Traditional multiblades, custom or production, when its done right its all good..

[sunnyd]

Well its after 3:30 am on a Saturday night~Sunday morning and after having a few belts with the boyz, I had a thought..

.. I have a down right passionate affinity for multi-blades.. I mean anything four or more blades is extremely hard to execute from a knife maker's perspective.. Yet they do it,, some good, some not-so-good, but man when they get it right,, its a thing of BEAUTY and a FINE functioning hand tool that you just can't beat.. Be it an old Congress, Whittler, Stockman, Sowbelly, Cattleman or any other traditional pattern I recon its the epitome of Form & Function coming together in one fine cutt'n tool..

Here, let me start it off with this one..

A vintage Treebrand Boker from C1800's-1900's..

OH, and this one I just sold.. Its making me a tad sad to think about it..

But hey, I still have these..

OOooo, and my absolute favorite..

Anyone else feel the same way and have any multi-blades to share?.

 

[smiling-knife]

Beautiful multi-blades sunnyd and great photos too. Your Boker is so sweet. I agree that these are a true test of the cutler's talent. Along similar line is this old ED Wusthof from Solingen.

 

[sunburst]

Very nice sunnyd and SK, true craftmanship to be sure..Thanks for sharing..

Sunburst

 

[Blues]

A well made knife is a thing of beauty. Functional beauty at that.

Good stuff!

 

[smiling-knife]

This is a Sheffield made multi-tool incuding a cigar fork and button hook among the attachments.

 

[Berkley]

Those are some beautiful pieces. As Blues says, function is an aspect of beauty - some things are just done more easily with scissors than with a blade, and it's nice to have several options in a small package.
It starts to be more of a challenge to pose the subject without getting cut the more blades you have to arrange, though.

 

[Mike Robuck]

From what I've heard the smaller knives with multiple blades were the high-end knives back in the day while patterns such as jack knives were more for the working class. But now collectors seem to prize the working knives over the smaller multi-bladed knives of the same period.

By the way, Sunnyd you type pretty well after a late evening/early morning of sharing libations with friends.

 

[smiling-knife]

Very nice Berkley amd Mike. Mike who made your knife? Thanks.

 

[Durwood]

My first love of slipjoints was smaller "Sunday" knives, especially the multi-blade patterns, with a strong preference for pearls and even more specifically, E. C. Simmons Keen Kutters. A friend/long time factory knife collector once told me, "People like little knives, and they want little knives...they just don't want to pay for 'em."

I think he was right. Some of the neatest, best executed knives I've ever seen (factory wise) were 3" and under in size. Getting top dollar out of a knife in that size category is about as hard as finding a pristine example of that very work

I'll always love my "little knives" I just won't center my collection around them. Interestingly, it also seems you reach an upper end in size where knives start to lose collector interest from the masses.

 

[sunnyd]

.. By the way, Sunnyd you type pretty well after a late evening/early morning of sharing libations with friends.

Yup,, thank goodness for the edit function, huh?!.
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S-K,

Thanks for some incredible knives!. Keep'em coming!!. Please

 

[smiling-knife]

You're welcome sunnyd and thanks very much for your comments. You all may be tired of this one but as asked for more....

This Victorian (c1880s) smokers knife was made by Christopher Johnson & Co. It has a spring-loaded cigar nipper the end, which is covered with the fold-out pipe tamper attachment when closed.

 

[JatMat]

Mine is not so old, but it is multi-functional, not that I would ever cut anything with it.

James

 

[navihawk]

You're welcome sunnyd and thanks very much for your comments. You all may be tired of this one but as asked for more....

This Victorian (c1880s) smokers knife was made by Christopher Johnson & Co. It has a spring-loaded cigar nipper the end, which is covered with the fold-out pipe tamper attachment when closed.

That knife is cool.Another great eye candy thread.

 

[Bastid]

Getting to see these is a nice gift.

Thanks to all of you. Some incredible work, the likes of which you do not get to see too often or at least not often enough.

 

[Mike Robuck]

Cool knives! SunnyD needs to stay up late pondering with his buddies more often.

S-K, it’s a pearl Henckels. I should try to do a better scan.

Here is a three-inch, splitback Henckels whittler. Each blade has a cut out for opening the blade. Both of the knife blades have long pulls and swedges and all three nestle down inside of the knife nicely.

Sunken joints:

Full blade but tiny:

 

[fewpop]

Good thread Sunny. Thanks for sharing all the cool pics you guys.

 

[sunnyd]

Thanks Gus and Ford very kindly for the comments..

Mike,
I have never seen these vintage knives of yours. I am glad to have started this thread, if just for that reason alone!.:thumbup:

S-K,
I never tire of seeing(drooling, more like..) that sweet old mop smokers knife. She is incredible!. I would have very much liked to have met the hand full of fellows that crafted that one at the pub over some suds, just once.

James,
Super sweet Tison Sowbelly!.
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A couple more..

An old Schrade Walden, Cut. Co. Scout knife..

A vintage Case XX given to me by my favorite Uncle that I have shown before, but it fits here.

 

[KnifeHead]

How bout a T.Bose 5 blade Rem. bone stockman (posted before in another thread, as if that's a problem)

...and an R.Bose 5 blade ivory stockman

 

[smiling-knife]

Thanks very much for the positive comments and the great looking knives shown. One more mop of pearl multi-tool. It is missing the tamper disc that was on the hinge at the left. When extended it would have rotated out across the end of the knife.

 

[lambertiana]

Those small pearl multiblades sure are nice! I bet they were solely the province of wealthy people back when they were made.

And those Bose knives....man I wish I could afford one.