Toothpicks, anyone?

R

revmic

Joined
Oct 30, 1999
Messages
936
Growing up in the South, around the bayous of the Gulf, the pocket blade of choice was the venerable "toothpick". The knife seemed the perfect choice as a frog-sticker and fishing tool as well as a "Saturday Night" protector in my active imagination. I've owned a number of the style in my lifetime including the "Texas" as well as the "Tiny" varieties. Recently I scored what I believe to be the very best of the best example of the type, a Sawby custom. I present it here with the invitation to share yours....Cheers
 
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My Northwoods large tooth pick. Was jigged bone until I made it a smooth bone. Have not replaced the shield yet.

Mike
 
I have some.



I need to update my picture with my Ken Coats shadow toothpick.

 
I'm not a fan, so can you explain a couple of reasons why you like the toothpick pattern?
 
Mostly, I just like the way the handle fits my hand, very comfortable to use. The blades are usually ground thin to very thin, making them cut with little to no effort. That Coats makes a pretty decent fillet knife for small fish.
 
I much prefer smaller toothpicks, I feel the larger ones are a bit clunky. I Really like toothpicks for a very small folder. It's something about the curve of the blade and shape of the handle that makes it more comfortable to carry than other small folders.
 
A toothpick was my first pocket knife. It had yellow slabs and a fish scaling blade. It was an Imperial. Bought it at the surplus store. That was 50+ years ago.

Tom
 
Sweet Sawby. Does it have the Sawby lock? Can you thumb it open?

Can you give a little detail, such as steel, size and year of construction? I really like his work and have never seen a pattern like this in his portfolio. Does he do other somewhat traditional styles? How did you find it?

Thanks for the pictures :)

BobW, toothpicks are a great slim blade for the pocket. They take up a minimum of space in the pocket but have a long blade. The long slim profile makes them also great for lunch preparation such as slicing bread, fruit, cheese and meat. The toothpick is the base design for a host of fishing knives as well. From my time in the Mid Atlantic and New England states, toothpicks are used in the North as well as the South.
 
I had one of the yellow ones too! If only they still made the Hammer Brand candy stripe autos...
 
Hi Brownshoe
She has the Sawby "Self-lock" and I suppose that it can be thumbed open, tho' I've never tried it, as there is substantial blade exposed in the closed position and the pull is probably only a 4 or 5. The steel is CPM154 which suggests to me a relatively new date of construction. I've seen this pattern in D2 and ATS34 previously. My impression is that Sawby has been making this pattern for some time tho' in fairly limited quantities. I'm reasonably familiar with his line and I don't think he makes any other traditionals.

Yablanowitz...that is a sweeeet collection!
 
Don't own one and this is paradoxical as I'm a fan of Laguioles but maybe because I'm European that's why the Toothpick hasn't stirred me.

Until now:D:thumbup: They are after all a kind of Southern States version of a Laguiole and there might be some vague French Connexion there?

I really like that Coats' Shadow version that yablanowitz shows, there's scope for GEC to do a new Shadow run of Toothies. It must be a comfortable in the hand pattern, certainly the Laguiole is superb in that quarter.

Thanks for starting this thread revmic, the Sawby is very appealing, Ram's Horn?

Regards, Will
 
revmic said:
Growing up in the South, around the bayous of the Gulf, the pocket blade of choice was the venerable "toothpick". The knife seemed the perfect choice as a frog-sticker and fishing tool as well as a "Saturday Night" protector in my active imagination. I've owned a number of the style in my lifetime including the "Texas" as well as the "Tiny" varieties. Recently I scored what I believe to be the very best of the best example of the type, a Sawby custom. I present it here with the invitation to share yours....Cheers
Click to expand...

That's a great looking toothpick. I don't own any of Scott's knives but Bailey Bradshaw used to make a folding bowie using the Sawby Self Lock. I've got one that I posted here, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...l-and-Modern-pairings?p=14732526#post14732526, if you're interested in seeing it.
 
As far as I know, the toothpick is a single blade pattern. The fishing knife takeoff does include a second "blade" which is intended as a scaler.

My Sawby is covered with fossil mammoth ivory.

Mike, that smooth bone customization is really nice. hope to see it with the shield installed.
 
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Double Ott said:
A toothpick was my first pocket knife. It had yellow slabs and a fish scaling blade. It was an Imperial. Bought it at the surplus store. That was 50+ years ago.

Tom
Click to expand...
i still have that knife, lol
pretty good knife for a kid

buzz
 
Another person here who's first knife was a Case Fisherman. Always loved the way the handle seemed to fit the contours of my hand. Always wished it was a single blade version. Satisfied that itch with a GEC Snakewood toothpick - same as Vita Brevis posted in the top right. Don't carry it much but just holding it brings back good memories. If I'd had that knife as a kid I would of thought of it as Excaliber.
 
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