Tell Me About The Senator Pattern?

That Needham is a fine example of how 'upscale' the Senator knives often were 100 or more years ago. Plus the accomplished craftsmanship shown in the blade grinds and swages and then fitting the 4 blades in perfectly with no space left over and no blade rubs.
Most of mine still have perfect blade action despite their advanced age. As long as careful sharpening is always practised, these will last for hundreds of years. Amazing craftsmanship !
roland
 
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I posted this one a bit back in the Old Knives thread, one of mine -- a little Robeson script ShurEdge equal end pen with tip bolsters -- only 2 3/4" long closed with some amazing wormgroove bone. Nice sweet snap.


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Blimey! That was fast!
Jack, the Senator arrived today.
I don't know how it got here so fast, but you really should start a business selling knives :D

I see what you mean about it not being Case's best work, but it is enough to let me know that I absolutely love this pattern.
I think I prefer the Case rendition of this type of knife because it is skinnier than most of the others I have seen in photos.
Skinnier from top to bottom that is.
This gives it a grip similar to that of the peanut, whereas most small knives want to rotate between your fingers.

This knife has had a working life, but considering it's a couple of years older than me, it can still give a good account of itself.
I zipped a huge cardboard box into 5" squares with it no problem, and was able to get a real good feeling for the pattern.

I think I'm going to save my pennies and get a high-end model (maybe pearl?) for a 'dress knife'.

Don't tell the peanut club, but I think I like the senator just as much, if not slightly more than the peanut...

Thanks again Jack :)
 
There are some amazing knives and even better people in this thread! I'm a big fan of pen knife variations. Something about having a symmetrical pattern with blades on both ends just grabs me. I don't have too many of them yet, but let me re-post these pictures of the ones I do have (I realize they're not technically senators or even all pen knives!)

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I carry around the little Rough Rider pen whittler most of the time because i like the design and I'm not afraid to scuff it up or lose it. To tell you the truth-- I miss the other ones, though! I won't be back home with them for almost another month.
 
I'm glad it got there safe and amazed it got there that fast. Around here, FedEx Overnight couldn't have pulled that off. Believe it or not, it was even rougher than that when I got it. It seems to have had a pretty hard life. Glad you like it, enjoy.
 
It may be rough, but it's still serviceable.
I like to think of it as having character :)
I've never owned a knife from the seventies before. I've got razors that are over a century old, but it's kinda nice to have a knife that's almost exactly the same age as me.
 
Heck, I've got knives from the seventies that I bought new. ;)

Does that make me an antique? :D
 
A "Senator" Pen knife is round ended and symmetrical. The spine is either straight or has a slight curve. The Crown or Coffin Pen has square ends. I think "Oval" Pen knife and Senator can be used inter-changeably for some knives.
Senators can have 2, 3, or 4 blades.

Here are 3 2 blade Pearl Senators, longest is 3 1/8"

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The smaller two are from early 20th Century.

roland
 
This i think is about a large as the frame can be and still be called a Senator at 3 3/4".
Unmarked, excellent quality Ivory Celluloid.

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All of these Senators shown so far have a sharp snap open, closed and half stop.
There is only one small place between half stop and closed where the blade will stay in position. Makes 'em dangerous to position open for pics as all these blades are ground thinnly and are razor sharp, much like a Corn knife.
roland
 
Nice Senator showing there Roland, tough act to follow. Here are my USA made Senators, Pens, Cigar Pens, etc. Sizes range from 2 1/2" to 3 1/8"

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SCHRADE WALDEN, ULSTER, SCHRADE CUT

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SCHRADE WALDENS

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SCHRADE WALDEN, ULSTER KNIFE CO, SCHRADE CUT (Pen with a clip???)

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HAMMER BRAND, CAMILLUS

I concur with Roland, these little knives were made durable, with tight fitting blades. I really like the spear - pen combo.
 
LGK 4th pg. 240 "The master blade of a senator pen is a small spear-point".
So, what is the name for the Schrade Cut. Co. above with a clip master ? Pen knife ?
roland
 
Hi,

Somehow it seems the Senator was made to wear pearl scales I think. They just look so good to me that way. Roland it was worth the wait to see your Senators. The smallest one in your first set just knock down pretty. And that grooved one just reminds of Art Deco design.

And I agree, it's a very robust pattern deserving of more exposure.

dalee
 
rprocter said:
LGK 4th pg. 240 "The master blade of a senator pen is a small spear-point".
So, what is the name for the Schrade Cut. Co. above with a clip master ? Pen knife ?
roland
Click to expand...

An equal end pen probably. But the original Schrade ads called it a senator (thawk put this up in the Old Knives thread recently):

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Schrade probably made an otherwise identical pattern with a spear master too -- seems rather awkward to call them two different patterns.

BTW, Schrade made a number of variants of this little 3 1/8" equal end pattern - both for themselves and for contracts. A little off topic, but I thought it might be interesting - there's just something about this equal end jack version with its EZ open notch plus nail ease notch that really works for me:

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Dwight, i've got one of these SCC, Double EO Jacks as well. V. nice knife.
SCC was around long before BRL. Bernard has tried to bring some uniformity to knife nomenclature, but to do so some arbitrary decision had to be made. That SCC called it "Senator" is equally authoratative, but then we get back to different people using different names for the same knife, or the same name for different knives.
roland
 
Both of these are four blade 3 3/8" and marked on all blades: I*XL George/Wostenholm/Sheffield. Likely made pre 1891. I think the scales are bone ??

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I don't know a lot about vintage British knives so please feel free to post any info about any of these knives.
roland
 
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C X/Lockwood/Brothers/Sheffield//Real Knife/Pampa

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Repeat/Needham/Brothers/Sheffield synthetic handles

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I*XL George/Wostenholm/Sheffield/England

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roland
 
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Wade bros/Celebrated/Cutlery marked on both blades. Odd marking but blade grinds and swaging look vintage British.

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John Watts/Sheffield/Estb 1785 Lists dates of all the Kings and Queens from Wm I ("The Conquerer") 1066 to Geo V 1910

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2 3/8", John Askham is marked on both blades

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roland
 
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Rodgers/Cutlers/To Her/Majesty // Sheffield/ logo /England
Unfortunately this has a broken off blade, but still it's a finely crafted knife.

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roland
 
2 3/4" four blade, synthetic handles: Clark Bros/Celebrated/Cutlery marked on all blades.
No "Sheffield" or "England" so likely for domestic sales only ?

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roland
 
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