What Make/Model is the oldest in continuous production?

Any friction folder comes in mind ... they are almost made since medieval times.

... oh and fixed blades in general are the very first tools in mankind - at least than the Iron Age they knew how to perform metal and how to work with it.
 
The Nontron company was founded in 1653. Their basic knife has been made hundreds of years.
 
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My second suggestion would be the Farmer's Sickle. If you can forget there is no specific maker, or company involved with it, I could easily accept that the farmer's sickle is the oldest knife pattern used by man, across continents and cultures.
 
Flint knapped knives.


The actual shapes may change a bit over time, but they've been in production for a very long time.



Big Mike
 
I think there's a distinction to be made between a "model", which is produced by a single manufacturer, and a "pattern" which may be made by many different manufacturers.

Both interesting questions but different questions.

A related question is how much evolution in a model can take place before it's considered a different model? For example, I think the Victorinox "Soldier" has gone through several major changes: bear head, equal end, current. Really different patterns despite the same model name. My answer, when the pattern changes, it's not the same model, but this only begs the question of what defines a pattern (|rabbit hole)?
 
EChoil said:
I believe there are similar areas of Spain where certain styles of knives have been produced for a very long time. Toledo and Toledo steel....wonder how far back it goes.
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I don't know how many actual knife makers you will find in Toledo today. When I was there, admittedly for other purposes, I only saw tourist junk. I saw historical sites a-plenty, but as for modern cutlery operations, especially with some history behind them, does anyone know of one? I would be quite interested to check them out, if possible.
 
Remember the OP is looking for a SPECIFIC MAKE AND MODEL, not a pattern like a sickle, or a generic Katana. We all know those have been around centuries...

Sounds like Nontron and Opinel are in the lead so far.
 
Nontron's (1653) got Opinel (1890) beat by a couple of hundred years.
 
Just going to take a stab in the dark, but what about some of the kitchen knife companies? There are a few that have been around a long time, and they don't seem to change patterns often.

Henckels was founded in 1731, they may have a particular butcher model that has been in production for over 50 years?????

No idea if they do, just trying to think outside the box.
 
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