The “Boy’s Knife”

[Justin T.]

I don’t know when this stopped being a thing, but some time ago there were traditional folders that were designed and sold with boys in mind.

They were often smaller, to work better in smaller hands, and were usually inexpensively made by mass producers that could stack em high and sell em cheap in five and dimes, general/hardware stores, and sears and wards catalogs. Funny thing, though, they were often fairly well made for what they were. I imagine they were mostly used hard, abused some, and lost a lot. Seems like finding a boy’s knife in good or better condition would be like finding a popular collectible toy in mint condition-kids usually rack the heck out of the ones they like, and I would guess pocket knives would be the same way.

Here is my lone example. It is a 1930’s Hammer brand mini-Barlow. I used to carry this on occasion, but the celluloid scales have started to separate into layers, so it just sits now.

Do you have a boy’s knife in your collection?

 

[afishhunter]

The "Boy's Knife" was also popular with savvy adults. (especially the Barlow, and "texas jack" patterns.)
The "boy's knife" generally had inexpensive shell construction to cut costs, but, they had the same high quality blades as the more expensive like patterns aimed at the adult buyer, with real bolsters and covers.

 

[Justin T.]

The "Boy's Knife" was also popular with savvy adults. (especially the Barlow pattern.)
The "boy's knife" generally had inexpensive shell construction to cut costs, but, they had the same high quality blades as the more expensive like patterns aimed at the adult buyer, with real bolsters and covers.

Agreed, for sure. I also remember that a lot of adults that pocket carried knives liked smaller ones because they rode better in the pocket. All of my grands and uncles, and my dad when he carried, liked smaller knives for that reason.

 

[Old Hunter]

When I was a boy of age to carry a pocketknife (pretty much the decade of the 1960’s) this was what I carried and what most of my buddies carried. I did have some cheap penknives (Colonial and Imperial shell knives) but the Scout Knife was our boys knife. I don’t recall ever having a classic Boys Knife aka small jackknife (did have Klein wire skinners as my Granddad and Uncle were electricians). I carried my Boy Scout Knife until I got a nice Buck 301 Stockman when I was about 16. OH

 

[JohnDF]

This was a gift from a generous Porch Friend
It is one the most treasured knives in my whole collection

 

[waynorth]

This was a gift from a generous Porch Friend
It is one the most treasured knives in my whole collection
View attachment 2364982

Nice knife John; and welcome back!! I hope you had a restorative break from this nonsense!!

 

[waynorth]

High grade Boys knives!!
I used to dream about owning a pickup truck!!

 

[redsparrow]

As a boy my contemporaries most often carried Scout knives. A Barlow was the knife of my youth, they cost less then Scouts. Never heard of a "Boy's Knife" until I began collecting as an adult.
Here's a duplicate of a Barlow I bought (60 yrs. ago) to open bundles of news papers to be delivered and cut twine on the Christmas tree sales lots where I worked. A well built and sufficient work-horse filled with wonderful childhood memories. The original was lost a long time ago but...

...I have acquired some knives designated as "Boys Knives" for example...

 

[JohnDF]

Nice knife John; and welcome back!! I hope you had a restorative break from this nonsense!!

Thanks, Charlie... I missed all my friends here.

 

[Thefrenchmen24]

When I was a boy of age to carry a pocketknife (pretty much the decade of the 1960’s) this was what I carried and what most of my buddies carried. I did have some cheap penknives (Colonial and Imperial shell knives) but the Scout Knife was our boys knife. I don’t recall ever having a classic Boys Knife aka small jackknife (did have Klein wire skinners as my Granddad and Uncle were electricians). I carried my Boy Scout Knife until I got a nice Buck 301 Stockman when I was about 16. OH

I almost bought one of these at a show a few months ago but it was missing the bail.

 

[SteveC]

Remington
Schrade Cutco
Case

 

[Joefairbanks]

Every year at Christmas my Grandmother would send me a new "pocket knife". Most of them were multi-bladed traditionals. I have them in a box somewhere, and pull them out once in a while. They are all mostly beat-up and well used. Now I just have this one that's actually called a "boys knife"-

 

[Will Power]

High grade Boys knives!!View attachment 2365064
I used to dream about owning a pickup truck!!View attachment 2365065View attachment 2365066

Some well heeled Boys there Charlie But that CASE....just d......exceptional bone, an Ivy League Knife

 

[Augie]

Here are a few old ones, 2 still have their original chain, bails and chains did not survive that often. The Ulster is unusual in that it is a very small boy's knife at 2 7/8"

 

[waynorth]

Here are a few old ones, 2 still have their original chain, bails and chains did not survive that often. The Ulster is unusual in that it is a very small boy's knife at 2 7/8"

View attachment 2366454View attachment 2366455View attachment 2366456View attachment 2366457View attachment 2366458

Wonderful Collection, John!!

Some well heeled Boys there Charlie But that CASE....just d......exceptional bone, an Ivy League Knife

Thanks, Will!! Glad you like it!! I actually prefer those old Case Redbones to have some nice patina!! And I don't wrestle with the idea of selling it to "thin the herd"!!!
I just keep, and enjoy it!!

 

[Oldy]

I got my first knife in grade 5,I was in cubs and there was an annual father son dinner night,seeing as my father got lost getting a pack smokes a few years earlier my friends dad offered double duty(did I luck out) well after dinner there was a contest to win a shrade pen size knife, with nice wooden handles.the contest consisted of pictures as well as questions.i remember John diefenbaker and pierre Trudeau were two of the pictures.well my rent a dad was an astute follower of politics so I won the contest(he could afford to buy his son a knife,so he helped me win) well the next day I cut my finger right to the bone,hid it from my mom so as not to lose the knife.i had that knife and carried it every day for a year or so,then the neighborhood bullies beat me up for it.still can picture that knife from 50+ years ago.

 

[FranklinG]

I got my first knife in grade 5,I was in cubs and there was an annual father son dinner night,seeing as my father got lost getting a pack smokes a few years earlier my friends dad offered double duty(did I luck out) well after dinner there was a contest to win a shrade pen knife size with nice wooden handles.the contest consisted of pictures as well as question.i remember John diefenbaker and pierre Trudeau were two of the pictures.well my rent a dad was an astute follower of politics so I won the contest(he could afford to buy his son a knife,so he helped me win) well the next day I cut my finger right to the bone,hid it from my mom so as not to lose the knife.i had that knife and carried it every day for a year or so,then the neighborhood bullies beat me up for it.still can picture that knife from 50+ years ago.

That was an emotional roller coaster of a post. It's hard to say if the highlight was winning the knife or successfully hiding the injury from your mom.

 

[Oldy]

Definitely winning the knife,hiding from my mom was easy,except i should of got stitches.but injuries and boys happened frequently.

 

[Augie]

Wonderful Collection, John!!

Thanks, Will!! Glad you like it!! I actually prefer those old Case Redbones to have some nice patina!! And I don't wrestle with the idea of selling it to "thin the herd"!!!
I just keep, and enjoy it!!

Thank you Charlie.

 

[waynorth]

then the neighborhood bullies beat me up for it.still can picture that knife from 50+ years ago.

I hope they paid for their sins!!