"What's Your Best Jack Knife?" .... memories from youth

[Slice-and-dice]

Full disclosure: I'm a child of the 70s, born in the 1960's (I apologize for my 'over-the-hill', 'uncool', or 'out of touch' inquiries but this is the porch).

In my area (New England, USA) in the 70's many parents allowed kids to carry a "Jack Knife," even to school. My mom let me acquire and use such knives when I turned 7 years old. A Jack Knife to us was defined simply as a "foldable, multi-blade pocket knife." Contrast that with what we called a "single blade carry knife, often a foldable lock-back" which to us was a "Buck Knife," regardless of the brand. We had Jack Knives when we were young and graduated to Buck Knives in our teens.

At school, kids would ask the above question, What's Your Best Jack Knife? We all had cheap Imperials and Colonials with bolsters that caved in, scales that were hollow, and blades generally rusted quickly. No one could afford Bucks, Case knives weren't sold in many places, Schrades were a little cheaper that bucks but still expensive. In my youthful circles, everyone wanted a Schrade Uncle Henry Stockman, the biggest size you could get. The 885UH was called the King Ranch! Yes, Please!! It was stainless... We loved multiple blades. But you needed a paper route or to save your allowance for two months to get one. In the 1970 catalogue it was listed for $12.00 (edit, the 8OT was cheaper:$8). By 1975, it was $14.50 at my local retailer... that was a ton of money.

Question: When you were a kid, what was the grail knife for you? Did you ever get it? Do you still have it? Care to share a picture? Tx BF

This was mine -online image, better than my pics:

 

[black mamba]

I was a hunter, knife carrier and user for a long time before I ever saw a stockman, which has become my favorite pattern. My oldest knife (earliest owned) is an Ulster scout knife, a gift from my dad when I entered Scouts in the mid 1960s. I still have it, too. It sits on my reloading bench and is used mostly as a screw driver now.

 

[afishhunter]

My "best" multi blade jack knife?
I cant say. too many stockman, barlow, canoe, (2 blade slipjoint) folding hunters, sunfish, moose, scout/camp, (does Swiss Army knives count? If so, add them.) and 2 blade jacks in my accumulation to pick ither knife or pattern ... tho "(large) stockman" probably wins "favorite pattern", sense I have more of them than other patterns.

Most of my accumulation is stainless. However, I prefer carbon steel for the patina.

My "grail" knife when I was young and "knife age"? The only thing that comes to mind is the Buck 103 "Skinner". I never got one.
(I did have a Western L66, and Ontario 499 "Jet Pilot Survival Knife" to choose from for Boy Scout meetings and their camping trips, and when I went squirrel/rabbit and pheasant hunting.)

From April, 1961 to April, 1968, my daily carry was a "large" 4" closed stockman or a 2 blade Barlow, and a Demo Knife or 4 blade Ulster Scout/Camp knife.
In April, 1968 I added a Buck 110 to my carry. (I switched to a Old Timer 7OT with a 1095 blade c.1978. I stuck with the 7OT's and 6OT's until 2014, when I bought my first 110 in a while, and my first Buck 301.)
Since 2014 my daily belt knife has been a Buck 110, Old Timer 7OT or 6OT, with a 2 blade slipjoint hunter option added in 2020.

I don't have any of my knives from before 1975.

 

[oldmanwilly]

Deleted: Misread the prompt. Great posts so far!

 

[Blues]

As a kid back in the late 50's to very early 60's I remember the Kamp-King as being the one I always had with me. And as with all I had in those early years, lost to innumerable playgrounds, and street games played with friends after school. (I also had a bunch of smaller pen knives given to me by my late grandfather, mostly old Imperials, Uticas, and the like.)

(image from the web)

 

[Stelth]

I had a Soligen pocket knife very similar to this one that my dad gave me. He got it when he was stationed in Germany in the early 60s. Sadly, I lost it a few years after I got it.

 

[Buzzbait]

Okay, this one is embarrassing. I'm from that same vintage as the OP, born in the late 60's in the Northeast. They were definitely referred to as jackknives, and we all pretty much had junk. And yeah, 7 was about the age. I took mine to school.

But I was the quality exception. I had the greatest knife ever!!! My Dad and I saw a basket of jackknives one summer at a little general store (remember those?) in....... it was either Cambridge or Salem, NY. They were five bucks each. He said that I could get one, as we'd be spending the summer at a kid's camp where he was the new director. Every camper needs a jackknife, and I went straight for a real camp knife. The basket had a bunch of cheap shell knives, and this one good camp knife. I don't know if it was a mistake or what, but I got a decent knife for cheap. The blade etch said "Diamond Edge". Now here's the embarrassing part. Being young and taking everything literally, I was positive that I had the sharpest knife ever made. It had diamonds in the edge!!! Nothing cuts like a diamond. I couldn't see the diamonds, but I knew they were there. I showed that fantastic knife to everybody, and told them all about the diamonds.

