One arm patterns with the cut out at the tip the blade. Useful or silly?

I'm a hemiplegic, paralyzed on my left side. I've tried a couple of razors and have no problems with them at all. None of the perils listed here.
 
pertinux said:
My own understanding of possibly apocryphal origins (<-- meaning, maybe someone made all of this up? heh) << rubbish is that amputees and/or cattlemen alike broke the ends off of existing knife blades to render them one-handed openers, or "how to keep using my knife." << could be Seeing that, knife companies said, "Here, we'll make one like that for you out of the box." << Too much speculation.
~ P.
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Get some knife books. The razor pattern is written about quite a bit. It's a very old and popular pattern. They sell quickly whenever they pop up on auction sales or dealer's sites. The razor blade on the Case Barlow is quite prominent. I'd post a picture if I had one but I don't have one of one of my razor knives and I don't like posting other's pictures.

Now this is speculation but there appears to be a knife (Barlow) with a razor blade in the group of knives recovered from the Steamboat Arabia which sunk in the Missouri River in 1856 which could make it a pre-Civil War pattern.

Who knows for sure. If I have a chance later, I'll pull one of mine out of storage, take, and, post a picture of it.
 
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Although perhaps originally designed for the handicapped, I'm sure the manufacturers spied a marketing opportunity with the fully able as well.
 
I really only have use of my right arm/hand. I have figured out how to open some slipjoints one-handed. It's not pretty, but it works. Some I have handled just don't work well using my method. One was my Victorinox Compact that I occasionally carry at work. So taking a note from history, I had a knife maker cut a small notch near the tip of the blade so I could open it by snagging it on things. Works great.
 
I have a Queen one-arm trapper and it works quite well. The "hook" is pretty sharp, so while it easily snags on clothing, it also tends to tear up fabric. It won't snap closed on your fingers, because one should hold the knife on the sides.
 
fatcorgi said:
I know that GEC's next Charlow will be a razor pattern, I wonder if they will forgoe the half-stop or make it a lighter pull.
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As a point of clarity, I believe spey blade mains are next, with the razors being last-- an exciting finale, for those of us who like these one-armed patterns. :)

I've said this a few times before, but its worth repeating here - in all this we have to think not just about a knife perfectly fitted for our needs, but how with practice own hands can adapt to fit the knife.
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Absolutely! Speaking of which...
ASBOB said:
I'm a hemiplegic, paralyzed on my left side. I've tried a couple of razors and have no problems with them at all. None of the perils listed here.
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Halfneck said:
I really only have use of my right arm/hand. I have figured out how to open some slipjoints one-handed. It's not pretty, but it works. Some I have handled just don't work well using my method. One was my Victorinox Compact that I occasionally carry at work. So taking a note from history, I had a knife maker cut a small notch near the tip of the blade so I could open it by snagging it on things. Works great.
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More power to you, men. You have my respect.

Obsessed with Edges said:
I'm sure many of the modern iterations of these are just nostalgic throwbacks to the design, with little thought given to true functionality anyway. In that case, those would definitely be the 'silly' ones. ;)
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Here's my sole razor, a modern Solingen Russell, and it keens towards "silly":
IMG_2539a.jpg~original


IMG_2542.jpg~original


There isn't enough "lip" there at the spine to catch the blade consistently on most anything. Except:
herisson said:
I would catch it on the edge of my shoe sole for opening.
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... It works really well on shoes, especially if they have softer soles into which one can slightly press the knife end. Not that "pressure" is something one necessarily wants to add the equation?

I know I could deepen the cut-out near the spine and give the blade more of a catch point, but I'll probably leave it as-is as an example of (mostly) style over substance.

I'd think smooth camber blades would work better than those with half-stops?

~ P.
 
Try catching it on the leg seam of your Osh Gosh. That's what it's made for.
 
According to the Case web site, the Russlock was introduced in 2000.
 
<begin rubbish>I really enjoy your photos! That knife is a really cool collection of anachronisms. How well does it shave?:-)
End of US Civil war 1865. First Russell Barlow 1875. German Replica Barlow 1971.<more rubbish>
 
Thank you all because you have answered my question. The one arm pattern can be useful IF the cut out is sharp. If not, it can always be sharpened.
 
Interesting thread.
I do like a bit of controversy.
Here's my take on these cut out one armed one handed openers.
If and only if and when we invent a fully operational bionic type hand which(correct me if I'm wrong as I am sure someone will) we haven't yet will this knife become an anachronism.
Fortunately for me I'm not an amputee but this olden day innovation still appears to have a valid use for some people and that':thumbup:s a good thing.
 
These are interesting oddities. But, it seems bizarre to have a TWO bladed model where only one blade could be opened by the injured or maimed......especially Beartrap style :D:eek:
 
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