Usually when reading about knives from years past, I get the impression that jacks were the sort of "blue collar" workingman's knife and that pen knives were more white collar management type knives. This is even evidenced, in a limited capacity, in my own life. My maternal grandfather grew up on a farm and carried a jack all his life. My paternal grandfather was a salesman and carried a pen. I believe early pen knives cost more, on average, than a typical jack. I also believe that the very term "jack" knife comes from the sailors, or jacks, who carried them, while the "pen" name comes from...sharpening pens.
I feel this characterization might be unfair. Like a stigma or even perhaps a prejudicial way of thinking. I'm sure there were hard working pens out there, and plenty of "gentleman" jacks. I'd love to hear stories that defy this stereotype...
I feel this characterization might be unfair. Like a stigma or even perhaps a prejudicial way of thinking. I'm sure there were hard working pens out there, and plenty of "gentleman" jacks. I'd love to hear stories that defy this stereotype...