I eventually lost that knife, as most kids do. But I found another one just like it, maybe ten years back, although the blade etch is long gone. Most Diamond Edge camp knives are cheap shell knives. But this one has actual bolsters. It's a decent knife. This one I found, and the old one I lost, are the only two of this model that I've ever seen.

 

[Slice-and-dice]

Okay, this one is embarrassing. I'm from that same vintage is the OP, born in the late 60's in the Northeast. They were definitely referred to as jackknives, and we all pretty much had junk. And yeah, 7 was about the age. I took mine to school.

But I was the quality exception. I had the greatest knife ever!!! My Dad and I saw a basket of jackknives one summer at a little general store (remember those?) in....... it was either Cambridge or Salem, NY. They were five bucks each. He said that I could get one, as we'd be spending the summer at a kid's camp where he was the new director. Every camper needs a jackknife, and I went straight for a real camp knife. The basket had a bunch of cheap shell knives, and this one good camp knife. I don't know if it was mistake or what, but I got a decent knife for cheap. The blade etch said "Diamond Edge". Now here's the embarrassing part. Being young and taking everything literally, I was positive that I had the sharpest knife ever made. It had diamonds in the edge!!! Nothing cuts like a diamond. I couldn't see the diamonds, but I knew they were there. I showed that fantastic knife to everybody, and told them all about the diamonds.

I eventually lost that knife, as most kids do. But I eventually found another one just like it, maybe ten years back, although the blade etch is long gone. Most Diamond Edge camp knives are cheap shell knives. But this one has actual bolsters. It's a decent knife. This one I found, and the old one I lost, are the only two of this model that I've ever seen.

Awesome story Buzz! Hey I’ll keep an eye out for you for those diamond edged beauties. Tx
Joe

 

[Railsplitter]

Okay, this one is embarrassing. I'm from that same vintage is the OP, born in the late 60's in the Northeast. They were definitely referred to as jackknives, and we all pretty much had junk. And yeah, 7 was about the age. I took mine to school.

But I was the quality exception. I had the greatest knife ever!!! My Dad and I saw a basket of jackknives one summer at a little general store (remember those?) in....... it was either Cambridge or Salem, NY. They were five bucks each. He said that I could get one, as we'd be spending the summer at a kid's camp where he was the new director. Every camper needs a jackknife, and I went straight for a real camp knife. The basket had a bunch of cheap shell knives, and this one good camp knife. I don't know if it was mistake or what, but I got a decent knife for cheap. The blade etch said "Diamond Edge". Now here's the embarrassing part. Being young and taking everything literally, I was positive that I had the sharpest knife ever made. It had diamonds in the edge!!! Nothing cuts like a diamond. I couldn't see the diamonds, but I knew they were there. I showed that fantastic knife to everybody, and told them all about the diamonds.

I eventually lost that knife, as most kids do. But I eventually found another one just like it, maybe ten years back, although the blade etch is long gone. Most Diamond Edge camp knives are cheap shell knives. But this one has actual bolsters. It's a decent knife. This one I found, and the old one I lost, are the only two of this model that I've ever seen.

Kids will be kids and that is an excellent story. I can see myself thinking the same thing under the circumstances. Diamonds in the edge! Best knife ever!

 

[Ironbut]

I grew up in the 50's, and every boy I knew carried a knife. Even to school. Most were Barlows, Jacks, and scout knives. My Dad carried a Barlow, so me & my brother got the hand-me-downs. I don't recall any of the brands.

 

[Buck_Fan]

I was born in 67. So my first knife would have been given to me around 74-75ish. My first knife was a SAK type knife. I doubt it was a real SAK. Probably some dime store knock off. But I am unsure. And both my parents are long gone. So I can't ask them. I asked my siter, who is also a knife nut, and she has no clue what my first knife was. All I remember was it had red covers and multiple tools. But it wasn't very big. My other knives would have been hand me downs from my sister. But nothing sticks in my mind. My first good knife I did not get until after high school which was a Buck 110. Still have that one.

 

[The Kidd]

I remember having a single blade Imperial with the black plastic handle. For some reason 6 year old me thought that Ireland had to be the center of quality cutlery because it was stamped on the blade of my knife and it sounded exotic.

