Show Us Your Boys Knife

[btb01]

As far as GEC boys knives go, let’s not forget about the #14.

Here are a couple stainless #15’s.

This one never really grew on me, so I gave it to a friend.

I think this Richards (a gift from Jack Black ) could be considered a boys knife.

 

[JohnDF]

I was going to ask if these were still considered “boys knives.”

It would make an interesting discussion, but they were certainly "modeled" after a Boys Knife.

 

[Gonzalo]

Very cool.
I like the name "schoolknife"... reminds me of simpler times.

Thank you JohnDF. I share your feelings about old times.

 

[Gonzalo]

Great post, thanks for taking the time to post it up. . A beautiful example of an old boys knife, love the wood.

Thank you cudgee for your kind words. I love this little knife too.

 

[Will Power]

I was going to ask if these were still considered “boys knives.” Of the two I have, the Catalina Cherry Burl in particular feels a bit too fancy to count.

Both of my Farm Boys were the same way; made in 2013, and just sitting on the shelf waiting for me to buy ‘em in late 2015. I still kick myself from time to time for not getting one in Nifebrite, too. (In fact, there are quite a few GEC knives I remember that were available back then that I wish I would’ve picked up, but that’s a story for a different thread.)

Definitely in The Rich Boy's category

But for many, Boy is a state of mind.....unless the Gender Police come knocking..

 

[Spaten]

The Shard...

It’s interesting to see the cross section of bone, and how the dye moves through it. Thanks for sharing Will!

 

[JoKr]

 

[Spaten]

I think this Case would qualify.

 

[5K Qs]

We all love the GEC #15 Huckleberry Boys Knife, and i want to see 'em all.
I also want to see Boys knives made by other manufacturers, especially vintage ones.
So channel your inner child and let's see those amazing little budget knives we used to drool over as kids.

One of my favorites, a vintage Case Boys Knife in Yellow Celluloid

Lots of nice GECs and Albers and CSCs knives here that are current descendants of boys' knives, but as a couple of posters have pointed out, their cost (and availability) tend to render them unsuitable for a kid's budget!

So, the vintage models that John mentions are the examples that appeal most to me. I really like the ones posted by R Rich S and G Gonzalo and J Just Tom. and ea42 .

A lot more; have collected old boys knives for a while.
Rich

A couple more real boys knives. I picked up this type on my way home from elementary school. Cost about $0.25 then. We'd
play mumbly peg during recess. Nobody ever thought about; not kids, teachers, admin, etc. Quite normal for kids to do.





Those were the good old days when a kid could afford a knife, not modern remakes that require you to sell a kidney to buy.
Rich

An old boy's knife made by Hadar Hallström, Swedish cutler EKA's predecessor , between 1882 and 1917. Mr John Elmquist took over the company in 1917 and changed the name to EKA, its present name. I include a pic with an insert of an old catalog showing Mr Hallström's first three knives, mine being the second one, named as "Schoolknife" in, what I understand, is a reference to its intended use. All steel, and ebony scales.

Yeah, I think some of what is being shown here really stretches the definition of “boy’s knife”, if what is meant is an inexpensive jack knife suitable for a boy. I wouldn’t give an elementary school kid a $100-plus knife to lose on the playground. Maybe one of these qualifies?:

Great boy's knives everyone! Here's an old Schrade Cut Co :View attachment 1571250

Eric

I also like this serious question about defining the term "boy's knife". I've quoted a post from an old thread on Boys' Knives that lists some characteristics of the pattern(s) in the past. The old thread is very interesting, but unfortunately, most of its photos have disappeared since I first read it 6 or 7 years ago.

Serious question: what exactly makes a knife a "boy's knife"?

Is it just being a single blade smaller slipping? Is there specific bolster patterns, etc. Inquiring minds want to know.

"Attributes of the pattern"? Here is what I have noticed so far.

