Sort of an odd question about old traditional patterns.

el gigantor

el gigantor

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Good day to you wise porch folks. I have a question about traditional patterns I hope you can answer. It is two-fold:

A) what are the oldest patterns that are still produced today? The Sodbuster is my favourite, but I’m fairly sure others pre-date it by many years.

B) Taking into consideration the response to part A, what are the largest of those patterns that are still produced today? I ask because I’m a giant and I have massive mitts.

The older I get (currently 41), the more I appreciate how things used to be. How things were when my grandparents were growing up. I’d love to acquire a traditional pocket knife pattern that’s existed in some form for decades if not a century, as well as one that won’t disappear in my caveman-style hands.

Much obliged for your time!
 
Maybe someone more knowledgeable can tell you about what patterns are oldest. I know that archaeologically, the oldest folding knife I know of is a Roman friction folder, so if you wanted to go that route, a Svord Peasant Knife is a nice friction folder. I have XL mitts, and a full size Svord is plenty for my hand.

As far as more typical slipjoint knives, the biggest patterns I can think of are Whaler/Sunfish/Elephant Toes, Marlinspike Knives, and granddaddy barlows. Here is an image of a normal scout knife, marlinspike knife, and whaler for reference.

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And here is the whaler in my hand:

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Tod Cutler makes this friction folder, based on designs that were common between the 12th and 16th centuries (and arguably up to the 18th). It has what I think is the most traditional and historic blade style, a Sheepsfoot :thumbsup:

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Case's '65 pattern Folding Hunter and their P172 pattern 'clasp knife' (sometimes called the 'Buffalo' pattern) are both very large at 5-1/2" closed. The Buffalo is also bulkier than the Folding Hunter - a massive traditional knife. Both patterns from Case date back to pre-1940s at least. The '65 Folding Hunter is still made today - but I don't think the Buffalo is found in any vintage past the late '70s or so. But they can still be found in the secondary market.
 
I think the oldest slipjoint pattern in continuous production is the Barlow, which dates back to the mid 1700's.
The "Daddy" Barlow is usually around 5 inches closed. I'm not sure if there is a 2 blade Daddy Barlow.
Other than Rough Rider, I don't know who else is currently making a Daddy Barlow. Frost might be, but personally, I avoid Frost moreso than the Plague and/or The Covids.
I know Case has the Barlow "in the vault" and isn't making any Barlows of any size at this time.
 
Take a look at the vintage catalogs thread. In his opening posts Blues put up some pages from my 1886 HSB catalog as well as some of my late 1880s M&G ads. And there are many more catalog pages in that thread. It will give you a good idea of what patterns were popular 140 years ago or more.
 


I believe the most recent of these models is the Douk-Douk, which is approaching the century mark. All are large (the Okapi is 5-1/2 inches closed, to give you an idea of scale), but fairly slim except the Opinel.

You could go up to a number 9 or 10 Opinel if you need larger, and the Opinel has the most hand-filling handle (unless you make your own custom handle like the ones I did to the right and left).
 
Case's Sodbuster is their interpretation of an old pattern common in Germany and France. They have gone by many names, including Hippekniep, which dates to the mid 19th century.
The Otter Messer version is pretty true to the older style, as is the Case, for that matter.
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kamagong kamagong Christian's suggestion of a Lag is an excellent one, not only because it has been around for nigh on 2 centuries but you can get big ones: 11, 12, 13cm

Not so old but a long enough pedigree is the German Mercator knife. sometimes called the Kaiser Wilhelm Knife due to it becoming popular in his reign 1888-1918. First made by Kaufmann in 1867-some suggest earlier- it has been in continuous production either by Kaufmann or its successors since then, the famous K55 Cat Knife. Now made by Otter Meßer Solingen, Germany. Available as spring back or lockback , carbon or stainless, handles in black painted steel with the leaping Cat or in polished stainless, anodised brass, copper with the Otter trademark. 11cm shut includes a bail. Earlier models apparently had other tools in addition to the Spear master.

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The sodbuster is a very old pattern and a Case large Sodbuster is a pretty big knife. About like a lightweight Buck 110.
Also, the Svord peasant knife or the Opinel knives. I would suggest a large Opinel.
 
tongueriver said:
The cokebottle folding hunter, usually about 5 1/4 to 5 1/2 inches closed is more hand-filling than the serpentine folding hunter which has largely supplanted it. The cokebottles were made by most cutleries in the first 40 years of the 20th century and maybe earlier, and are easily found for sale on Ebay. CASE made this one in 1989 and there may be a few other more modern examples. The daddy barlow and serpentine folding hunters which are slightly less hand-filling are extremely easy to find and are still being made by CASE, and earlier by almost all cutleries. I recommend buying a couple dozen different examples. That's what we do. View attachment 1773238View attachment 1773239View attachment 1773240:)
Click to expand...

I have an 1887 M&G ad with a large coke bottle.
 
Before collecting took off their were regional names for patterns too. Where I grew up most single blades jacks were called "farmer" or "field" knives, especially the Case slimline trapper. Stockmans were "cattle" knives. Large 2 bladed trappers were known as "cowboy" knives and the congress was a "plug" knife.
 
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