I had a bunch of the little black handled Gerber lockbacks too. Seemed like I’d lose one and get another on our weekly trip to town at least once a month.

But the best caper I remember is in the early 90’s when there was a mail in promo for lids from Skoal and Copenhagen snuff cans. Marlboro miles and Camel Cash on cigarette packages too. All of them offered outdoor gear in the catalogs. My dad owned a convenience store and we would get the lids and miles when emptying the trash cans on the sidewalk and gas pump islands. Dad saved Marlboro miles and I got the snuff lids.

I saved until I had a big bag full and sent off for a genuine green Skoal branded SAK. It was a thing of beauty to a 7 year old. It must have been an inch and a half thick it was packed with so many tools and blades. Seemed to me that anyone could have set off into the wilderness with nothing more than that knife and easily had themselves a cabin and Gilligan’s island style setup built in no time at all to live comfortably ever after in.

I carried it everywhere with my pants pocket bulging and was quick to try out everything it had to offer in some manner, though I didn’t have any wine bottles to pull the cork out of, couldn’t source any genuine leather to poke or sew with the awl, and was never confined behind any metal bars though I was certain the file would cut through them in no time at all should I find myself locked up by bad guys. I remember being most fond of the saw, small boys are regularly required to saw off thumb sized limbs of many trees if they find themselves in possession of a nifty saw or at least I imagined it being necessary.

I all came crashing down on afternoon. I was goofing around out in our detached garage and for some reason I began to wonder. What did my young mind wonder? Well I wondered if the spear blade on my trusty knife would penetrate the thin layer of black vinyl covering the seat of my Dad’s 1985 Honda 250SX 3 wheeler. It turns out it would, quite easily in fact and when it did the vinyl being stretched tightly would sort of pull back on its own into a cat’s eye shape. Two attempts was enough to satisfy my curiosity and I went onto whatever else I thought I needed to be doing, likely some sawing over in the neighbor’s Crepe Myrtle bush. Shortly my Dad arose from his afternoon nap and came to check on me and see what I was up too. I think the first place he looked was in the garage where he quickly noticed the pair of slits in his seat with the yellow foam glaring out of the black seat like twin searchlights in the night.

I was quickly rounded up and made to stand before the court of which my dear ol Dad was judge, jury, and executioner. Inquiries were made and my explanations that included a rat in the garage, a mob of roving seat poking bandits, and a sharp stick accidentally wielded were all quickly dismissed as outlandish, unlikely, and plainly untrue. The knife was taken in as evidence exhibit “A” never to been seen again and possibly still in the bottom drawer of Dad’s dresser and evidence locker. The execution method set at the dreaded belt and delivered without appeal. And I was laid to rest, knifeless, with admonishment against destroying other people’s property and worse yet lying about involvement in such activities.

A week in the life of a free ranging preteen, someday maybe I’ll relay the tale of the shingling hatchet and the sawhorses that really would have been more useful as ragged ended boards….

 

[Peregrin]

I remember having a single blade Imperial with the black plastic handle. For some reason 6 year old me thought that Ireland had to be the center of quality cutlery because it was stamped on the blade of my knife and it sounded exotic.

I had a bunch of the little black handled Gerber lockbacks too. Seemed like I’d lose one and get another on our weekly trip to town at least once a month.

But the best caper I remember is in the early 90’s when there was a mail in promo for lids from Skoal and Copenhagen snuff cans. Marlboro miles and Camel Cash on cigarette packages too. All of them offered outdoor gear in the catalogs. My dad owned a convenience store and we would get the lids and miles when emptying the trash cans on the sidewalk and gas pump islands. Dad saved Marlboro miles and I got the snuff lids.

I saved until I had a big bag full and sent off for a genuine green Skoal branded SAK. It was a thing of beauty to a 7 year old. It must have been an inch and a half thick it was packed with so many tools and blades. Seemed to me that anyone could have set off into the wilderness with nothing more than that knife and easily had themselves a cabin and Gilligan’s island style setup built in no time at all to live comfortably ever after in.

I carried it everywhere with my pants pocket bulging and was quick to try out everything it had to offer in some manner, though I didn’t have any wine bottles to pull the cork out of, couldn’t source any genuine leather to poke or sew with the awl, and was never confined behind any metal bars though I was certain the file would cut through them in no time at all should I find myself locked up by bad guys. I remember being most fond of the saw, small boys are regularly required to saw off thumb sized limbs of many trees if they find themselves in possession of a nifty saw or at least I imagined it being necessary.

