth a look. This old Empire has a unique locking mechanism for the screwdriver, when it is fully open, there is a snap fit between the blade and the spring that locks it in place. Inside, there is a little bar that sits across both springs. The bar is attached to one of the springs but not the other. When you press down on the pen blade when it is in the closed position, the "stack" part of the tang presses on this bar and pushes the screwdriver blade spring down enough to disengage the snap fit. Really clever little doo-dad ;):D:thumbsup:

EMPEK-1A.JPG EMPEK-1B.JPG EMPEK-1C.JPG
PRESS LIKE THIS TO CLOSE THE SCREWDRIVER
EMPEK-1D.JPG
BAR ACROSS THE SPRINGS
EMPEK-1I.JPG
EMPEK-1J.JPG
YOU CAN SEE THE HOLE THRU THE CENTER LINER IN THIS PIC BELOW
EMPEK-1E.JPG

EMPEK-1F.JPG

BEST PIC OF THE "BAR" I COULD GET BELOW
EMPEK-1G.JPG
SEE THE GROOVE IN THE SCREWDRIVER BLADE, THE SPRING MUST BE NOTCHED FOR IT TO SNAP INTO
EMPEK-1H.JPG
 
veitsi_poika said:
For the most part electrician's knives do not seem to "spark" interest for most people... but for me, if it's old, it's worth a look. This old Empire has a unique locking mechanism for the screwdriver, when it is fully open, there is a snap fit between the blade and the spring that locks it in place. Inside, there is a little bar that sits across both springs. The bar is attached to one of the springs but not the other. When you press down on the pen blade when it is in the closed position, the "stack" part of the tang presses on this bar and pushes the screwdriver blade spring down enough to disengage the snap fit. Really clever little doo-dad ;):D:thumbsup:

View attachment 1260762 View attachment 1260763 View attachment 1260764
PRESS LIKE THIS TO CLOSE THE SCREWDRIVER
View attachment 1260765
BAR ACROSS THE SPRINGS
View attachment 1260772
View attachment 1260773
YOU CAN SEE THE HOLE THRU THE CENTER LINER IN THIS PIC BELOW
View attachment 1260766

View attachment 1260767

BEST PIC OF THE "BAR" I COULD GET BELOW
View attachment 1260768
SEE THE GROOVE IN THE SCREWDRIVER BLADE, THE SPRING MUST BE NOTCHED FOR IT TO SNAP INTO
View attachment 1260769
Click to expand...


That's a very cool find, and thanks for the clear pictures. :cool::thumbsup: I have a Red Devil by Smith & Hemmenway (perhaps made by Empire?) but the mechanism is so worn, the lock doesn't hold anymore. Still a usable slipjoint, though.
ms51awB.jpg

UqBdax3.jpg
 
Nice comeback Mike.
Rachel you have an extensive variety of excellent marks and makers.

Kevin, Empire had some astute engineers. Their version of the farmers jack extended the standard apx. 4” frame design to 4 1/8”. This seemingly innocent 1/8th " allowed the design preservation while beefing up the integrity of the function.
The pruner is a hard working ,pressure absorbing blade; all the while locked on the end of the knife by a little apx. 1/8th" pin. The primary design of the wharncliff frame calls for rat tailed bolsters ( maybe to catch a sweaty, slippery hand ?{a conjecture} ).

In all the examples I have, only Empire and Schrade ( who must have copied, as they came much later, and could have hired Empire personnel ? ) put that essential pin in the meat of the bolster rather than the thinnest and weakest part of the pruning end. Maybe the Queen Titusvilles produced in 2009 ?

A Crown Cutlery ( standard size apx. 4", showing the pivot pin rotating in the rat tail of the bolster)

Crown Cutlery New York (2).JPG Crown Cutlery New York (5).JPG


Empire 4 1/8" with visible pin in the meat of the bolster. Not my knife.Empire Wistead only 246 dollars, bid 244 Feb 2 2012 4.JPGEmpire Wistead 246 dollars, bid 244 Feb 2 2012 4.jpg
 
Last edited:
wlfryjr said:
Rachel you have an extensive variety of excellent marks and makers.
Click to expand...
Thank you. It helps that I don't mind well worn examples. ;)
wlfryjr said:
In all the examples I have, only Empire and Schrade ( who must have copied, as they came much later, and could have hired Empire personnel ? ) put that essential pin in the meat of the bolster rather than the thinnest and weakest part of the pruning end. Maybe the Queen Titusvilles produced in 2009 ?
Click to expand...
I've always wondered if a pivot is stronger when it's through a thicker part of the bolster, rather than at the bottom of the rat tail groove. Easier to hammer on, too. :thumbsup:
 
From what I understand Rachel, the hole accepting the pin in the bolster is tapered outward like a cone allowing the expansion of the hammered pin. I could be wrong. :)
 
Last edited:
r8shell said:
That's a very cool find, and thanks for the clear pictures. :cool::thumbsup: I have a Red Devil by Smith & Hemmenway (perhaps made by Empire?) but the mechanism is so worn, the lock doesn't hold anymore. Still a usable slipjoint, though.
ms51awB.jpg

UqBdax3.jpg
Click to expand...
It must be an Empire made one :thumbsup:
 
Some older Solingen Knives I own also have the Main Blade lock and you have to press down the Pen Blade deeper into the Liner to release the main- Possibly even Empire May have adopted this from the European Cutlers?
Kev my friend I too have a live fir the older TL 29’s - I’m especially please as I had two land on my Shores from a good friend - of which I need some rare spare time to take photos and do a show and tell.
Very nice showing Kevin, R8shell and Lyall!
 
Campbellclanman said:
Some older Solingen Knives I own also have the Main Blade lock and you have to press down the Pen Blade deeper into the Liner to release the main- Possibly even Empire May have adopted this from the European Cutlers?
Kev my friend I too have a live fir the older TL 29’s - I’m especially please as I had two land on my Shores from a good friend - of which I need some rare spare time to take photos and do a show and tell.
Very nice showing Kevin, R8shell and Lyall!
Click to expand...
Could be Duncan... I searched quite a while last night online to see if Empire had a patent on that locking mechanism and I did not find anything, so maybe they did "borrow" the idea from Europe ;)
 
wlfryjr said:
From what I understand Rachel, the hole accepting the pin in the bolster is tapered outward like a cone allowing the expansion of the hammered pin.
Click to expand...

I don't know for sure, but I think the design is a slight taper to the pin and hole. From a manufacturing standpoint that makes the most sense, as it allows use of a longer pin to ensure a tight fit, easy peening, and a fairly straight forward reamer to be used for hole alignment. Many older firearms use this feature for alignment pins.
 
Nice electricians knives everyone, I like the slimmer pattern like you are showing.

Grabbed this Boker Fish knife yesterday that I am unable to find much info on or any other examples. Large with bone handles and stainless steel, reminds me of the George Schrade Boker all metal fish knives.
Anyone have any info on these? Sellers pics.


s-l1600.jpg s-l1600 (1).jpg s-l1600 (2).jpg
 
Augie said:
Nice electricians knives everyone, I like the slimmer pattern like you are showing.

Grabbed this Boker Fish knife yesterday that I am unable to find much info on or any other examples. Large with bone handles and stainless steel, reminds me of the George Schrade Boker all metal fish knives.
Anyone have any info on these? Sellers pics.


View attachment 1261486 View attachment 1261487 View attachment 1261488
Click to expand...

Nice one! I believe Boker owned G. Schrade for a while, so that is probably the connection.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top