What an enlisted man would carry (in 1909) ...and vintage multi-tool ads

[supratentorial]

Browsing Google books, I came across a reference to the Barnett Plier Knife in an old Officer's Manual.

...

Officer's Manual:

1906 advertisement for the Barnett Plier Knife in Popular Mechanics:

 

[vba]

I love old ads and have a collection of Life Magazines from 1930's to 50's.

Thank you for sharing, looks like a good knife needed by soldiers in the early part of the last century, especially the hoof hook.

Vin

 

[jackknife]

Now that's cool!

The idea of a tool gadget knife goes way back. In the American civil war, they had pocket knives with hoof picks, spoons, awls, and other tools. Maybe the base good idea is a universal one? I understand even the ancient Romans had a multi-tool thing.

Carl.

 

[znapschatz]

This puts me in mind of my dad, who was in the horse cavalry during the 1930s. Unfortunately, I had never thought to ask him if or what kind of pocket knife he might have carried. The only items of equipment he ever discussed, AFAIR, was his Springfield rifle, which he claimed made a marksman of him, and a canteen from which water always tasted funny. At the end of a week or so, he discovered it had contained a dead mouse.

 

[supratentorial]

I'm going to make a habit of checking the inside of my water bottle now.

Some more Barnett Plier (HHH) Knife Advertisements from Google Books:

Popular Mechanics Nov 1905

Popular Science June 1919

Technical World Magazine Volume 4

Machinists Monthly Journal Volume 17

Machinists Monthly Journal Volume 18

Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemens Magazine Volume 39

Illustrated World Volume 31

 

[supratentorial]

More vintage ads from Google Books:

Outing sport adventure travel fiction Volume 39 (1902)

Popular Mechanics May 1906

Hardware Dealers Magazine Volume33 January 1910

Popular Mechanics April 1930

Popular Science November 1933

Popular Mechanics February 1948

Popular Science Feb 1951

Popular Science Dec 1951

Popular Science November 1952[/QUOTE]

Here's what the A&F looked like back in the 1950s:

LIFE Mar 22 1954

Popular Science Jan 1957

Popular Science Jan 1965

 

[supratentorial]

This 1967 article from Popular Mechanics helps address my own questions about the age of the Abercrombie & Fitch multi-tool:

Popular Mechanics April 1967

 

[supratentorial]

I found this one last night. A Barnett Plier Knife FREE with your subscription!!! I'm sending a check!

 

[Iyonk]

Thanks alot supratentorial.... i really enjoy this post! thanks for your time and effort!!!

 

[Harayasu]

Thanks for sharing that very nice info.

I have a tool like the Pocket Auto Kit in my car. It was a gift from my parents when I got my first car. That was in december 2000, but the tool is older. I've never used it, but it's always there. Will try to make a few pictures of it soon.

 

[Chocula]

fun articles, thanks

 

[mora the explorer]

Interesting ads thanks for putting those up. :thumbup:

 

[mickeyblueyes]

And here I thought Tim Leatherman did it all by himself. Everyday you learn something.

 

[supratentorial]

Thank you, it means a lot that you guys enjoyed the post!

And here I thought Tim Leatherman did it all by himself. Everyday you learn something.

I don't think that conclusion is warranted by the photos. Leatherman's invention is unique and stands on its own.

Also... remember that Google books and the internet weren't available in 1978! Much of the currently available information is from Levine and Price but Levine's Guide to Knives and Their Values was published nearly 10 years later in 1985.

Leatherman's 1978 patent does have some citations (see link below) but I'd be willing to bet the patent attorneys researched it and came up with the citations well after the design was created. Patent information wasn't as readily accessible before the age of the computer and the internet.

http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=RhU6AAAAEBAJ

 

[Thalestin]

I really enjoyed those adds. Actually made my night, thank you

 

[supratentorial]

Thanks!

By the way... I found it interesting that the phrase "pocket tool chest" has been used to describe everything from:

I. Barnett Plier Knife

Popular Science June 1919

II. Tool Kits

Popular Mechanics April 1906

III. Tool Handles

The American agriculturist Volume 45

This type of tool is recommended in the ‪Going abroad?: Some advice‬ By Robert Luce (1897)

and is also mentioned in ‪Game laws in brief and woodcraft magazine, Volume 2‬ By Charles B. Reynolds (1899)

IV. Some sort of combination scissor tool

Home furnishing review, Volume 7 (1895)

…Among others.

...And of course

VI. Swiss army knives

Boys Life October 1979

and VII. Leatherman multi-tools

Early Winters

 

[supratentorial]

Also, I thought this 1922 article from Popular Mechanics was neat -- it gives instructions to build a combination tool:

 

[supratentorial]

A few more:

Norfolk Sportsman's Knife

Boys Life Aug 1926

Joseph Rodgers & Sons

The post office directory of Birmingham

Another Tool Handle

Popular Mechanics Mar 1912

Harp Tool

Illustrated world Volume 27

More Tool Kits

Hardware dealers magazine Volume 24

Wrench-Knife and Plier-Knife

Boys Life Sep 1962

4 layer automobile wrench

Popular Science Feb 1920

Wrench Knife

Boys Life Sep 1967

Multiple-Head Pliers

Popular Mechanics Oct 1909

Popular Mechanics Nov 1914

EverReady

Popular Mechanics Oct 1909

 

[supratentorial]

Screwdriver Hammer

Popular Mechanics Apr1933

Screwdriver Knife

Popular Mechanics Dec 1938

Knife and Saw

Popular Mechanics Dec 1921

Combination Kitchen Tool

Popular Mechanics Nov1925

Popular Mechanics Mar1912

Popular Mechanics Feb 1911

Popular Mechanics Dec 1926

Popular Mechanics Nov 1925

Popular Mechanics Dec 1911

Popular Science Oct 1926

 

[madhappy]

I love vintage tools thanks