Pricepoint - Very inexpensive retail price befitting the target demographic... boys with limited income and parents introducing boys to knives not wanting to invest much in a first knife.
Handle - Usually painted stamped thin metal with some sort of decoration, sometimes but not always text, single bolster co-formed and often but not always polished.
Shackle - Sometimes, sometimes not. Same for the chain. When used, it generally is offset from the head pin rather than attached by it.
Pattern - Usually a barehead jack, one or two blades, Spear and sheepfoot being most common pocketblades, small pen being most common secondary when present.
Linings - Almost exclusively iron (steel)
Pins - Usually just three, pivot pin, spring pin and head pin, all iron (steel).
Source countries - Germany, England and U.S. With the first being most common, last being least common.
Timeline - Still undetermined at this time. Broadly speaking, 1890's thru late 1930's. The market seems to have been co-opted by Imperial and Colonial progressively from the mid-1930's until WWII. One can logicly assume that U.S. production came about largely due to the derth of the imported patterns during the 1915-1919 time period.
...

- GT

 

[Jack Black]

My first Boy's Knives (before I got a Lambsfoot ) were made by Richards of Sheffield

 

[Jack Black]

Imperial Boy's Knife

 

[Jack Black]

A couple by GEC

 

[JohnDF]

Beyond Cool.

 

[mbkr]

I think the Case 6235 1/2 qualifies.

 

[Jack Black]

Beyond Cool.

Thanks John, that was actually a real grail for me! It's the same pattern as my first pocket-knife, and in the same series, but with different covers. Maybe I'll find an exact match one day!

 

[btb01]

Definitely in The Rich Boy's category

Private school boys’ knives.

Lots of nice GECs and Albers and CSCs knives here that are current descendants of boys' knives, but as a couple of posters have pointed out, their cost (and availability) tend to render them unsuitable for a kid's budget!

So, the vintage models that John mentions are the examples that appeal most to me. I really like the ones posted by R Rich S R Rich S and G Gonzalo G Gonzalo and J Just Tom. J Just Tom. and ea42 ea42 .

That’s a fair point, but unfortunately I think the whole concept of a “boys’ knife” as we think of it is a thing of the past. If a kid today were going to spend their money on a pocket knife, I doubt that 1 out of 100 would buy anything that we (traditional knife enthusiasts) would call a boys’ knife. They’d end up with an SAK, or an inexpensive modern folder, maybe an Opinel or something similar.

I don’t think the fact that a GEC boys’ knife costs more than a kid would spend on a knife necessarily disqualifies it from being called a boys’ knife. I think of it as a pattern, like a stockman or a canoe, though maybe not as clearly defined as others. Barlows were traditionally inexpensive knives, but that doesn’t mean a TC Barlow isn’t a barlow (no matter how ridiculous the secondary market prices are).

The only reason I questioned whether my Albers would count is because of the premium handle material, which is not a feature normally associated with a traditional boys’ knife.

 

[Just Tom.]

I think the Case 6235 1/2 qualifies.

I certainly got mine as a boy, but didn’t use it much until I was older, because it was too hard for my little fingers to open…

 

[JohnDF]

Thanks John, that was actually a real grail for me!

I saw one on the auction site recently, along with a Roy Rogers book.
I bookmarked it to bid, but got busy and missed the auction... very cool knife, maybe I'll find another one day.

Private school boys’ knives

Lol...

Barlows were traditionally inexpensive knives, but that doesn’t mean a TC Barlow isn’t a barlow (no matter how ridiculous the secondary market prices are).

Great point.

For me, as a young boy, I was drawn to the shell handled knives with pictures like the Cowboy Knife Jack posted.
As I entered Middle School, it was all Old Timer Knives for me... because they were well-built and CHEAP.
So the cheap knives definitely held true for my childhood selections, but I wouldn't call them Boys Knives.

 

[Jack Black]

I saw one on the auction site recently, along with a Roy Rogers book.
I bookmarked it to bid, but got busy and missed the auction... very cool knife, maybe I'll find another one day.

Lol...

Great point.

For me, as a young boy, I was drawn to the shell handled knives with pictures like the Cowboy Knife Jack posted.
As I entered Middle School, it was all Old Timer Knives for me... because they were well-built and CHEAP.
So the cheap knives definitely held true for my childhood selections, but I wouldn't call them Boys Knives.

Good luck John, Richards produced a heck of a lot of knives, and there must be a lot still out there

 

[Just Tom.]