I all came crashing down on afternoon. I was goofing around out in our detached garage and for some reason I began to wonder. What did my young mind wonder? Well I wondered if the spear blade on my trusty knife would penetrate the thin layer of black vinyl covering the seat of my Dad’s 1985 Honda 250SX 3 wheeler. It turns out it would, quite easily in fact and when it did the vinyl being stretched tightly would sort of pull back on its own into a cat’s eye shape. Two attempts was enough to satisfy my curiosity and I went onto whatever else I thought I needed to be doing, likely some sawing over in the neighbor’s Crepe Myrtle bush. Shortly my Dad arose from his afternoon nap and came to check on me and see what I was up too. I think the first place he looked was in the garage where he quickly noticed the pair of slits in his seat with the yellow foam glaring out of the black seat like twin searchlights in the night.

I was quickly rounded up and made to stand before the court of which my dear ol Dad was judge, jury, and executioner. Inquiries were made and my explanations that included a rat in the garage, a mob of roving seat poking bandits, and a sharp stick accidentally wielded were all quickly dismissed as outlandish, unlikely, and plainly untrue. The knife was taken in as evidence exhibit “A” never to been seen again and possibly still in the bottom drawer of Dad’s dresser and evidence locker. The execution method set at the dreaded belt and delivered without appeal. And I was laid to rest, knifeless, with admonishment against destroying other people’s property and worse yet lying about involvement in such activities.

A week in the life of a free ranging preteen, someday maybe I’ll relay the tale of the shingling hatchet and the sawhorses that really would have been more useful as ragged ended boards….

A good tale well told!
Speaking for myself, I can still feel the sting of the belt on my backside and my dad saying, "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you!" Sorry, I think not.....

 

[Peregrin]

I received my first pocket knife at the age of 7 or 8 (1957-58). It was a Camillus Cub Scout knife that my dad got for me. We lived in St. Clairsville, Ohio, at the time, and my mother was our Cub Scout group's den mother. I carried it for years. That knife is either squirreled away with some ancient memorabilia or lost to the sands of time.
When I was 14 or so, I got this one. Here's a screenshot of an old post of mine showing it. It was a "Prince Albert" tobacco in a can offer.
I carried it for many years and still have it.
There was a time when a pocket knife was ok in school, on the job, and in every building I went into. I believe I had it in my pocket during my 4 years in the USAF and subsequent college years. Times sure have changed.

 

[chevyrulez1]

My older brother found a pearl handle swing guard switchblade in the late 70's (perhaps on a trip to Mexico?). I though that was the coolest thing I had ever seen, and wanted a switchblade something fierce. In the 80's you could go to the gun show in Greensboro NC and people would be selling the cheap Nato OTF knives for $10, and some no name swing guard switchblade for $15 IIRC, and I ended up with one of each. That nato OTF was fun to click open and close and annoy everyone around, but I LOVED my swing guard stiletto. Until, one day a friend had one of the Reproduction Rambo knives that looked just like the one in First Blood part 2, and I swapped him the stiletto for the Rambo knife. I had that knife for many years, and do not know what happened to it. I am assuming it got stolen somewhere along the way. I still have my "survivor" knife though, wish they would have stolen that instead I have always regretted that trade

 

[JW225]

Great thread, and great stories!

My first knife was given to me by my Dad upon my becoming a Scout circa 1967. It was a big deal for me -- a rite of passage. That knife was in my pocket constantly as a boy. Incredibly, it has survived the years, and it sits in my top desk drawer to this day -- ready for action...

 

[Hickory n steel]

My grail was the Buck 110.
everybody knew what a " Buck knife " was, but by the time I was 12 I actually knew what the Buck knives model 110 was.
As best as I can figure I had to have learned about it from the old Cabelas Christmas catalogs my uncle had left at my grandparents house.
One day I was walking around the appartment complex I lived in with my mom & siblings at the time when a kid I occasionally hung around with found a Buck 110 in it's sheath on the sidewalk right in front of me.
He had no clue what he really had, but wouldn't trade it to me for anything.

My knife habit was bigger than my budget throughout my childhood so I foolishly chose to accumulate gas station specials that I could impulsively buy and trade around whenever I had a little money instead of just saving up for a 110.
I was smart enough to know that a knockoff would not satisfy me though and did eventually get that 110 as my high school graduation gift.

 

[Modoc ED]

Mumblety Peg was a game often played in my time in school - 1940s and 1950s . Things weren't as tight then so it was a common practice to play at school at lunch time or anyplace else. Not just the guys bit girls too and it wasn't uncommon for a teacher or someone at the after church pot-luck to start or join a game. Not my knife at the time but this Imperial was a common carry for some.

 

[Slice-and-dice]

Bump for additional input