Texas Toothpick

Doug C

Doug C

Joined
Mar 15, 2005
Messages
26,811
A.G.Russell,Texas Toothpick,Texas Ranger Commemorative.Has a leaf shaped Blade,Dyed Beef Bone scales.Anyone have any experience or input about this knife?Slipjoint.
 
Just take a gander at my screen name and guess what I collect...

I bought one when they first came out, 1 1/2 year ago, I think. Fine knife, like everything else AG produces. I liked the blade, very unusual for a toothpick, something different than the usual Turkish clip. See how it stands out in this pic with some more usual 'picks.

Just got it out of the display case... Fit and finish is AG Russell-typical. Nice bone, cool shield. But it is that blade that makes it special. I cannot report that I have used this knife for anything, carried it only a few times. Big knife, but most of my jeans have an extra seam added in my wallet back pocket for a five inch tickler to slip into it. I think any Texas Ranger would be proud to carry this shiv.

Phil
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Top one: Frank Buster 'Fightin' Rooster' with a cast front bolster. I understand those fancy bolsters were 'found' in an old German factory, but we all know how those stories go.

The 'Texas Toothpick' has always been the 'bad boy' of pocket knives; probably why they appeal to me. The names that the pattern have been given over the years are colorful: 'Tickler, Saturday Night Special, Tango or Dance knife, Switchback, East St. Louis Tickler, Powderhorn, ect.
 
I have an extremely similar and at least quite old knife. I inheireted it from my grandfather a few years back. If I recall correctly, it was made in France, howerver. Does that make any sense?
 
Artfully Martial, it makes sense: it may be a Laguiole. If you put one of these classic French knives next to a Toothpick, you will see a real similarity: long narrow clippoint blade, handle narrowing to the turned down butt. The Laguiole tends to be wider as seen from above, though.

Does it look like one of these? -- http://www.cutlerytogo.com/frenchknives.html
 
Thanks! I searched through his old collection and found it. It does in fact, say LAGUIOLE on the blade, and right below it, EN AUBRAC. Next to those, it shows a bull's head insignia. France is written on the bottom of the other side of the blade, opposite to this is 440. This knife is nearly identical to the one in your picture on the top right. The blade is something like 2.8 inches. It has a very strange locking mechanism, it isn't even really a lock exactly...I've never seen anything like it.

My grandfather collected old knives, but not necessarily COLLECTABLE old knives. Just very old knives, mostly well used work knives. Is this knife of any real significance, or just another example of an old work knife?
 
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