Scout Knives

[sodak]

Until I started reading jackknife's peanut thread, I had never been aware of a Scout knife. Or maybe I had forgotten... Scout rifles I am familiar with.

It looks to be the Americanized Swiss Army knife. Is that an accurate description? Jackknife, since Mr. Van carried his everywhere, did he ever offer an opinion on SAKs? I love my SAKs, but am thinking of trying a Scout.

Thanks!

 

[jackknife]

In those days, sak's were not around much. I never saw my first one till I was in the army, stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, whrere I saw a sak display at an Oshmans sporting goods store. I don't ever recall seeing one in the 1950's.

I think those older guys, like Mr. Van, would not have had much to do with one, they would have been biased by the early bad reputation of stainless steel. The popularity of them had to wait till the post war baby boomers got old enough to buy knives. Most of the men I grew up around had the idea that if it didn't stain or rust, it wasn't good enough for a knife. Plus, the plastic scales would have been a turn off. To the greatest generation, stag was great, working knives had jigged bone, plain working knives had wood, and "plastic" was for kids knives that were going to be lost soon, or destroyed by abuse.

The only stainless steel knife I ever saw him with was his old military issue all steel scout knife, and he called that his dirty work beater knife for when he didn't want to muck up his Remington.

 

[neeman]

In England we had them in Scouts but they were called Campers
Main Blade, Reamer, and a bottle opener and a can opener each end, with a bail for your lanyard.

The Lanyard round your neck, would cross over your scout scarf several times to keep it out of the way and then the knife would be clipped to your belt on your right. (3 o'clock)
Or a long whistle instead of the Camper would go in the top right buttoned shirt pocket.
Your sheath knife would go further back by the clip. (4 o'clock)

The sheath knives had Stag handles and a long clip blade.

Swiss Army knives were too exotic, they were smaller than the Campers and thought to be less strudy for real work.
They were more of a picnic knife.

 

[Lion]

It looks to be the Americanized Swiss Army knife. Is that an accurate description?

I'd say "Yes" and "No" to that one. It is a good way to explain them to a person who has never seen them, but I doubt SAKs had anything to do with the development of the pattern. Scouting in the US grew out of Scouting in England. If a pattern that wasn't already in production in the US was copied, it would have most likely been an English pattern, not a Swiss one. That being said, I am not an expert, nor do I play one on TV.

Leo

 

[Sword and Shield]

If I remember correctly, and I nearly always do...

The first company to get a contract to make "Official" Scout knives was New York Knife Co. in 1911. They were contracted to make the classic 4-blade we know and love, as well as a basic 2-blade easy-open jack. Both were stock patterns, just a new etch and shield. The first American "Scout" patterns were made around the same time as the first Vic SAKs, and from the same progenitor- the horseman's knife.

They held the contract exclusively until 1924, when Remington got it as well. Ulster and Cattaraugus got in on the game in the late 20s, then it was Ulster and Camillus after 1948. The last Ulster-marked Scout knives rolled out in the late 80s, Camillus had a monopoly on the 4-blade until they closed in 2007.

Buck, Leatherman, Case, Kinfolks, Pal and a decent list of others have made Scouts at some time or other.

 

[Lion]

If I remember correctly, and I nearly always do...

The first company to get a contract to make "Official" Scout knives was New York Knife Co. in 1911. They were contracted to make the classic 4-blade we know and love, as well as a basic 2-blade easy-open jack. Both were stock patterns, just a new etch and shield. The first American "Scout" patterns were made around the same time as the first Vic SAKs, and from the same progenitor- the horseman's knife.

Victorinox, even though it wasn't called that yet, started making SAKs 20 years before that, which is why I wasn't ready to be definite. However, I suspect you're right about the horseman's knife. A horseman's knife from the Victorian era is my number two dream knife right after a smoker's knife from the same period.

Leo

 

[Peter Parker]

I like this thread; it's very interesting! Everytime I go to SMKWs I go to the Cattaraugus collectors display next to the stairs. There is an old Cattaraugus Scoutknife in there with stag handles and a compass inserted into them that I always admire. Man I like that knife!