What's the difference between Beer Scouts and Radio Jacks

r redden

r redden

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May 23, 2015
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I no longer have a Beer Scout but looking over my knives I started wondering what the real differences are if any between Beer Scouts and Radio Scouts other than the name. The first picture is a WW2 era Camillus Radio Jack I still own the second a GEC Beer Scout I used to own. I can see the obvious the caplifter on the GEC is longer and the Camillus is a spear point but those two things don't really alter the pattern. Is there a difference between these two that I'm just not seeing.

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Someone nicely modified the Camillus. In their catalogs, they described the knife as a "swell end jack". They used that name regardless of whether the secondary was a pen blade or a bottle opener. Levine's Guide calls these knives "bottle opener knives". Often these were advertising or promotional knives.

In old catalogs "radio knives" were often advertised as "electrician or radio". They typically had a long screwdriver blade --often a electrician screwdriver blade. I suppose whether it was "electrician" or "radio" depended on the use.

GEC's "beer scout" was just a fun name, of course. GEC's "radio knife" would fit best in the "bottle opener knife" category in Levine's Guide. The name appeals to nostalgia but the old knives were different. Also there aren't many folks adjusting radios with screwdrivers these days.

An example of a Camillus "swell end jack knife". This is from a catalog that's a few years after your knife was made but the terms should be similar. Also, notice they call the bottle opener a "cap lifter"--if I recall correctly, some folks previously disputed that term.
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An example of a radio or electrician knife from Remington
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Jake-that “Radio Tool” is just magnificent! Not very common I imagine? Also German make-pre or post war?
Thanks, Neal
 
Cool thread; I'm enjoying it. :thumbsup:
One thing I sort of passively collect are old books from the 30s to 50s that show home work shops or how to set up a home work shop for hobby work etc.
One of them shows a sheet of copper for an electric arc welding table. That's the only place I have ever seen that. What does a sheet of copper like that cost ? !
. . . anyway these knives are perfect to go with all that.
 
neal70 said:
Jake-that “Radio Tool” is just magnificent! Not very common I imagine? Also German make-pre or post war?
Thanks, Neal
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Thank you, Neal. My notes say around 1915-1929. I think I got the 1915 date from LG4 or another book. I got the 1929 date from a 1929 HSB catalog.

waynorth said:
Nice series of knives and info Jake!
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Thank you, Charlie. Loved your run of the GEC diamond radio knives. That old peach seed Shapleigh/Schrade is a collector dream. I think you're hiding a gem of a Remington also.

In this Schrade catalog they called it a "mechanics knife".
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waynorth said:
Well, if you open too much Beer, you won't be able to repair/adjust your Radio!!:eek:
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Charlie that cracked me up anyone ever told you that "you ain't right". :D:D

supratentorial said:
Someone nicely modified the Camillus.
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Thanks Jake I don't know who put those cocobolo covers on it but it's a very special knife to me it's the first knife that my buddy Bob (BigBiscuit) ever gave me.
 
To my knowledge, too - GEC had released knives branded as "Cap Lifter" with spearpoint and clip point blades. Then there were some branded "Radio" that were standard Tidioute runs, and Charlie did an SFO Diamond Northfield Radio Jack with his #15 Harness Jacks. The scouts, whether Beerscouts or "Soda" Scouts, I think, have always had a sheepsfoot blade, so have the Crown Lifter branded knives.
 
traumkommode said:
To my knowledge, too - GEC had released knives branded as "Cap Lifter" with spearpoint and clip point blades. Then there were some branded "Radio" that were standard Tidioute runs, and Charlie did an SFO Diamond Northfield Radio Jack with his #15 Harness Jacks. The scouts, whether Beerscouts or "Soda" Scouts, I think, have always had a sheepsfoot blade, so have the Crown Lifter branded knives.
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There were some clip point Crown Lifters.
 
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